Working conditions of female workers in footwear manufacturing industry: A cross-sectional study in industrial zones in Vietnam

Abstract

The study assesses the working conditions of female workers in footwear industry with descriptive cross-sectional design, which combines quantitative survey on 767 female workers in 3 footwear companies in three industrial zones, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with female workers and other stakeholders and analysing working environment monitoring reports for 3 years (2011-2013) from two footwear companies. High concentrations of chemicals presented in working environment of female workers in shoe manufacturing industry, in many positions the concentrations of organic solvents such as acetone, MEK were many times higher the legal standards. Female workers in footwear factories also reported that they exposed with occupational hazards: 43% of female workers exposure to high level of noise, 42.7% with hot microclimate, and 39.3% with dust. High percentage female workers worked over 8 hours / day (47.3%). Female workers in footwear industry were exposed to many ergonomic hazards including excessive fine-moto movement of wrist and fingers (32.6%); cramped working position (28.2%),  monotonous work (24%). This study suggests the need for improving working conditions for female workers in footwear factories, especially the risks of chemical exposures.