Affordable and scalable cooling fixes can now protect garment workers from rising heat, according to new evidence from Bangladesh’s factory floors. Simulations by University of Sydney researchers found that reflective white roofs, electric fans, and free drinking water lowered core temperature and preserved productivity under extreme conditions — offering factories practical, low-cost defences against climate-driven heat stress in one of the world’s largest garment industries.
- The trial reproduced peak factory heat of 40 °C and 38% humidity to evaluate simple cooling interventions and measure physiological responses and work performance.
- Heat stress reduced output by around 12–15%, while reflective roofs, electric fans, and free drinking water helped reclaim losses without hurting task quality.
- Cooling benefits were stronger in men, indicating gendered effects from task type, posture, and clothing; mitigation plans should account for these differences explicitly.
- Factories can adopt these measures quickly and cheaply, avoiding energy-intensive air-conditioning while improving comfort, reducing dehydration, and preserving throughput during the hottest months.
- Peer-reviewed findings have appeared in The Lancet Planetary Health, led by Prof Ollie Jay and Dr James Smallcombe at the University of Sydney.
THE STUDY: Researchers at the University of Sydney simulated Bangladesh’s garment-factory conditions inside a controlled climate chamber to identify practical, low-cost cooling options. Participants performed sewing and ironing tasks under heat levels reaching 40 °C and 38% humidity. The experiment tested insulated white roofs, electric fans, and free drinking water against standard factory conditions to measure their combined effect on temperature, dehydration, and worker performance.
- Conducted between 2022 and 2023, the randomised crossover trial involved 42 participants aged 18–40 who completed 247 three-hour simulations.
- Each session captured physiological markers—core temperature, heart rate, sweat loss—and subjective comfort, replicating the hottest recorded conditions in Dhaka’s ready-made-garment sector.
- The results establish scientific proof that simple, scalable cooling measures can substantially lessen heat stress and sustain output without expensive infrastructure changes.
MEASURED IMPACT: The results show that sustainable cooling interventions substantially lowered heat strain and improved worker comfort without reducing productivity. A reflective white roof cut indoor temperatures by about 2.5 °C, while fan use and drinking-water access reduced core body temperature, heart rate, and dehydration risk. Together, these measures restored most productivity losses recorded under peak factory conditions exceeding 35 °C in Dhaka.
- Without cooling, worker output dropped between 12% and 15%, but reflective roofs, fans, and hydration access recovered nearly half of that loss.
- Men experienced greater physiological relief, with core-temperature reductions of 0.27 to 0.35 °C and heart-rate declines up to 13 beats per minute.
- Women’s responses were smaller, influenced by clothing coverage, posture, and task type; however, all interventions improved comfort and reduced dehydration.
- Air-conditioning remained most effective but unsustainable; low-cost options offered comparable health benefits with far lower environmental impact.
THE HUMAN COST: Sustained exposure to temperatures above 35 °C leads to dehydration, exhaustion, and declining concentration. For workers paid by output, slowing down means earning less. Affordable cooling therefore becomes a health, social, and economic imperative linking worker welfare directly to productivity and business continuity.
- The report urges companies and factory owners to treat cooling as a basic workplace provision, not a luxury add-on.
- Simple, science-based interventions offer a “triple win” — improved health, higher productivity, and lower environmental footprint.
- The findings reinforce that adaptation is not only survival but resilience: protecting livelihoods while maintaining export competitiveness in a warming world.
BEYOND BANGLADESH: The study’s lessons extend well beyond national borders: similar conditions affect workers in India, Vietnam, and other manufacturing hubs. As global supply chains adapt to climate risk, simple retrofits and worker-focused cooling can bridge sustainability goals and human-rights commitments.
- Building-level fixes such as reflective roofs reduce factory energy demand, aligning worker safety with emission-reduction pledges.
- Policymakers and brands are urged to integrate thermal-comfort standards into environmental and social-governance frameworks.
- Replicable across tropical economies, these interventions position labour protection as central to climate-adaptation planning.
WHERE THIS LEADS: The findings open a path for factory retrofits and future field trials to test cooling strategies at scale. Researchers recommend that Bangladesh’s garment industry embed sustainable heat adaptation into routine safety audits and building-design codes. Expanding trials to India and Vietnam could confirm regional relevance, while global brands are urged to treat heat protection as part of responsible-sourcing commitments.
- The study team plans continued collaboration with industry partners to pilot reflective roofs and workplace hydration systems in real factories.
- Factory-level adoption could demonstrate that climate adaptation also improves supply-chain reliability and workforce retention.
- Researchers call on governments and brands to accelerate implementation before rising temperatures push current working conditions beyond safe limits.
WHAT THEY SAID
Garment workers in Bangladesh already endure some of the most precarious and grueling conditions in the world. With rising temperatures, it’s only getting worse. Without immediate, scalable, and affordable cooling solutions, millions face a serious and growing risk of heat-related illness, exhaustion, and long-term harm.
— Professor Ollie Jay
Director, Heat and Health Research Centre
University of Sydney
The findings offer practical, scalable solutions for factory owners seeking to improve working conditions without relying on air conditioning, which remains economically and environmentally unsustainable. With Bangladesh’s RMG industry targeting a 30% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030, these low-resource options could offer a viable path forward for a sector under increasing pressure from both global demand and a changing climate.
— Dr James Smallcombe
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Heat and Health Research Centre
University of Sydney
Factory workers in sectors like the garment industry who are working in hot conditions are increasingly at risk from extreme heat stress caused by climate change. This study highlights that without cooling interventions, workers face serious health risks and reduced productivity — impacting both individual and business earnings. Yet, it also shows that even small, science-based changes can lead to significant improvements in health, livelihoods, and the environment — a triple win for communities.
— Dr Madeleine Thomson
Head of Climate Impacts & Adaptation
Wellcome Trust
