BYSSINOSIS PROBLEM IN TEXTILE WORKERS

Abstract

Byssinosis, a respiratory disease, is a great health hazard in textile mill workers caused by prolonged exposure to high atmospheric
concentrations of cotton dust. Objectives: The present study is aimed to determine the prevalence and gravity of Byssinosis problem in
exposed textile workers. Setting: The Crescent Textile Mills Faisalabad: Materials & Methods: A total of 101 mill workers were examined
for byssinosis. The workers were categorized into Byssinotic and healthy groups through recording their respiratory complaints in a
questionnaire. Results: The results revealed that of 101 workers, 16 (15.8%) were found to be suffering from Byssinosis with different
respiratory complaints. Based on PEER values of affected mill workers, it was observed that 23.7% (n=24) of the cases were below the
normal value. The results also exhibited that most (95.83%) n=23) of Byssinotic patients had their duties in greater dusting segments of the
mill like carding, blowing, dabbling and waste storage sections. Conclusion: Byssinosis is a serious respiratory problem of textile mill
workers engaged in cotton processing units of the mill. The problem further aggravates in workers who persistently remain in the atmosphere
of cotton dust.