A recent study on the working conditions of brick kiln and garment workers in Cambodia highlights the severe health risks posed by extreme heat, exacerbated by climate change. The report by UK researchers, which is the first of its kind globally, documents life-threateningly high body temperatures recorded among workers. The study also exposes the challenges of labor exploitation and economic vulnerability, which are intensified by the worsening effects of climate change.
- The study exposes dangerous working conditions in Cambodia’s brick kilns and garment factories due to extreme heat.
- Researchers recorded dangerously high body temperatures among workers, indicating severe health risks.
- The oppressive heat is described as being like “working inside a burning prison,” with significant impacts on workers’ internal organs.
- Climate change is exacerbating the risks for vulnerable populations, highlighting the intersection of labor, inequality, and environmental issues.
- Some factory owners use toxic waste from the garment industry as fuel, leading to harmful fumes. Western brands implicated in the report have pledged to investigate.
- Workers are often trapped in a cycle of debt, with some having their debts paid by owners, effectively binding them to their jobs.
- The majority of the brick workers were previously farmers who migrated to the city due to droughts and were driven into debt.
- The capital’s construction boom is being supported by these workers, yet their plight remains largely overlooked.
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