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Occupational Health Hazards in Textiles Industry: Sudha Babel Meenaxi Tiwari
Occupational Health Hazards in Textiles Industry: Sudha Babel Meenaxi Tiwari
See end of the paper for ABSTRACT : Occupational health is an important concern of the working person. Industry is one of the
authors’ affiliations occupation which affects health of workers, In fact the objective of an occupational health service is not only
to keep the workers physically healthy but also mentally and psychologically stable. There is thus, a need to
SUDHA BABEL
Department of Textiles and Apparel have a look on the occupational health of workers so that they can remain healthy and perform the task
Designing, College of Home carefully. There are numerous health and safety issue associated the textile industry. They include is chemical
Science, Maharana Pratap exposure, exposure of cotton dust, organic dust and noise exposure.
University of Agriculture and
Technology, UDAIPUR
KEY WORDS: Occupational health, Textile industry workers health
(RAJASTHAN) INDIA
HOW TO CITE THIS PAPER : Babel, Sudha and Tiwari, Meenaxi (2014). Occupational health hazards in textiles industry. Asian
Email: [email protected]
J. Home Sci., 9 (1) : 267-271.
H
ealth has been defined as a state of complete Physical hazards:
physical, mental and social well being. Health care Heat, cold, lighting, noise, visible ultra violet radiation,
is the right of every individual and has been temperature, humidity and ionizing.
recognized in many countries attainment of the highest
possible level of health is the important world wide social Chemical and mineral hazards:
goal. Health of the people is really the foundation upon which Dust, vapours, fumes, gases, solvent, metal and their
all their happening and well being depends. Health is not only compounds.
the start point of all welfare but also a significant yard stick
to measure the progress of a country. Biological hazards:
Health at work is consideration to deal with the health Various, blood borne disease, sharps/needle sticks,
problems related to employment. Occupational health is bacteria, moulds in health care and other works.
concerned with the health safety issue of work. The hazards
exposure in setting can adversely affect the human health. Mechanical hazards:
Tripping hazards, traumatic injuries, house keeping
Occupation health: injuries, steps and fault of moving equipments.
The general health of the people is related with
occupation in which they are engaged. Infact occupational Ergonomic hazards:
health and safety are the integral components of the general Posture force (pushing/pulling), repetition, vibration,
concepts of health, which is a part of social economic pressure on the body, work organization (poorly designed
development.Occupation health is everybody’s business, work procedure and tasks) are work environment.
everyone is affected by it directly or indirectly and has a
specific role and responsibility to play and regards to Psycho-social hazards:
occupational health. Industrial workers may be exposed to Low/high work load demand, pace /work, little and no
the following six types of hazards, depending upon their control over what work to do, no social support, relations
occupation: harassment and discrimination or physical or mental treats
Asian J. Home Sci., 9(1) June, 2014 : 267-271 268 HIND INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS IN TEXTILES INDUSTRY
Asian J. Home Sci., 9(1) June, 2014 : 267-271 269 HIND INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SUDHA BABEL AND MEENAXI TIWARI
uticaria and asthma have been reported in textile-dyeing the texture or appearance of a fabric.
workers.
Health hazards:
Accidents: One type of chemical finishing does not involve a
Serious scalding accidents have occurred when hot chemical reaction: the application of a softener or a hand
liquor has been accidentally admitted to a kier in which a builder to modify the feel and texture of the fabric, or to
worker has been arranging the cloth to be treated. improve its sewability. This presents no significant hazards
except for the possibility of irritation from skin and eye
Printing: contact. The other type of chemical finishing involves a
The dye or pigment is thickened with starch or made chemical reaction: resin finishing of cotton fabric to produce
into emulsion which, in the case of pigment colours, is desired physical properties in the fabric such as low
prepared with an organic solvent. This paste or emulsion is shrinkage and a good smoothness appearance. The primary
taken up by the engraved rollers which print the material. hazard associated with this type of finishing is that most
resins release formaldehyde as part of their reaction.
Hazards in printing: Studies have revealed links between exposure to
Flammability: formaldehyde and nasal and lung cancer as well as to brain
The thickening systems contain up to 40% solvents and cancer and leukemia, which can be fatal. In the long run,
are highly flammable. exposure to formaldehyde could lead to respiratory difficulty
and eczema. Contact of the chemicals with skin as well as
Air emissions: inhalation of the chemicals can lead to several serious health
Solvents in this print system will be flashed off from effects.
the oven during drying and curing. Hepatic toxicity in textile workers has been reported
by Redlich et al. (1988) as a result of exposure to the solvent
Sludge: dimethylformanide in a fabric-coating factory. This toxicity
Can have environmental problems with ground and was recognized in the context of an “outbreak” of liver
groundwater contamination. disease in a New Haven, Connecticut, factory that produces
Formaldehyde (apply to the aqueous-based printing polyurethane-coated fabrics.
systems) is a sensitizer and an irritant that may produce
reactions, sometimes violent, in workers who are exposed Preventive measure used in textile mill:
to it either by inhaling the air around the printing machine as Tippah (1992) opined that proper medical facilities and
it is operating or by coming into contact with the printed safety measure were not provided to the work who ere in
fabric. These reactions may range from simple eye irritation contact with hazardous martial as chemical in dyeing or cement
to welts on the skin and severe difficulty with breathing. dust in construction work. As a reason many of the workers
suffered from ill health and physical disabilities.
Finishing: U.S. department of labour, occupational safe and health
Finishing is a term applied to a very broad range of organization (OSHA, 1995) emphases that follows measure
treatments that are usually performed during the last must included in every factory to reduces the dust level:
manufacturing process before fabrication. Some finishings –Cleaning floors with a vacuum cleaner or method that
can also be performed after fabrication. cut down the spreading of dust.
–Disposing of dust away that as little scatters as possible.
Mechanical finishing: –Using mechanical method to stack dump or otherwise
This type of finishing involves processes that change handle cotton or cotton waste.
the texture or appearance of a fabric without the use of –Checking, cleaning and repairing dust control equipment
chemicals. They include Sanforizing, Calendering, Sanding, and ventilation systems.
Embossing, Heat-setting, Brushing, Sueding. U.S. Department of labour, occupational safety and hear
organization (OSHA, 1995) emphases that:
Health hazards: – Employers must provide free annual medical check
The principal hazards are the noise, presence of heat, including breathing test to workers employed in due
the very high temperatures being applied and nip points in area. If workers show significant physical change more
the moving machine parts. frequent check up must be available to them.
– Employers are required to conduct a training
Chemical finishing: programme for employees at least annually to create
This type of finishing involves chemicals that change awareness of the hazards of cotton dust.
Asian J. Home Sci., 9(1) June, 2014 : 267-271 270 HIND INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS IN TEXTILES INDUSTRY
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Asian J. Home Sci., 9(1) June, 2014 : 267-271 271 HIND INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY