He has fulfilled all the requirements as mentioned in the rules and regulations for submission of thesis for PhD degree of Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. Occupational health is one of the basic critical issues for the handloom sector and ignorance about these issues is very prominent.
Abstract
After statistical analysis of the collected data, it was found that the light level in the handlooms was markedly poor and far below the recommended standards, while the noise level near the right ear of the weaver was high throughout the year. Proposals to correct the prevailing levels of lighting and noise and to reduce the impact of these factors on the occupational health of weavers through specific affordable design interventions / recommendations to increase lighting levels and some general recommendations to control the impact of noise in order to improve the general well-being of weavers were proposed in published literature of this research.
Summary of the research
Chapter V – General discussion and conclusion of the overall thesis 143
Suggestions for correcting the prevailing level of lighting and noise and their impact on occupational health and to reduce the impact on the occupational health of weavers.
Values were expressed as mean ± SD 107 4.4 Noise level (dBA) measured at different positions of the handloom. Weighted average demand cognitive values as reported by weavers while working on handlooms.
List of Tables
Monthly representation of correlation properties (r and r2) showing the significance of the difference between illumination and questions in the questionnaire. Comparison of average observed value data (monthly, seasonally and throughout the year) with standard work heart rate levels (bpm) of the weavers at the handloom workstation.
Nomenclature
Introduction
- Environmental factors and occupational health
- Scenario of environmental research in the handloom sector
- Scenario in handloom sector of Bargarh district
- Research gap and Justification of the present research
- Research Questions
- Problem statement
Distance from the source of sound leads to variations in the intensity of the sound. How do environmental factors, especially lighting and noise, affect the physical, physiological and psychological conditions of the weavers involved in the Indian handloom sectors?.
Aim and Objectives
- Objectives
- Hypothesis
- Expected outcome
- Organization of the thesis
- Review of Literature
- Introduction
- Textile as an Industry
In the year 2005, the textile and clothing industry of the world joined the multilateral trading system. Indian handlooms have a respected place in the national and traditional design terminology of the world.
Contribution of Total cloth production(%)
Handlooms in India
- History and Origin of the Handloom Industry in India
- Handloom in India: State-wise scenario
Being a decentralized sector, it is a household-based industry to which the entire family contributes and is spread across thousands of towns and cities in the country. Analysis of state production revealed that, except the North-Eastern states, all the handloom units of the other states were mainly engaged in commercial production.
Name of State
Maximum commercial production of handloom came from the state of Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, while in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, commercial production was carried out in certain pockets and the rest of handloom households were engaged in domestic or mixed production (Handloom Census of India 2009-2010). Northeastern states with the largest number (80.2%) of households owning handlooms, and Odisha ranked second with 77.5% households owning handlooms (Fig. 2.5) compared to the national average (66.5%) and there 33.5% of households in different parts did not have handlooms of the land (Fig. 2.6).
Loom Owning Households(%)
Loom Owning Households (%)
Textiles and Handlooms with respect to the Indian economy
Weaving and handloom fabrics form an integral part of India's rich culture, heritage and tradition. Some of the major international players importing Indian handloom products include IKEA, Wal-Mart, Target Corporation, Habitat and Town and Country Linen (IBEF, 2017).
Current scenario and strategy for reviving handloom
It has been observed that supply of yarn (raw material) and marketing are the two biggest constraints for the handloom industry. Designers who help improve the face value of handloom products can play a vital role in promoting handloom. Efforts in machine development for the handloom industry have been oriented towards improving machine and labor productivity without sacrificing traditional.
Rural Scenario with respect to Handloom
- Handlooms in eastern states of India with the special focus on Odisha state
Although there is an increasing trend of export, the earnings of the weavers are not remunerative, that is, it has been an important part of the ethnic Indian women's wear in the western Odisha society. Most of the weavers had no agricultural land as their secondary source of income.
Different types of looms used by Indian weavers
- Loom: Definition and Type
- Motions of Weaving
The handloom sector is playing a vital role in the production of intricate fabrics which indirectly leads to contribution to the country's economy (Kondaiah, 2010). Developmental works have been carried out in the power loom industry to reduce the weight of the looms and improve their productivity. Beating is a motion of beating the end of the weft fabric until the fabric falls with the help of the cane on the sley.
Environmental Factors and its impact on occupational health
Small scale industries play a significant role in India as well as many other countries of the world. All occupations, including textiles, involve health and safety risks (Cullen et al., 2005) in all parts of the developing world. Methods of environmental assessment of the human activities are inevitably necessary to reduce the environmental impact.
Environmental Issues in Handlooms Sector
- Illumination: definition, types, measurement and health impact
- Noise: Definition, Types, Measurement, Health impact Definitions, Commonly Used Terms, Units and standards
Studies also found that in regulated offices about 90% of workers were disturbed by noise, of which 35% were severely affected (Nemecek and Grandjean, 1973). In this contemporary world, most of the activities are taking place in the indoor physical environment. The result of physiological damage is the permanent hearing loss of the ear mechanisms.
Status of handloom sector in Odisha with reference to environmental issues
In the present scenario, the main problem faced by weavers is poor efficiency and product quality on handlooms, which may be due to poor physical environmental conditions indoors. In order to increase the efficiency of the system, it is mandatory to improve the indoor physical environmental conditions, especially the lighting and noise conditions around the men's and handloom workstations. In the present research, an attempt was made to evaluate the effect of low light and high noise on the occupational health of handloom weavers and to investigate the contributing factors.
Methodology
Location of the Study
The working hours spent on the loom in commercial weaving are longer than in traditional weaving. Of the total handloom production in Odisha, over 55% of handloom production comes from Bargarh district and it is one of the major income generating districts, located in the western part of Odisha (Fig. 3.1). Bargarh is accredited in the handloom cluster district of category 'A', with over 1000 handlooms in working condition.
Sampling
In this study, only male weavers have been considered as they are mainly associated with the main weaving activity (85%) in Bargarh area (Handloom Census of India and have adopted this activity on a commercial scale. Moreover, it was found that the weavers, who worked on the handloom were also engaged in other auxiliary work outside the handloom.To establish the problem statement of the weavers' ailments due to exposure to higher noise level and low illumination level, instead of comparing experimental group (weavers) with the control group, statistical correlation technique was used.
Subjects
- Demographic exploration
Some of the weavers produced sarees to sell directly in the market; while others used the loom on a labor basis, working for the cooperative society or some private house for the purchase of the loom. All the looms were placed only in the homes of the weavers, who adopt this profession as their full-time activity. About 19% of the weavers used artificial light even during the day due to unsuitable lighting conditions prevailing during the day.
Research Framework
In addition to 2/100s and 2/80s, Maximum weavers used 2/120s double cotton yarn for fabric production and mainly produced Maximum Double Ikat sarees.
Design
The weavers in the clusters were collected for data collection in such a way that a minimum of 30 weavers could be surveyed each day of the month to cover the sample size of 480.
Parameters
- Assessment of Illumination (Lux )
- Estimation of Noise (dBA)
- Physiological Measurements
- NASA Task Load Index for Cognitive Psychological Assessment NASA Task Load Index (TLX) is the most widely accepted subjective
- Questionnaires for the assessment of impact of illumination and noise
The noise level (in dBA) was measured at two different locations, one near the weaver's right ear and another in the middle of the shed every month throughout the year on each handloom. The weaver's heart rate was measured by counting the pulse of the dominant hand of the weaver in supine rest before they started working on the handloom as in their daily routine. Discomfort rating of the weavers was evaluated using the Borg CR10 (Category Ratio) scale.
Statistical Analyses
- Reliability of questionnaires (Illumination and Noise)
- Friedman’s Chi-Squared (χ 2 F ) tests for independence
- Correlation between environmental factors and their subjective perception
After validating the reliability of the questionnaires, they were scored according to the number of responses and the generated data then underwent the Friedman Chi-Squared test (χ2F) for independence. The questions in the questionnaire for (a) impact of lighting (light) and (b) impact of noise (sound) on the weavers' psychophysiological state (and discomfort) were subjected to Friedman's Chi-Squared (χ2F) test for association between lighting/noise level and psychophysiological discomfort, to investigate whether the questions were independent of lighting level / noise levels; because a significant correlation between questions and noise or lighting would influence the respondent while recording their answers to the questions in the questionnaires. To investigate whether lighting and noise affect the health and performance of handloom sector workers, their subjective responses (Through the administered questionnaire) to the exposure to lighting and noise were evaluated using Spearman's correlation coefficient (r).
RESULTS
- Comparison of illumination (yearly average level) of the loom workstation with recommended standard values
Between-group analyzes of lighting level over the months at 0800 hours (Table 4.2) reflected significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences in most of the cases. The values (Mean ± SD) of the lighting of workplace, measured at different places of the handloom and categorized under different climatic seasons, are shown in Table 4.6. A significant (p ≤ 0.001) difference in the lighting was observed between all pairs of seasons during all four times of the day, as reflected in Table 4.6.
Comparison of noise level at handloom workstations .1 Noise levels compared pair wise across 12 months
- Comparison of Noise (yearly average level) of the loom workstation with recommended standard values
EMIN – Minimum value of sound near the weaver's right ear CMAX – Maximum value of sound in the center of the stable; CMIN – Minimum noise value in the center of the stable. The analyzes of the maximum noise level near the weaver's ear (EMAX) over the months (see Table 4.9) revealed significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences in most cases. Analyzes of the minimum noise level near the right ear (EMIN) of the weaver (see Table 4.10) revealed significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences in most cases.
Comparison of heart rate of the weavers at loom workstations
- Heart rate compared pair wise across 12 months
The values (Mean ± SD) of heart rate of the weavers, grouped according to different climatic seasons, were shown in Table 4.17. The significance of heart rate variation at each loom workstation across different seasons was also reflected in the same table. A significant difference (p ≤ 0.001) in resting heart rate was observed in all pairs of seasons, as reflected above.
Cognitive workload analyses
Resting heart rate revealed a gradual decreasing trend from summer season through monsoon season to winter season (Fig. 4.8). It is clear from NASA's TLX evaluation that it was the need of the hour to focus on reducing perceived physical demand, effort and frustration among weavers by providing the necessary corrective input to improve weavers' working conditions at the station. their work. . Weighted average ratio cognitive demand values as reported by weavers during loom work using NASA's TLX scale. MD, PD, TD, OP, EF and FR indicate mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, respectively , effort and frustration.
Analyses of responses to questionnaire constructed for subjective evaluation of the impact of illumination and
- Analysis of responses to the questionnaire for impact of illumination
- Analysis of responses to the questionnaire for impact of noise
- Reliability of questionnaire related to existing workplace illumination level
- Reliability of questionnaire related to existing workplace noise level
- Friedman’s Chi-Squared (χ 2 F ) test for independence of association for questionnaire on illumination
- Friedman’s Chi-Squared (χ 2 F ) test for independence of association for questionnaire on Noise
- Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) and Coefficient of Determination (CoD, r 2 ) for correlation of illumination level and
- Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) and Coefficient of Determination (CoD, r 2 ) for correlation of Noise level and
- Correlation matrix to analyse month wise vs. question wise inter- item correlation
The correlation between the assessment of perceived exertion (Q25) with lighting level showed indirect correlation with variable tendency and suffering on the perceived exertion with poor lighting level. The testament of the statistical inference reflected that the correlation of fatigue (Q3) with the prevailing noise conditions with varying tendency, caused greater degree of suffering on the fatigue with high noise level. Data regarding the correlation of the rating of perceived exertion (Q7) with noise level showed direct correlation with variable tendency and compromised on the perceived exertion with high noise level.
General discussion and conclusion of the overall thesis
- Introduction
- Lack of research and studies on the impact of prevailing illumination and noise levels on the occupational health of the
- Textile Industry: Global and Indian Scenario
- Scenario of handlooms in India
- Need for research initiatives in Indian Handloom sector from occupational health perspectives
- Research findings
- Key Findings
- Fulfilment of objectives
- Testing of hypothesis
- Suggestions towards rectifying prevailing level of illumination and noise to reduce their impact on
- Specific recommendations towards design interventions for enhancing illumination level
This prolonged exposure to noise had detrimental effects on the occupational health of the weavers. The subjective assessments showed the clear influence of lighting on the health and performance of the weavers. The subjective assessments showed a clear influence of workplace noise on the weavers' health and performance.
