The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York on 25 March 1911, killing 146 garment workers, led to sweeping labour and insurance law reforms, including compulsory fire safety standards and workers' compensation in New York State.

The Triangle fire inspired an outpouring of labour poetry, particularly among Yiddish-language poets; it became a foundational event in American labour literature, addressing themes of immigrant vulnerability, corporate negligence, and the human cost of uninsured risk.