Unsafe Working Conditions in the Factories
Garments in the fashion industry that have been treated with toxic chemicals not only destroys the environment, first they destroy the people who work with them to put them into the fabric. Working conditions in the factories already has enough issues with workers being mistreated, it is only one aspect of the ongoing problems.
For decades there have been reports of health related issues in the factories. Much of it is unheard though. Even with reports of malpractice there has been little to change or stop these problems. One issue that stems from this is that the people working to make our clothes are invisible. Either overseas or in a social class that our society does its best to ignore because we do not know what else to do. With the number of reports researched and given, there are still many out there that are unknown. A few of these here are the issues that happen when working in the fashion industry’s factories with little to no regulation to help.
Whenever you go shopping and you happen to find a shirt that says it’s “wrinkle free” or “stain resistant” you rarely think of how that was done. It was likely treated with formaldehyde. High exposure, particularly from inhaling, to this chemical leads to various health issues; including asthma attacks, nausea, and watery or burning eyes. Making clothes wrinkle or stain free is not the only garment you’ll find formaldehyde in. The tanning industry also has the chemical in use, along with others such as axocolorants and chromium. The tanning industry has much more than its chemicals to worry about. Workers have also had arms crushed due to broken machinery alongside their exposure to chemicals. In Bangladesh it is estimated that 90% of workers in the tanning factories die before the age of 50. And it is not limited to inhaling formaldehyde, there has been a huge problem with silica dust as well. Distressed jeans had become a huge trend a while ago, though they may not be as trendy as they once were they are still being made and bought. In order to make jeans distressed, however, they are sandblasted. Silica dust has been trouble before in industrial work; it has caused workers to lose lung capacity and their lives. Although this was restricted in the United States it is still being used overseas.
Working around all of these chemicals and machinery are dangerous. In any job that is regulated to meet health and safety standards, people would have protection. Unfortunately, that is not the case for these workers. They do not even have so much as a face mask or gloves to prevent intake of the chemicals they work with. Many are severely burned from working in such conditions. If a person has any cuts, those only get worse. About one third of workers experience respiratory diseases in India. All from the negligence and apathy of the industry.
There has been some attempt to meet better standards for working conditions by companies that put forth contracts. These contracts are not generally met since they are not effectively monitored to make sure they are being upheld. Most contracts, though, are put through sub-contractors that don’t have the same regulations. And if a contractor tried to make working conditions improved they would have little success because the people that have the power to change it lies with the multinational corporations. What these corporations are looking for is cheap cost, at the price of the lives and well being of workers they never see.
For a more in depth look at the industry’s practices:
Loomis, Erik. Out of Sight: The Long and Disturbing Story of Corporations Outsourcing Catastrophe. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Garments in the fashion industry that have been treated with toxic chemicals not only destroys the environment, first they destroy the people who work with them to put them into the fabric. Working conditions in the factories already has enough issues with workers being mistreated, it is only one aspect of the ongoing problems.
For decades there have been reports of health related issues in the factories. Much of it is unheard though. Even with reports of malpractice there has been little to change or stop these problems. One issue that stems from this is that the people working to make our clothes are invisible. Either overseas or in a social class that our society does its best to ignore because we do not know what else to do. With the number of reports researched and given, there are still many out there that are unknown. A few of these here are the issues that happen when working in the fashion industry’s factories with little to no regulation to help.
Whenever you go shopping and you happen to find a shirt that says it’s “wrinkle free” or “stain resistant” you rarely think of how that was done. It was likely treated with formaldehyde. High exposure, particularly from inhaling, to this chemical leads to various health issues; including asthma attacks, nausea, and watery or burning eyes. Making clothes wrinkle or stain free is not the only garment you’ll find formaldehyde in. The tanning industry also has the chemical in use, along with others such as axocolorants and chromium. The tanning industry has much more than its chemicals to worry about. Workers have also had arms crushed due to broken machinery alongside their exposure to chemicals. In Bangladesh it is estimated that 90% of workers in the tanning factories die before the age of 50. And it is not limited to inhaling formaldehyde, there has been a huge problem with silica dust as well. Distressed jeans had become a huge trend a while ago, though they may not be as trendy as they once were they are still being made and bought. In order to make jeans distressed, however, they are sandblasted. Silica dust has been trouble before in industrial work; it has caused workers to lose lung capacity and their lives. Although this was restricted in the United States it is still being used overseas.
Working around all of these chemicals and machinery are dangerous. In any job that is regulated to meet health and safety standards, people would have protection. Unfortunately, that is not the case for these workers. They do not even have so much as a face mask or gloves to prevent intake of the chemicals they work with. Many are severely burned from working in such conditions. If a person has any cuts, those only get worse. About one third of workers experience respiratory diseases in India. All from the negligence and apathy of the industry.
There has been some attempt to meet better standards for working conditions by companies that put forth contracts. These contracts are not generally met since they are not effectively monitored to make sure they are being upheld. Most contracts, though, are put through sub-contractors that don’t have the same regulations. And if a contractor tried to make working conditions improved they would have little success because the people that have the power to change it lies with the multinational corporations. What these corporations are looking for is cheap cost, at the price of the lives and well being of workers they never see.
For a more in depth look at the industry’s practices:
Loomis, Erik. Out of Sight: The Long and Disturbing Story of Corporations Outsourcing Catastrophe. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.