Garment industry stakeholders in Bangladesh have called for the establishment of a national workplace heat stress standard to protect apparel workers from rising temperatures and to enhance productivity. The appeal followed the release of a study titled "Six Seasons, Four Summers," which found that garment workers endure a prolonged heat stress season lasting approximately seven months, from early April to late October.
The research was conducted by the ILR Global Labor Institute at Cornell University, the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development at BRAC University, the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS), and YGEN Engineering. It involved installing 28 climate sensors inside eight factories in Dhaka and monitoring several dozen workers' homes to assess temperature and humidity levels. The findings showed that factory indoor conditions consistently exceeded outdoor temperatures year-round, with ironing and finishing sections experiencing the highest heat and humidity. Workers in these areas spent 58% of their workdays under "high" heat stress and nearly 18% under "severe" heat stress, conditions that have been linked to a 4.1% average loss in productivity across the factories studied, rising to 6.6% at a fabric mill.
Heat stress also affects workers outside of the factory environment, with overnight temperatures in workers’ homes often remaining above 25°C and 31% of household hours exceeding a wet-bulb globe temperature of 28°C. This impairs workers’ overnight recovery and contributes to health problems, sometimes forcing them to take sick leave.
Experts and industry representatives at a discussion in Dhaka stressed the need for coordinated actions involving the government, factory owners, and international buyers. Proposals included revising worker safety protocols to cover working hours, rest breaks, production targets, and medical leave. It was also recommended that heat stress be measured with consideration to factory location, production processes, and building design. Engineering assessments indicated that investments in cooling systems could be financially viable, with payback periods ranging from less than one year to about four years in the worst-case scenario.
The study estimates that an industry-wide investment of approximately $239 million—equivalent to around 0.2% of Bangladesh’s 2025 apparel export revenue—would be required over three years to reduce heat stress significantly. This investment could recoup costs through productivity gains and improved worker health.
Kalpona Akter, executive director of BCWS, highlighted challenges in getting factory owners to acknowledge the severity of heat stress, noting that worker concerns are often overlooked. Other participants underscored heat stress as not only a labor welfare issue but also a critical consideration for business sustainability and operational resilience. They advocated for the incorporation of thermal safety measures into national labor laws, with stronger coordination among relevant government ministries.
The discussion also raised questions about responsibility for the upfront investments needed for cooling infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of shared commitments between stakeholders. With climate change intensifying heat exposure, stakeholders agree that formalized heat stress frameworks are necessary to safeguard garment workers and maintain industry productivity.