This contradicts the basic pro-capitalist narrative I learned about the industrial revolution and the poor working conditions of the past. It makes the business owners sound cruel and kinda evil, not doing their best to be economically efficient in a less wealthy society with workers who can’t afford and don’t want to pay for all types of workplace safety that workers today have.
Based on the minimal fact checking of searching it on Wikipedia, some of the main claims appear to be true. Phossy jaw - Wikipedia