Raw Cotton

Raw Cotton

Health Effects

  • Mill fever
    • Upper respiratory irritation, cough, chills, fever, occasional nausea and vomiting;
    • Occurs with first contact with mill or upon return after prolonged absence;
    • Symptoms disappear after a few days as tolerance develops.
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • Byssinosis
    • Occurs after years of exposure/mill fever;
    • Chest tightness, breathlessness, coughing and/ or wheezing;
    • Symptoms begin at the start of the work week and subside later on or when worker is away from the workplace;
    • Ultimately, leads to chronic bronchitis, emphysema and respiratory failure.

Main Industries and Occupations at Risk

  • Raw cotton processing in textile industry;
    • Carding (separating fibres and forming them into bundles of roughly parallel fibres); most dusty operation;
    • Opening, cleaning and picking of bale cotton using beaters and/or saw cleaners (fibre preparation);
    • Spinning (reducing size of roving and imparting twist);
    • Winding (winding yarn into cones or tubes);
    • Drawing and roving (straightening fibres, reducing strand or sliver size and imparting a slight twist);
    • Twisting (twisting strands of yarn together to form ply yarns);
    • Weaving;
    • Ginning (removing fibre from seed).
  • Cotton harvesting by hand or machine (spindle picker or stripper);
  • Raw cotton processing in other industries, e.g., preparation of substrate for growing of mushrooms.

Medical Examinations

Indications:

  • Any occupational exposure to raw cotton dust–defined as dust generated from the processing of cotton fibres, cotton or cotton fibre by-products (excluding dust from handling or processing of woven materials).

Types of Tests and Frequency of Examinations:

  • Pre-placement medical examinations: within three months of exposure
    • Clinical history and examination with emphasis on:
      • i. past, present, and anticipated future exposure to cotton dust;
      • ii. respiratory system dysfunction.
    • Lung function tests: Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and Forced vital capacity (FVC);
      • i. Pre-shift test on the first day of the working week;
      • ii. Post-shift test to be done after at least 6 hours of exposure on the same day.
    • Unfit for exposure to cotton:
      • i. history of asthma and other symptomatic respiratory diseases.
  • Periodic medical examinations: every 12 months
    • Clinical history and examination with emphasis on respiratory system;
    • Lung function tests: Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and Forced vital capacity (FVC);
      • i.  Pre-shift test on the fi rst day of the working week;
      • ii.  Post-shift test to be done after at least 6 hours of exposure on the same day