Evaluation of respiratory health of polyester dyeing and printing workers

Objectives: The textile industry contributes significantly to the Indian economy. The wet process in the industry, particularly dyeing and printing, uses several chemicals which are known to be deleterious to respiratory health. This study was undertaken to assess the respiratory health of the workers in the dyeing and printing activity of the industry. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study, with a sample of 209 workers, was conducted in three different dyeing and printing factories. The workers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the medical research council (MRC) questionnaire. This was followed by the measurement of the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of each participant. Results: The present cross-sectional study among polyester dyeing and printing workers revealed that 32.1% of the workers had respiratory morbidity as assessed by respiratory symptoms and/or ≥20% decline in post-shift PEFR values. The comparison of pre-shift and post-shift PEFR values revealed that 12.1% had a≥20% decline in the post-shift PEFR. Conclusion: The workers working in the printing and dyeing industry are at risk of developing respiratory morbidity which can partly be attributed to reactive chemicals used and partly to poor handling practices of the workers.