Functional clothing for farm workers
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Date
2005
Authors
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Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
Millions of people in our country are dependent on Agriculture for their
survival. During various operations of crop cultivation, they usually come across a
number of problems that otherwise could be reduced by wearing proper clothes
according to the field activities. Here an effort has been made to design and
construct functional clothing for the farm workers to solve their problems up to some
extent.
To achieve the principle objectives of the study, it was conducted in 2 phases.
During exploratory phase, base line data was prepared through field study. For this
phase, 100 respondents were interviewed to gather information about the problems
related to clothing faced by them while performing various farm activities. In second
phase, functional clothes were designed and constructed for both male and female
farm workers.
Depending on the existing dress pattern during field activity & clothing related
problems faced by them, one to five designs were sketched for each garments by
incorporating required functional features. The sketched designs were evaluated by
the judges and one to two designs were selected for construction. For assessment of
garments, ten respondents (five males and five females) were selected for trial of
garments. The findings highlighted that clothing related problems encountered by
male and female farm workers were cut/scratch/itching on uncovered area of body,
soiling of clothes, hindrance in activity due to clothes, sticking of dust/particles in hair,
inhalation of allergens/particles, problem in breathing with saffa or duppata on nose,
pulling off saffa/dupatta, falling of dust and particles in eyes leading to itching or
irritation. Cut /scratch or itching on uncovered area of body could be prevented by
properly covering the exposed parts of the body by using long gloves, high neck,
face-cum-head cover, proper footwear. Using cuff or elastic at wrist and pauncha
could prevent soiling and hindrance. Face cover of mulmul at nose level and net at
eye level fastened with velcro attached to head cover prevented other problems.
To prevent the dermal exposure of skin to pesticide/insecticide during spray
two techniques were used for male farm workers. In one case the selected design was
layered with paper pasting and cotton lining where as in second case it was starched
using rice starch. A cover for spray tank, pair of rubber gloves and rubber boots were
provided in addition to functional clothing during pesticide/insecticide application.
Assessment of pesticide residue analysis by GLC indicated that layered garment
retained negligible amount of pesticide thus decreasing risk of dermal exposure to a
great extent. Similarly, cover for spray tank, rubber gloves and rubber boots were
assessed highly useful for reducing pesticide exposure.