Rising temperatures linked to Climate Change are creating dangerous working conditions inside India’s garment factories, with a new report revealing that extreme heat is making workers sick and threatening their livelihoods.
The report, Breaking Point Heat and the Garment Floor, published by HeatWatch and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, highlights how indoor heat exposure has become a growing labour and health crisis for millions of workers, most of whom are women.
According to the study, nearly 87% of garment workers reported experiencing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps during the summer months. Around 78% said the heat around their workstations felt like “working in a furnace.”
Researchers surveyed 115 workers and conducted 47 in-depth interviews across 15 garment and textile units in regions including Tamil Nadu, Delhi NCR and Gujarat. Workers described operating near industrial machines that can reach temperatures of up to 99°C, creating severe heat stress during long working hours.
Overall, 68.7% of workers said extreme heat reduced their ability to work effectively. Many also skipped breaks to meet production targets, increasing physical strain and exhaustion.
To measure the severity of the conditions, researchers created a Heat Stress Index (HSI) that assessed physiological strain, workload, clothing, sanitation, environment and hydration.
The average HSI score reached 58.9, placing most workers in the “high stress” category. About a quarter of workers scored above 70, indicating critical heat exposure.
When evaluated using the internationally recognised Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) standard, factory temperatures often exceeded the safe limits for both moderate and heavy labour. These levels indicate that workers are being exposed to heat beyond what the human body can safely regulate.
The report also found serious infrastructure gaps inside factories. Nearly 60% of the surveyed units had no medical clinic or doctor on site. Only six factories had medical facilities, and even among them some lacked full-time doctors.
Basic amenities were also inconsistent. About 36.5% of workers said drinking water sometimes ran out or was not clean. Because toilets were difficult to access, many workers reduced their water intake during hot days, increasing the risk of dehydration.
In addition, 73% of the factories had metal or asbestos roofs, which trap heat and significantly increase indoor temperatures.
Women, who form the majority of India’s garment workforce, appear to face the most severe consequences. The report found that women recorded an average HSI score of 61.5 compared to 18.6 for men.
Many women reported serious health impacts. Nearly 96.8% experienced burning sensations during urination often a sign of dehydration while 92.6% reported disruptions to their menstrual cycles.
Workers also described difficulties raising concerns with management. According to one worker in Tirupur, requests for fans or additional toilet breaks were often criticised, reflecting a lack of recognition of heat stress as a serious workplace issue.
The crisis could also have major economic consequences. According to the International Labour Organization, India could lose the equivalent of 35 million full-time jobs and suffer a 4.5% drop in GDP by 2030 if heat stress continues to worsen.
The textile and garment industry employs about 45 million people and exported apparel worth around $35 billion during the 2023-24 financial year. With long working hours, crowded factory conditions and intense production deadlines driven by global fashion supply chains, the sector is particularly vulnerable to rising heat.
Researchers say India’s climate and labour policies remain poorly coordinated. National frameworks such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change and Nationally Determined Contributions focus largely on sectors like energy and agriculture, but rarely address heat risks faced by indoor industrial workers.
The report recommends recognising heat stress as an occupational disease and including it under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 and the Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923. It also calls for stronger temperature monitoring systems using WBGT and other heat indices to protect workers.
Without stronger collaboration between climate and labour authorities, researchers warn that millions of workers will continue facing dangerous heat exposure without formal protection or accountability as global temperatures keep rising.