SILK REELING AND HEALTH:
LIFE STYLE AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF WORKERS

 

Anand Inbanathan
Om Prakash

Abstract

Silk reeling is an activity where mostly people of little education and skill learn reeling skills while being employed in the reeling units. Reeling is carried out in an environment of persistent air pollution. Workers allergic to the silk allergen (sericin and pupal allergens) suffer from respiratory problems and asthma, i.e. of occupational asthma. Non-occupational asthma victims may suffer exacerbations due to irritant effects of the silk occupation. Work-aggravated asthma follows mainly from the burning of biomass fuel, used in almost all the units. A substantial proportion of silk workers (38 per cent) suffer from some form of breathing problems, of varying intensities.

Working Papers