Workers in India's textile factories face extreme heat from machinery and rising temperatures, leading to health risks. Despite some cooling efforts, many factories cannot or do not improve conditions, leaving workers vulnerable.
For dozens of workers at a textile manufacturer on the edge of Surat, the blazing temperatures and high humidity on a recent afternoon were amplified by steam, radiating heat and chemical smells that emerged from the heavy machines that dominate nearly every inch of the low-ceilinged factory floor.
The machines, called stenters, roared like engines, boilers hissed and drum washers released clouds of steam. The sound was relentless, the air heavy. Soni Pande, a 27-year-old worker and single mother, said fans and coolers that spray mist help, but are overpowered on the hottest days. The heat does make us weak.
We sweat a lot. Some people feel dizzy, unwell, said Pande, who came from Bihar state in eastern India. There are fans and coolers, but it's still so hot inside. At factories around the western coastal industrial hub, employees work day and night guiding damp lengths of fabric into the metal jaws of machines that use high temperatures to dry, print, dye and finish cloth.
The millions of meters of polyester cloth produced at these factories are shipped to textile companies around the world to make sarees, dresses and other affordable clothing. Workers say the heat inside factories is unbearable at times. The problem has proved stubborn, because even when factories install cooling equipment, the effects can be limited. Many factories are unable or unwilling to make changes due to cost concerns, and workers often have no choice but to endure the conditions.
Heat waves make working in India's textile factories, which already generate a lot of heat, even harder. Heat is a health risk that can result in heat strokes, dizziness and fainting. Some factories are adding coolers and fans, but many are unable or unwilling to make changes. The situation highlights the broader challenges of protecting workers in a warming world, especially in industries with physically demanding tasks and inadequate infrastructure
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