A Study on occupational safety and health hazards of apparel production floor employees in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The apparel industry in Sri Lanka is a major contributor to the country’s economy and employs a significant portion of the workforce. Unlike other manufacturing sectors, the apparel industry involves intricate and varied tasks, often requiring employees to work with delicate materials, sewing machines, and other specialized equipment. However, workers in the industry often face Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) hazards such as long working hours, inadequate ventilation, exposure to chemicals and dyes, and poor working conditions. However, there is a dearth of literature on the apparel industry's workplace OSH hazards in Sri Lanka that has yet to be investigated. Therefore, in order to fulfil the industrial need and the existing literature gap, it is essential to conduct a study on determining suitable strategies to reduce OSH hazards of production employees in apparel manufacturing. The study uses a qualitative, inclusive methodology of semi-structured expert interviews and manual content analysis for analysing the data. The research findings comprehensively examine occupational safety and health hazards confronted by production employees in apparel manufacturing organizations. The study delves into the existing practices employed within the context of apparel manufacturing organizations in Sri Lanka to mitigate these hazards, shedding light on their current strategies. Furthermore, the investigation delves into the identification of viable and appropriate strategies aimed at mitigating the most severe and frequently encountered hazards encountered by production employees in Sri Lanka's apparel manufacturing sector. These findings collectively contribute to a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and potential solutions in the realm of security and health at work within this specific industry. Based on the research findings, a set of recommendations emerges for enhancing the occupational safety and health practices in apparel manufacturing organizations in Sri Lanka. Moreover, it is crucial for these organizations to prioritize the implementation of tailored safety measures that address the specific hazards identified in the study, such as ergonomic risks, chemical exposures, and machinery-related dangers.