Health hazards in sericulture

• Silk production today is a mix of modern and traditional methods, and health aspects are often ignored.

Some of the Serious Health Hazards are:

1. Workers are required to work in units that are cramped, damp and poorly ventilated resulting in respiratory problems.
2. The handling of dead worms with bare hands also leads to illness and infection.
3. Continuous exposure to noise made by spinning and winding machines result in hearing problems.
4. While the cocoons are put in hot water to loosen fibres, workers tend to put their bare hands inside to see if the fibres are loosened.
5. Standing for almost 12-16 hours a day focusing on their work leads to severe backaches, spine problems and problems related to vision.