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Byssinosis is an occupational lung disease affecting textile workers exposed to cotton, jute and hemp dust. It causes symptoms like cough, breathlessness, and wheezing which is more during Mondays. Diagnosis is mainly clinical. The true burden of byssinosis in India remains unknown, and this systematic review and meta-analysis (SR-MA) aims to estimate its prevalence among textile industry workers in India. This study was registered in PROSPERO. The search spanned from January 2000 to September 2023, focusing on observational studies that met specific criteria. Two independent reviewers screened the literature, extracted relevant data, and assessed the risk of bias. Statistical analysis included a random effects model, assessment of heterogeneity and publication bias. Eighteen studies (5678 individuals) were included in the analysis. Byssinosis diagnosis was based on Schilling's criteria in the majority of studies. Seven studies had low risk of bias, three had high risk, and the rest were moderate. There was no significant publication bias. The pooled prevalence of byssinosis was 24% (95% CI = 13%-36%) with high heterogeneity (I2 = 99.02%). Sub-group analysis of studies with low risk of bias showed a prevalence of 20% (95% CI = 11% - 29%). Extrapolation of these findings to India suggests that about 10 million people are affected by byssinosis. The authors recommend development and practice of tailored health surveillance guidelines and the promotion of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) among those employed in textile industries.

The article deals with the development of social work in socialist textile factories in Slovenia from the 1960s. The article is based on reports of workers’ council meetings in the Pletenina knitwear factory and on research conducted by students of the School of Social Work in socialist factories, and on interviews with some former social workers in textile factories. The empirical material points to social problems identified by the social workers and the miserable social conditions in which the textile workers lived and worked. The studies conducted by the students are important sources for researching the social conditions of textile workers in the socialist past. They also point to the social understanding of the problems and social work in the former political system. I interpret the material in the context of my year-long study of the experiences of women textile workers in Slovenia.

This article aims to address issues related to traumas and interdictions about communist militancy in historical narratives. As a motto for its approach, the text presents as an object of study a group of textile workers from the city of Magé, State of Rio de Janeiro, and proposes to analyze the varied deferences to the communist doctor Irun Sant’Anna in the interviews of oral history. Based on the debate on memories and identities, in dialogue with the propositions of E. P. Thompson and Mike Savage on processes of class formation and recurrent idealizations of those who research the theme, the article seeks to highlight and discuss complex elements of the analyzed group of workers, aiming to deepen broader reflections, related to the study of the labor history in Brazil.

Noise is associated with a risk factor for several cardiovascular diseases, one of which is hypertension. Hypertension is estimated to cause 7,5 million deaths, or about 12.8% worldwide. The textile industry is exposed to high noise intensity because it constantly uses machines. The results of a preliminary study of noise measurement showed that the average at 6 points reached 90 dBA. The Threshold Value for the noise level contained in permitted government regulation is ≤ 85 dBA for duration of exposure of 8 hours. The measurement results exceed the threshold value. This study was analytical observational research with a Cross-sectional study design. The sample in this study was 74 workers textile industry in Semarang city. The average noise intensity measurement in the entire machine area of spinning unit 5 of the Semarang City Textile Industry is 87.49 dBA. Based on statistical test analysis, the results of noise levels (p-value = 0.037), working period (p-value = 0.015), and continuity of use of ear protection equipment (p-value = 0.048) and duration of exposure per day (p-value 0.510) were obtained. There is a significant relationship between noise level, working period, and continuity of Ear Protection Equipment use with the incidence of hypertension.

This article seeks to highlight the centenary of the promulgation of Decree nº 3,724 of January 15, 1919, which regulated the obligations arising from labor accidents. It is divided into two parts: in the first, I analyze and present some debates about the working conditions that caused accidents in textile factories in Rio de Janeiro, Federal District, in the first decades oh the 20th century; in the second, I examine the context of enactment of this Law and its application by the textile industrialists who were part of the Sociedade Cooperativa de Seguros Operários em Fábricas de Tecidos.

İş değerleri, çalışanların iş süreçlerini algılama ve karar tercihlerini yönlendiren, işe yönelik inanç, tutum ve davranışlarını şekillendiren yargısal standartlardır. İş hayatında karşılaşılan durum ve uygulamaları “iyi veya kötü”, “doğru veya yanlış” bağlamında irdelemek ve uygun davranış modelini benimsemek için zemin hazırlama işlevine sahiptirler. İş değerleri bilişsel, araçsal ve sosyal/duyuşsal değer boyutlarıyla temsil edilmiştir. Çalışmanın amacı, iş değerlerini demografik özellikler açısından incelemektir. Çalışmada iş değerlerinin cinsiyete, yaşa, mesleğe, deneyime ve eğitim düzeyine göre farklılaşma olasılığı sorgulanmıştır. Kastamonu’da faaliyette bulunan tekstil işletmesi çalışanları üzerinde uygulanan anketten elde edilen bulgular sonucunda iş değerlerinin demografik faktörlere göre değişmediği ortaya çıkmıştır.

This article explores the experiences of migrant workers, many from rural areas, who settled in a major center of the textile industry in Brazil, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro and which housed to four factories. Articulating several historical sources, we seek to understand both the agricultural practices maintained by migrants from the countryside, and the incentives to work in the fields fostered by employers in the factories. In contrast to studies guided by notions of modernization which have crudely linked the manufacturing world to progress as opposed to the agricultural, this article examines how rural and factory labor coexisted in multiple combinations. We argue that the term “roçado operário” (factory worker’s farm), used in many studies, is not enough to describe a far more varied and complex social phenomenon. Therefore, we propose a new framework for understanding the various forms of land use by these workers.

This article explores the experiences of migrant workers, many from rural areas, who settled in a major center of the textile industry in Brazil, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro and which housed to four factories. Articulating several historical sources, we seek to understand both the agricultural practices maintained by migrants from the countryside, and the incentives to work in the fields fostered by employers in the factories. In contrast to studies guided by notions of modernization which have crudely linked the manufacturing world to progress as opposed to the agricultural, this article examines how rural and factory labor coexisted in multiple combinations. We argue that the term “roçado operário” (factory worker’s farm), used in many studies, is not enough to describe a far more varied and complex social phenomenon. Therefore, we propose a new framework for understanding the various forms of land use by these workers.

Introduction: Empirical evidence suggest that the workers in the garment units suffer from work related musculoskeletal disorders such as carpel tunnel syndrome, forearm tendinitis, epicondilitis, bicapital tendinitis, lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and osteoarthritis of the knee. Therefore the present study was undertaken to find out the determinants leading to musculoskeletal disorders among the small scale textile workers. Methodology: A community based, cross-sectional study was conducted among the small-scale textile workers of Meerut. The subjects were interviewed and examined as per a pre-designed, pre-tested semi-structured interview questionnaire. Result: There was significant relation between age, years and hours of working and marital status with musculoskeletal disorders. Around 70% of workers having history of addiction developed musculoskeletal disorders. Conclusion: A highly significant association between increasing age, more years of work experience, and more hours of work per day, addiction, marital status and musculoskeletal disorders was seen in the study.

Background. According to our knowledge, there are no official medical statistics about skin problems of Lithuanian textile workers. The aim of the study is to evaluate work related skin problems in this occupational field, their character, and what alterations if any can be carried out. Materials and methods. A self-reported anonymous survey was carried out in 12 randomly selected textile factories from 6 cities of Lithuania in 2013–2014. Data were analyzed by SPSS v21.0. Results. 91% of all the employees (551) were females with the mean experience in textile industry of 14.2 years (SD 7.2). The majority (63%) of the respondents were sewing machine operators. The most commonly mentioned risk factors were textile (89.7%) and dust (36.8%) containing different chemical substances that we did not analyze in our study. 83.1% of the respondents had no air conditioning systems at their working place. Atopic skin diseases were declared by 165(30%) workers. 208(37.7%) participants complained about skin problems. Dermatological treatment was received by 190(91.4%) respondents (topical corticosteroids, antibiotics and emollients) and was effective in 74.7% of all cases. Almost all of the respondents (97%) declared having no training about occupational skin problems and skin protection measures during apprenticeship, though 59% of them pointed out it would be desirable. Still, the usage of emollients at work is rather high – 76.6%. Conclusions. Our study highlighted that improvement is needed in pre-occupational councelling and working conditions.

Exposing the ear to an intense noise will probably cause to hearing loss. This loss may be temporary threshold shift (TTS), permanent threshold shift (PTS), or a combination of the two. The average audiograms for the 157 textile workers, exposed to an average 100 dB (A) overall noise level, in 5 age groups indicated that the losses were most prominent for frequencies of 3 to 6 KC/S showing a peak at 4 KC/S. with continued exposure and aging significant permanent losses appeared at other neighboring frequencies as well as still further increases in the 3-6 KC/S range. The mean hearing loss of the three frequencies 0.5, 1 and 2 KC/S was chosen as an index of hearing impairment, and for this, beginning handicap was placed at 26 dB hearing level, where difficulty may encounter with low levels of everyday speech. Therefore, it was shown that the men older than 45 years were handicap even before starting their daily work. But at the end of working shift, the average of TTS combined with PTS was quantitatively about the same for the population studied independent of their ages. So, it was demonstrated that in the noise-exposed subjects TTS was inversely related to hearing level, and it was concluded that PTS might biologically protect the ear from further damage.