HAZARDS, NEGLIGENCE, AND ABUSE IN THE APPAREL MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRY:
LABOR CONDITIONS FROM 1910-2015
A thesis submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Master of Arts
by
Emma Peterson
May 2016
ii
Thesis written by
Emma Peterson
B.S., Kent State University, 2014
M.A., Kent State University, 2016
Approved by
______________________________________
Nancy Stanforth, Ph.D., Advisor, Thesis Committee
______________________________________
Gargi Bhaduri, Ph.D., Member, Thesis Committee
______________________________________
William Perrine, M.A., Member, Thesis Committee
______________________________________
Denise Easterling, M.B.A. Member, Thesis Committee
Accepted by
______________________________________
Catherine A. Leslie, Ph.D., Coordinator, Graduate Studies, Fashion School
______________________________________
Linda Hoeptner Poling, Ph.D., Coordinator, Graduate Studies, The School of Art
______________________________________
J.R. Campbell, M.F.A., Director, Fashion School
______________________________________
Christine Havice, Ph.D., Director, The School of Art
______________________________________
John R. Crawford-Spinelli, Ed.D., Dean, College of the Arts
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................v
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... vi
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Factory Incidents in History...........................................................................................1
1.1.1 New York Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire ..................................................1
1.1.2 Bangladesh Fires ............................................................................................2
1.1.3 Bangladesh Factory Collapse .........................................................................3
1.1.4 Foxconn Suicides ............................................................................................4
1.2 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................5
1.3 Purpose of Study ............................................................................................................5
1.4 Importance of Study.......................................................................................................6
1.5 Research Questions ........................................................................................................6
1.5.1 Statistics ..........................................................................................................7
1.5.2 Health and Working Conditions .....................................................................7
1.5.3 Companies and Costs......................................................................................8
1.6 Definitions......................................................................................................................8
II. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................9
2.1 Industrialization .............................................................................................................9
2.2 Factory Conditions .......................................................................................................10
2.3 Physical and Psychological Impacts of Occupational Hazards ...................................12
2.3.1 Vulnerable Populations ................................................................................13
2.3.2 Suicides .........................................................................................................15
2.4 Strikes ..........................................................................................................................17
2.5 Labor Laws ..................................................................................................................19
2.5.1 Staging Inspections .......................................................................................20
2.5.2 Subcontracting and Homework.....................................................................21
III. METHODS ..............................................................................................................................23
3.1 Data Collection ............................................................................................................23
3.2 Data Analysis and Coding ...........................................................................................26
3.3 Limitations ...................................................................................................................27
3.4 Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................29
iv
IV. RESULTS ................................................................................................................................31
4.1 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................................31
4.2 Major Themes and Patterns .........................................................................................33
4.2.1 Collapses .......................................................................................................33
4.2.2 Fires ..............................................................................................................35
4.2.3 Child Labor & Homework ............................................................................36
4.2.4 Other Hazards ...............................................................................................38
4.3 Research Questions ......................................................................................................39
4.3.1 Statistics ........................................................................................................39
4.3.2 Health and Working Conditions ...................................................................44
4.3.3 Companies and Costs....................................................................................49
4.4 Summary ......................................................................................................................52
V. DISCUSSION ...........................................................................................................................54
5.1 Recommendations ........................................................................................................54
5.1.1 Infrastructure ................................................................................................54
5.1.2 Training.........................................................................................................56
5.2 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................58
5.3 Suggestions for Future Research and Action ...............................................................60
APPENDIX ....................................................................................................................................62
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................87
v
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure ........................................................................................................................................ Page
1.
Data Search Results ...........................................................................................................31
2.
Data Collection ..................................................................................................................32
3.
Fires by Year ......................................................................................................................36
4.
Fires by Decade..................................................................................................................36
5.
Child Labor by Year ..........................................................................................................37
6.
Child Labor by Decade ......................................................................................................37
7.
Other Hazards by Year.......................................................................................................38
8.
Other Hazards by Decade ..................................................................................................39
9.
Incidents by Hazard Type ..................................................................................................40
10.
Type of Incident by Year ...................................................................................................42
11.
Type of Incident by Decade ...............................................................................................43
vi
ABSTRACT
This study was designed to identify apparel workplace hazards in factories all over the
world. Identifying harmful conditions through qualitative content analysis using New York
Times articles from the year 1910 until 2015 uncovered common themes in workplace hazards
with the objective of ridding factories of harmful conditions to preemptively ensure the safety of
workers. The data was documented in a timeline which highlights incident location, date, and
conditions, as well as consequences such as injury rate and costs. Results revealed incidents
occurring in countries going through the industrialization process and showed how these
locations changed over time. The results of this study will help the fashion industry identify
conditions that lead to harm and prevent future incidents, as well as further academic studies on
ethics in the workplace.
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Since the ready-to-wear apparel industry began to boom in the 1920s, and even before
then, injuries, harassment, deaths, and suicides have been caused by poor working conditions in
factories all over the world (National Institute of Standards & Technology, 2009). Even though
technology and labor laws have both progressed, similar tragedies repeat themselves throughout
history.
This study aims to uncover hazardous working conditions by investigating harmful and
fatal incidents that have occurred in the fashion and apparel industry. Researching these events
and finding common workplace conditions present in such incidents will lead to a heightened
awareness of which conditions may need to be changed or avoided to prevent employee harm.
The examples of incidents that follow demonstrate the need and importance of studying the
apparel industry through such fatal events. These events include factory fires, building collapses,
and suicides.
1.1 Factory Incidents in History
1.1.1 New York Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out in a building in New York City. This building
housed the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, the biggest manufacturer of lightweight shirts in the
city (McEvoy, 1995). The Triangle factory took up the top three floors of the ten story building.
The ninth floor was locked off from the stairwell to prevent theft, despite the legal regulation that
factory doors were to be left unlocked throughout the day (McEvoy, 1995). When a reported
cigarette or match was tossed into a pile of scraps, the flammable cellulosic material the shirts
2
were made from did nothing to prevent the fire from spreading. A few workers were able to take
the elevator to safety before it broke down; 30 corpses were found in the elevator shafts
(McEvoy, 1995). Others ran out to the fire escape, which was designed with the escape doors
swinging outward, resulting in blocking the path continuing down to the next floor. Three
months earlier, the NYC fire commissioner had declared the building to be a firetrap, noting that
the fire escape by the topmost floors was critically loose (McEvoy, 1995). Indeed, the fire escape
collapsed with the workers trapped on it. Many others jumped to their deaths, and 62 bodies were
found on the pavement outside of the building (McEvoy, 1995). Up to 50 bodies were found
crammed against the ninth floor's locked doors, a total of 146 fatalities caused by the Triangle
Shirtwaist factory fire (1995). Even though firefighters were at the scene within one minute, they
could do little to help as their ladders only reached the sixth floor. The fire burned out in 20
minutes, but became one the most recognized disasters in America's apparel manufacturing
history.
1.1.2 Bangladesh Fires
A similar situation occurred more than 100 years later in Bangladesh. On November 24,
2012, a factory outside of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh and home to a large sector of the
garment manufacturing industry, caught fire, killing more than 100 factory workers (Bajaj,
2012). The fire was said to have possibly been caused by a cigarette or electrical flaw (2012).
Unfortunately, the Bangladesh garment industry has a record of poor fire safety, and lacks the
preparedness to avoid injury. There was no direct road for the fire trucks to reach the factory in a
timely manner, and there were too few factory exits to allow for a safe evacuation (Bajaj, 2012).
Although the majority of the workers had left the factory for the day, 600 employees stayed
3
behind to work overtime (2012). The first and second floors harbored the most deaths due to the
lack of exits; workers on upper floors were able to escape using bamboo scaffolding left from
construction taking place on the top three floors of the nine story building (Bajaj, 2012). This
Bangladesh factory fire was not the only one of its kind. Since 2006, over 500 Bangladeshi
workers have died in factory fires (Bajaj, 2012).
1.1.3 Bangladesh Factory Collapse
Less than one year after the series of Bangladesh factory fires, 2013 brought about what
is regarded as "the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment industry" (Yardley, 2013;
Bolle, 2014). On April 24, a building in Rana Plaza, also in Dhaka, completely collapsed killing
over one thousand workers.
All deaths and injuries could have been completely avoided if the factory owner and
managers had taken the advice of an inspection team who had visited the building just the day
before the collapse. An engineer found cracks in the building indicative of foundation issues
(Yardley, 2013). Furthermore, the top four floors had been built illegally without permits and
likely were not up to code (Manik & Yardley, 2013). The upper floors had been added to
accommodate thousands of garment workers and big generators had to be installed as well
(Yardley, 2013). It had been the generators that shook the building hard enough to cause cracks,
but the factory bosses dismissed any concerns of danger (Yardley, 2013). The businesses on the
lower floors, including a bank and shops, shut down after the warning, but garment factory
workers were told they would not receive payment if they did not show up to work (Manik &
Yardley, 2013; Bolle, 2014). When the generators were switched on that Wednesday morning,
4
the building collapsed, buckling under the pressure, resulting in what was reported to have felt
like an earthquake (Yardley, 2013; Manik & Yardley, 2013).
1.1.4 Foxconn Suicides
In 2012, a protest against conditions at Foxconn, a series of factories in China that
manufactures goods for Apple, HP, and Sony, stood apart as a much more serious issue than
other protests. Although not an apparel factory, the incidents at this technological factory
inspired the present study. On January 2, about 150 factory workers went to the roof of the
building and threatened to commit suicide (Moore, 2012). The conditions of sweatshops and
many factories around the world are so grating on the workers, they not only cause physical
harm, but also lead to deterioration of mental health. Mental illnesses, like depression, can
become so unbearable they ultimately lead to suicide. This particular suicidal protest at Foxconn
was resolved without any deaths, but just two years earlier, 18 Foxconn workers attempted
suicide by jumping from factory roofs, with 14 of them succeeding in death (Zhang, 2012; Chan
& Ngai, 2010; Moore, 2012). The cause of this event, according to Foxconn employees, was the
poor implementation of a new training program (Moore, 2012). Roughly 600 employees were
moved to a new production line, assembling Acer computer cases. However, due to the lack of
training, these employees were overwhelmed, especially with how fast the assembly line ran.
One employee testified, "We were put to work without any training, and paid piecemeal . . . The
assembly line ran very fast and after just one morning we all had blisters and the skin on our
hand was black. The factory was also really choked with dust and no one could bear it" (Moore,
2012, para. 6).
5
In response to these suicides and protests, China's government and representatives from
companies utilizing Foxconn's services wrote off the incident, claiming that Foxconn is not a
sweatshop because its suicide rates are lower than the Chinese average. Incidentally, as a whole,
China has the largest number of suicides committed each year, a total of 287,000 annually,
making up about one-third of global suicides (Roberts, 2014). Instead of resolving the underlying
issue, Foxconn hired counselors and put up safety nets around some of its factories (Moore,
2012).
1.2 Problem Statement
Most measures implemented to help avoid factory accidents come after the fact. The
response is usually to 'patch up' the situation. If there had been a few pre-emptive changes
regarding each of the incidents outlined above, then there may not have been much to report. If
the doors had remained unlocked at the New York Triangle Shirtwaist factory; if fire trucks
could have reached the Bangladesh factory in Dhaka faster using a better road; if the added
floors in the Rana Plaza building had been built to code or if the employees had not been forced
back to work; and if employees at Foxconn had been eased into a new job with a training
program, then much of the ensuing consequences could have been avoided. Many articles
regarding sweatshops and factory working conditions merely describe the conditions or the
aftermath, but few of them seem to analyze data to find patterns.
1.3 Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to examine, through content analysis, the conditions of
apparel factories and sweatshops that lead to physical and mental harm, and to identify patterns
6
in these relationships. By analyzing news articles throughout the past 105 years, the most
vulnerable countries reported can be identified, and shifts in factory accidents through history
can also be explored. This will help the apparel industry better understand the magnitude of the
issues and encourage companies to seek preventative action.
1.4 Importance of Study
This study is essential in exposing human rights violations and safety concerns in
factories around the world. Finding patterns of where violations occurred, what conditions led to
violations, and how changes have occurred throughout time can help benefit present and future
factories, as well as the millions of people affected by them. Future businesses and factories can
avoid the conditions or situations that have been prevalent in past tragedies. Although the
potential prevention of loss of life is an obvious importance, businesspeople may need to be
persuaded further to implement costly changes in order to improve conditions in factories. The
human cost is not the only consequence of factory hazards; monetary costs weigh heavy on
victims, factory owners, and retailers depending on how they are held accountable. Current
businesses can use the findings as encouragement for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),
and a direct assessment of what needs modifying in order to provide a healthy work environment
and save on potential costs or fees. Researchers further interested in Corporate Social
Responsibility and stimulating improvement can follow up with more in depth studies.
1.5 Research Questions
This study will focus in depth on various factory situations such as environmental
hazards and cases of exploitation that may lead to a decline in mental and physical health.
7
It will also examine any laws which hinder or help factory conditions change over time, the costs
of each incident, and the companies involved. Studying each factory incident as reported in
previously published articles should lead to the answer of each research question. The research
questions in this study are broken down into three sections. These sections include statistical
information regarding factory accidents such as location and time, health problems from working
conditions, and details about companies involved like their responses and the costs they face.
1.5.1 Statistics
RQ1a: How many apparel factory incidents have been reported in the New York Times in total
each year since 1910?
RQ1b: Where are labor violations reported to have happened most frequently according to The
New York Times and how have these reports shifted across the globe?
RQ1c: When do violations occur most frequently according to The New York Times and how
have these reports changed over time?
1.5.2 Health and Working Conditions
RQ2a: What is the fatality or injury rate for each reported incident?
RQ2b: What kind of factory conditions have been reported in conjunction with each factory
incident?
RQ2c: What physical health issues have been reported in conjunction with each factory incident?
RQ2d: What mental health issues have been reported in conjunction with each factory incident?
RQ2e: What apparel factory incidents have suicide protests occurred at?
8
1.5.3 Corporations and Costs
RQ3a: What monetary and responsibility costs did factory owners or managers face?
RQ3b: What retail corporations have been linked to the factories involved in hazards according
to the New York Times?
RQ3c: How did involved corporations react?
1.6 Definitions
To better understand the research discussed throughout this paper, a few terms must be
explained. Although not mentioned often throughout this study, Corporate Social Responsibility
is an important concept to understand as it relates to ethical treatment of workers. There are
usually three main aspects to CSR, though there may be more factors according to different
sources. These aspects are economics, environment, and ethics (Balabanis, Phillips, & Lyall,
1998). Essentially, CSR is the ability to make a profit in a corporation while also being
environmentally and socially responsible. The International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) defines CSR as "a balanced approach for organizations to address economic, social and
environmental issues in a way that aims to benefit people, communities and society" (Leonard &
McAdam, 2003, p. 27). Even though each company, journal, article, or organization may define
CSR differently, the main focus is the betterment of the earth through responsible corporate
decisions.
9
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
Any job can lead to health hazards, but in the particular case of factory work, sometimes
conditions can be quite costly to workers' health, even deadly. Previous literature has found that
not only can occupational hazards of factory work lead to both physical and mental harm, but
poor physical health on its own can also lead to mental downfall (House, Wells, Landerman,
McMichael, & Kaplan, 1979; So, 2009; Lam & Johnston, 2014). In turn, these situations can
produce change in behavior of employees, including the worst-case scenario of suicide (Joy,
2013). Over the years, and especially after exposure of factory hazards, activism efforts have
attempted to change or reform laws to improve the wellbeing of the workers. Still, accidents
happen, and have continued to happen throughout decades of manufacturing processes as well as
other sectors of the supply chain.
2.1 Industrialization
The Industrial Revolution was not simply a phase that was experienced by The United
States roughly 200 years ago. It has occurred in different countries at various points in time.
What current developing countries like China and Bangladesh are going through now with
factory fires and collapses, America went through over 100 years ago as demonstrated by the
Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. It is particularly important to understand how a country's
industrialization is affected by the apparel industry to better grasp how it relates to the intent of
this study. Industrialization is defined as "the large-scale introduction of manufacturing,
advanced technical enterprises, and other productive economic activity into an area, society,
country, etc." ("Industrialization," n.d.).
10
Industrialization of a country is most often begun through apparel production because of
its labor-intensive work and low fixed costs (Gereffi & Frederick, 2010). Apparel is arguably one
of the most global industries as well, so even a garment purchased in one country could have an
impact on a manufacturer in another. No matter the country, labor exploitation has been common
during times of industrialization. Manufacturing products in mass quantities requires huge
amounts of labor. In today's global economy, the demands from consumers and retailers around
the world puts immense pressure on businesses in manufacturing countries to perform with
increased productivity and lower costs, often with the result of putting health and safety on the
back burner (O'Rourke & Brown, 2003). This study uncovered a pattern of heightened accidents
occurring during the shift of domestic production to offshore production in the 1970s, reinforcing
the idea that hazards increase as a country's initial industrialization period develops, due to the
amount of human labor needed to operate the machines.
2.2 Factory Conditions
Many factory conditions such as locked doors, fire hazards, poor construction, poor
maintenance, and poor planning are examples of issues that impact workers' lives. Not all
injuries are caused by physical malfunctions or hazards. Some of the harm brought onto workers
is caused by management or even coworkers. The World Health Organization (2001) explains
that there are many causes for hazards in the work environment, including both human and
environmental factors. Such hazards can include abuse, negligence, amount of oxygen, lighting,
emergency exits, and noise. Hazards specific to the textile industry include cotton dust disease,
also called brown lung disease, which is caused by inhaling cotton dust and leads to byssinosis
(UPI, 1969). Further hazards may include injuries due to needles, scissors, or machinery, and
11
forced overtime due to high quantity demands. Even though there may be laws in place to
prevent harm or injury, laws and rules are often disregarded.
In Guangzhou, a city in the Guangdong province in China, a survey among factory
workers from several factories was conducted in 2013. Around 70 percent of the females
surveyed reported experiencing some sort of sexual harassment in the work place, 15 percent of
whom quit because of it (Larson, 2013; China Labour Bulletin, 2013). None of the respondents
had reported any of the misconducts, and 8 of them had stated that they would not expect either
the factory or the police to care or have time to deal with the situation (China Labour Bulletin,
2013). In countries such as China, sexual harassment is not widely discussed (Larson, 2013). It is
said to be common in many workplaces; a very serious problem that is not taken seriously,
although it is required to be taken seriously by law (Larson, 2013).
Other conditions imposed upon workers include long working hours, low or withheld
pay, and intensity of labor. One study investigated ten electronics factories, nine of which were
violating China's labor laws by demanding unreasonable overtime, calculating up to 160
overtime hours per worker per month, far exceeding the 36 hour limit allowed by law per worker
(China Labor Watch, 2012). Reports of not receiving fair compensation for work have been quite
common, not only in China, but all over the world. From 1994 to 1996, Russian firms withheld
portions of employee wages to the degree of causing economic damage to the country (Desai &
Idson, 1998). More recently in history, China has been known to withhold pay, sometimes
resulting in strikes or walkouts. As many of the factory workers in China's garment district are
migrants, they are required to have work visas. Because of the high cost of these visas and the
cost of transportation to the factory, many employers cover these costs temporarily, indebting the
workers to them (Domoney, 2007). This means the workers are often coerced into handing over
12
their ID and work documents and sometimes have to pay a deposit when starting their contracts
(Domoney, 2007). The workers must then stay at least until their costs are 'paid off,' which may
mean forced labor or staying during holidays when they would otherwise be with family. Many
times workers' pay is withheld as an incentive to finish an order, one often placed by a company
in a post-industrialized country who has dictated a deadline for receiving the merchandise.
The labor in producing these products or garments can be quite intense in a highly
demanding environment with an unyielding deadline. Of the ten electronics factories investigated
by China Labor Watch (2012), all of them ranked high in intensity. Workers putting together HP
products need to have completed an action every three seconds (China Labor Watch, 2012).
Other conditions that lead to such an intense work environment are the short 10 minute breaks
workers are allowed once a day, or having to work through those breaks, sometimes missing the
only bathroom opportunity they will have until the end of the day (China Labor Watch, 2012).
These intense working conditions, along with other physical and psychological stressors, are
more than enough to set a worker into mental instability, as discussed in the following section.
2.3 Physical and Psychological Impacts of Occupational Hazards
Many studies have found a connection between physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing
(Goodwin, 2003). Both physical and mental health can be affected by an employee's work
environment. Occupational stress, like that caused by fast-paced and demanding working
situations, can lead to mental health issues such as depression. Constantly being monitored and
criticized can also have wearing effects on the worker. Furthermore, conditions such as low air
quality and bad ergonomics can lead to physical harm, which in turn, can also lead to mental
13
instability. Limiting these stress factors by implementing labor laws and standards may help
improve conditions and thus mental wellbeing.
Klitzman and Stellman (1989) found that in the United States offices, physical conditions
like air quality, noise, ergonomics, and privacy were linked to psychological well-being. Factory
conditions are usually much more wearing on a worker than office conditions. House et al.
(1979) studied a factory that manufactures chemicals, plastics, rubber, and tires. Such factories
are subject to physical hazards like fumes, heat, dust, noise, and physical injuries, that can cause
stress in a worker. Using self-report methods, House et al. (1979) found that workers' perception
of their stress level is positively associated with symptoms such as ulcers, hypertension, chest
pain, and heart disease. Due to the nature of factory work, confounding variables such as
smoking present themselves more often in factory workers.
Joy (2013) found that occupational stress from factory work impacts not only physical
and psychological functions, but behavioral as well. In the case of five tile factories in India,
increased smoking, nail biting, teeth grinding, hair pulling, and alcohol or drug consumption
were found in workers. Workers also experienced headaches, backaches, tightness in the neck,
high blood pressure, and swollen joints as physical consequences of their labor. Psychological
consequences include moodiness, irritability, anxiety, anger, feelings of loneliness, helplessness,
insecurity, and withdrawal from other people (Joy, 2013).
2.3.1 Vulnerable Populations
So (2009) studied the correlation between stress, work hours, and depressive symptoms
in Chinese migrant factory workers. He found significant positive relationships between working
hours and stress levels as well as between working hours and depression levels. He also saw a
14
positive correlation between stress levels and depressive symptoms. Most surprisingly, he
discovered an important relationship between symptoms of depression and dorm-living in the
migrant workers. Lam and Johnston (2014) compared the occurrence of depressive symptoms
between registered residents in Shenzhen and migrant residents who moved to the area to work.
They found that migrant workers were more likely to be depressed or to exhibit depressive
symptoms than residents. They also discovered that migrants were more likely to smoke.
However, despite the higher amount of stress-related symptoms and behaviors, migrants were
less likely to seek help for their depression, possibly due to the limitation of time outside of the
factories and dormitories (Lam & Johnston, 2014). These studies show how vulnerable certain
populations can be.
Other vulnerable groups of people include women and children. Elson and Pearson
(1981) assert that female labor is less expensive or more productive than male labor. In addition
to 'nimble fingers', they are considered "more docile and willing to accept tough work discipline,
and naturally less inclined to join trade unions, than men" (p. 93). A study by Ahmed (2004)
states that of manufacturing sectors, the garment industry in Bangladesh is the most pervasive
employer of women. The study also mentions reasons for a female workforce as low cost,
compliant, docile, and dispensable (2004). Women as mothers and caretakers can inadvertently
expose children if they work from home or bring their children to work. Sometimes children are
relied on to work for an income or to help others with their work. Pollack, Landrigan and
Mallino (1990) discuss risks of child labor as categorized by threats to education and
development, and the potential for illness, injury, and chemical exposure.
15
2.3.2 Suicides
It is most alarming when working conditions are so detrimental that workers feel
compelled to commit suicide. There are a plethora of reasons and factors that lead to suicide.
This section will briefly outline some of the theories as to why a fatal response occurs, and then
delve into some of the statistics surrounding worker suicide. The research done for this study
will, however, not try to explain why suicide is attempted, but instead describe the situations
surrounding those deaths and other injuries brought on by workplace conditions.
The interpersonal theory of suicide maintains that three variables, perceived
burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability for suicide, need to exist for
someone to take a fatal or near fatal action (Hawkins, Hames, Ribeiro, Silva, Joiner, & Cougle,
2014). Hawkins et al. (2014) found that suicide attempts were significantly associated with all
three variables. The emotion anger was also significantly associated with perceived
burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, but not with acquired capability for suicide. Since
occupational stress can lead to psychological changes like an increase in anger as outlined by Joy
(2013), and since anger is significantly correlated to two of the three variables necessary for
suicidal intent as indicated by Hawkins et al. (2014), it is reasonable to suspect that the
conditions leading to occupational stress can also lead to suicide.
The hopelessness theory of suicide indicates that people who are at risk for depression
and suicide have a negative cognitive style (Kleiman, Law, & Anestis, 2014). They associate
misfortune to negative events, so risk of suicide is therefore only stimulated by negative events
(2014). Kleiman et al.'s report (2014) proposes integrating the interpersonal theory of suicide
with the hopelessness theory of suicide. They hypothesized that "perceived burdensomeness and
thwarted belongingness mediate the relationship between negative cognitive style and suicidal
16
ideation" (2014, p. 432). Kleiman et al. (2014) found that while their hypothesis was generally
supported, perceived burdensomeness weighs in more heavily as a factor in the hopelessness
theory. Regardless of the reason why a person decides to end their own life, there are many
important statistics that help support the need for this study.
The factories are not the only sector in a supply chain where physical and psychological
consequences occur in the apparel industry workplace. The agriculture industry has recently seen
a rise of lethal consequences. According to Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (2012),
over a quarter of a million Indian farmers have committed suicide in the past sixteen years.
Solely in 2009, 17,638 Indian farmers committed suicide, which equates to one farmer every 30
minutes (2012). Goria (2014) reports that from 2011 to 2012, suicide rates among cotton farmers
were particularly high. Several studies link this increase of suicides to genetically modified
cotton grown in India (Gruère & Sengupta, 2011; RT, 2014). A loss of autonomy and an increase
of debt in these agricultural areas are often factors behind these deaths. Because the cotton
industry is largely controlled by foreign corporations that encourage genetically modified cotton
seeds, as well as control price and quality, costs of goods rise while farmers receive the same
amount of income (Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, 2012). Farmers sometimes have
to sell their land to pay for the raw goods needed to grow cotton, or more often, go into debt
borrowing money to afford cotton seeds or pesticides (2012). Many farmers who commit suicide
do so by swallowing these pesticides, leaving the family to take over the debt (Center for Human
Rights and Global Justice, 2012; Goria, 2014; RT 2014). According to Gruère and Sengupta
(2011), the National Crime Record Bureau states that roughly 20% of these suicides are carried
out through ingestion of pesticides. Once the family acquires the debt, the children often have to
drop out of school to help farm, and family members may even turn to suicide themselves,
17
further escalating the problem (Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, 2012). In addition
to ending one's own life out of desperation, these suicides are also a cry for help from the
government. The Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (2012) writes, "Farmers . . . now
address their suicide notes to the President and Prime Minister, in the hopes that their deaths may
force the Indian government to remedy the conditions that have led so many farmers to take their
own lives" (p. 1). This again demonstrates the need for change in conditions in the apparel
supply chain.
2.4 Strikes
Because these workers are often using suicide as a form of protest, or a spark in which to
spawn change, strikes are an important issue to address. According to McAdam and Su (2002),
strikes are a type of disruptive event that call for social change. Through many years of activism,
protests, and media exposure, sweatshop conditions of manufacturing factories around the world
have come to light. This reaches out to consumers who have a critical part in keeping
corporations in business. Devastating occurrences such as factory fires and collapses are also
eye-opening events that are highly publicized, generating knowledge in the general public, and,
in turn, sometimes lead to outrage, activism, and even protests.
Protesting has worked well in inducing change in the past. After 1968 when an explosion
killed 78 coal miners in West Virginia, other miners went on strike, effectively shutting down the
mines (Seminario, 2011). They requested better protection of safety and health which led to the
Federal Coal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1969, and eventually to OSHA, the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Seminario, 2011).
18
Other occurrences of protest have also worked in the past. What Bartley and Child (2014)
call "naming and shaming" (p. 653), is a tactic used on the back end of the supply chain to
expose retail companies of their sweatshop use. Once a labor problem arises, the company is
publically called out and all violations revealed. This garners media attention and can lead to
activism and ultimately reform and change. Over the years, the increased use of technology and
media has led to many severe issues coming to light. Unfortunately, the media exposure has not
developed at the same rate as the use of global labor. This allows for shortcomings to appear in
the system.
Perhaps most famous is the case of Nike, who in the 1990s had several claims made
against it. Nike has in the past paid well below minimum wage and has used child labor to
manufacture their products, and will perhaps never shed that image. In 1992, protests arose at the
Olympics, and in 1997, United States college students started to protest Nike, which in turn led
to low demand and decreased sales (Nisen, 2013). In response, Nike had to lay off workers, and
finally realized that changes were needed. Nike implemented better standards, raised the
minimum working age, and improved monitoring of its subcontractors (Nisen, 2013). In 1999,
Nike helped create the Fair Labor Association, a human rights group that brings companies
together to help enforce safe and healthy working environments (2013). It is unfortunate that
Nike's working conditions had to be exposed before directing focus toward its manufacturing
process, but the end result brought better standards to Indonesia and other developing countries'
sourcing and production. Other companies that have been "named and shamed" include the Gap,
Walmart, Disney, and Guess (Bartley & Child, 2014). It is expected that future instances of
naming corporations can bring attention to problem areas, start activism or protests within the
company or general population, and lead to real change.
19
Previous research has explored and dissected protest events and strikes in the past. In
fact, protest event analysis (PEA), a form of content analysis, is common in studying social
movements as a phenomenon (Fillieule & Jiménez, 2003; Makarov & Rothenhäusler, 2015). It
gained legitimacy and popularity in the 1980s as a research method (Fillieule & Jiménez, 2003).
Fillieule and Jiménez (2003) chose to use newspaper sources in their PEA methods since they
offer dependable reports of protest events. Perhaps most significant to the current study is
McAdam and Su's research (2002), in which the authors specifically use The New York Times
throughout twenty years, from 1960 to 1980, to examine protest events. Bartley and Child (2011)
assert that researchers who count protest events rely especially on The New York Times.
Because research has been conducted so intensely regarding strikes, especially as a content
analysis of the New York Times, this study will not include instances of strikes since 1910
unless they are also a form of, or coincide with, suicide.
2.5 Labor Laws
Labor laws, usually in place for the protection of workers, differ between countries.
Different countries may agree to comply with certain standards set by such organizations as the
World Trade Organization and the European Union. However, just because a country signs on to
such agreements, does not mean that the country will necessarily enforce regulations. With such
a high demand for mass amounts of apparel at low prices, manufacturing has been forced to keep
costs to a minimum. By dictating final costs, importing countries have forced manufacturing
countries to keep wages and other costs down in what O'Rourke and Brown (2003) call the
"global race to the bottom" (p. 378). They mention the quality of health and safety conditions in
the workplace as a consequence of these downward pressures.
20
For some countries' governments, it may not be in the best interest of the country to obey
or even sign on to protective labor laws. In the case of China, "The government is simply more
interested in attracting foreign investment, promoting domestic industry, and creating jobs and
taxes, than in protecting workers or the environment" (O'Rourke & Brown, 2003, p. 378). In the
case that a worker is one minute late, they are fined for $3 USD and also lose half their wages for
that day (China Labor Watch, 2012). To some, these workers may just be cogs in the machine,
but there are laws and regulations in place to keep the machine running, even if human rights are
not a priority.
The workers are not always in the best position to stand up for their rights. In places like
the United States, unions are common and strikes are allowed. Under Chinese law, the right to
strike was revoked in 1982 and has not been reinstituted (Domoney, 2007). Unions are not
widely available to join and are often not taken seriously. It is usually not until a problem arises
that something is done about the conditions.
2.5.1 Staging inspections
Factory inspections, monitoring, or audits, are often required to hold firms responsible for
creating conditions that meet higher standards. Authorized by a country's government, labor laws
such as OSHA, or retail companies, factories sometimes undergo assessments to ensure certain
laws are enforced (Ruser & Smith, 1988). However, a factory may avoid compliance by hiding
evidence or covering up truths during a mandated inspection. One factory moved equipment and
machines into trucks so as to not appear overcrowded during an inspection (Clifford &
Greenhouse, 2013). Unannounced inspections help to discover factory violations, but even then,
those in charge have ways of announcing inspections to workers, preparing them to act. As an
21
example, some factories in China will play a certain song over loudspeakers to warn underage
employees to run out the back door (Clifford & Greenhouse, 2013).
There are other ways to stage inspections or otherwise trick monitors. One common
method is through the use of time cards. Time cards are classically used to keep track of an
employee's hours. Each worker, assigned a different card, punches or clocks the card in at the
beginning of the work day, and clocks it out at the end of the day. Factory owners may alter
records of hours worked, or even keep two sets of time cards (Greenhouse, 2004; O'Rourke,
2000). Extra sets of time cards can be useful if employing too many people or working them for
too many hours (Finder, 1995; Greenhouse, 2008). One set of time cards is shown to the
inspectors, with a legal amount of employees and legal amount of hours worked. The other set
usually contains the actual number of hours worked, so factory owners can also keep a proper
record (Sulzberger, 2009).
Along with falsification of documents, there is also the matter of corruption and bribery.
Lack of safety enforcement may be due to bribes. Both inspectors and factory owners can benefit
from unreported violations. Accroding to Kolben (2004), inspectors strapped for cash may
demand money from factories in violation of the law in return for not reporting the violations.
The inspector gains monetary funds, and the owner, although losing some money, does not get
fined or jailed, and is not forced to correct deficiencies. This allows the owner to keep skimming
money from workers' paychecks and save on repairs or improvements.
2.5.2 Subcontracting and homework
Orders from a retail firm may be placed with a supplier that meets safety and health
requirements. The factory has been inspected, approved, and costs have been dictated or
22
negotiated. However, when this order, or parts of this order are sent from the original established
manufacturing factory to another location, this is known as subcontracting (Mieghem, 1999). As
noted by Lorenz (2000), subcontracting reduces costs by sending work to a manufacturer that is
less expensive, allowing the contracted factory to save money by reducing production costs.
When production is sent elsewhere, and especially when it is without the retailer's knowledge or
authorization, oversights are likely to happen. The question of accountability is up difficult to
determine. Many times, cases of subcontracting are discovered through factory incidents.
Retailers respond by brushing off responsibility, claiming the factory was unauthorized to
produce the clothing and that the company has nothing to do with the incident (Koca-Helvaci,
2015).
Another method for sending production elsewhere is known as homework. In the garment
industry, workers take bundles home to be constructed in the worker's home (Leach, 1998). This
could be positive or negative, as workers may prefer this system as the have more autonomy. A
mother may now be able to watch her children, without them being illegally in the factory. At the
same time, homework is hard to regulate, allowing violations and especially child labor to slip
through the cracks. According to Woloch (1994), homework became less of an issue in the 1940s
as it became more acceptable. Although banned in some areas of the world, and accepted
through licensing and regulations elsewhere, homework is a gray area, beneficial to some and
exploitive to others.
23
CHAPTER III
METHODS
Factory conditions are often overlooked until an incident happens. Safety measures
should be pre-emptive in nature, to avoid any harm to workers. Most research solely reports on
factory conditions after an accident occurs, but this study analyzes those reports in order to find
patterns in factory conditions related to mishaps. Finding these patterns helps to identify the
workplace conditions that should be avoided. Negating such conditions should lead to a decrease
in apparel worker injuries and deaths.
In terms of this study, factory events or incidents were explored through a qualitative
content analysis using The New York Times from 1910 until 2015. Data was collected using
articles from this news source that related to factory disasters. Since each country reaches its
industrial phase at its own pace, if at all, it is important to examine how various countries abused
labor at one point or another, and how it has changed over time. Statistical information such as
time and place are critical to this study, but facts such as death tolls and length of occurrence are
essential as well. Conditions internal to each factory were recorded, such as air quality, forced
labor, or any other factor that was reported in the news article. Costs and consequences of factory
hazards were documented as well. This provides a more thorough understanding of regional or
international situations and culture surrounding each incident.
3.1 Data Collection
The data collected from the New York Times began in 1910. Since the first real
exposition of the magnitude of labor abuse stemmed from the Triangle Shirtwaist factory tragedy
in 1911, the study will start from that time period. Starting a year prior to this event will allow
24
any reported conditions leading up to the event to be found. Research will begin specifically
from January 1st, 1910 and continue until December 31st, 2015. The New York Times is a
legitimate source to uncover these facts as it has been documenting global occurrences since
1851. It also has documented its past articles, which are easily accessible through an online
archive database. The New York Times does not focus specifically on labor issues, however, it is
relatively unbiased for a newspaper publication and is well indexed through several online
sources (Merrill, 1999; Rohner & Frey, 2007).
At this point, it is recognized that a content analysis is often used for a very limited
population and time period. This study is extensive in the fact that it will attempt to analyze labor
abuses for over a century, and around the world. To really distinguish any progress made, a short
time period is not enough. Due to the nature and size of the fashion industry, change is slow to
occur. Centuries ago, a basic procedure for apparel construction was developed and somehow
has not transformed much at all. These processes still involve weaving, pattern work, cutting,
pinning, sewing, serging, washing, drying, and specialty installations such as zippers or snaps. In
an industry that is slow to change its foundations, and especially in one that is more about results
than means, improving human rights may not be a priority. Even established laws are not always
obeyed or immediately followed. Because of this, putting together a timeline of only the past five
years is not likely to yield much information on the progress of human rights. This is why it is
important to study the evolution of ethics in the apparel industry since the first major American
disaster, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Starting at this time shows a concentration of
infractions in the first developing industrial countries such as the United States, and reveals a
change over time to later developing countries like China and Japan, and finally to newer
developing countries with a specialty in apparel, such as Bangladesh, India, and Honduras.
25
Starting in 1910 also shows the lack of international communication in the early decades,
limiting this study to mostly New York areas until the 1970s.
To find the corresponding articles from The New York Times, online archives were
searched using certain criteria. Through the university used to conduct this research, the library
database which includes New York Times articles was utilized. It uses ProQuest search engine
which can be modified through advanced search techniques. Using the keyword "factory," about
1000 articles appear every year starting at 1910. Over time, the amount of these articles starts to
increase. These results are further limited looking into only the factories which created apparel
products. This is done by adding Boolean terms like apparel, clothing, textile, or garment. The
text of the search contained the specific terms, "factory AND (apparel OR cloth* OR textile OR
garment) AND (labor or conditions)". Document types can also be specified using this search
engine, and for this research, 'Article' and 'Front page article' are limitations that were applied.
Using these filters, results were reduced to approximately 150 articles per year.
These results were reviewed and collected if they related to the study in terms of
incidents, violations, or damages caused by apparel factory conditions. This study denotes
apparel manufacturing as including any factory or building used for the production or
manufacture of apparel products, including dyeing, weaving, and sewing factories, silk mills, and
leather treatment plants, as long as the final product can be worn on the human body. Factory
hazards or labor violations include any case where conditions of an apparel factory caused or led
to any sort of employee harm or health decline. Such health problems include but are not limited
to minor injuries, impaired respiratory health, mental health disrepair, major injuries, and even
death.
26
Articles which lack specifics of an incident, such as date or location, were not included in
the study. Further restrictions of articles collected include acts of war, harm with intent, and
injuries brought on by union protests. Articles detailing such hazards like bombings in war
zones, concentration camps, prison manufacturing, gunshots brought on by personal quarrels,
and throwing of acid by union supporters or agitators were ignored. Conditions must be set in
place through building environment hazards or actions taken by factory owners or managers.
Each article that presented these types of occurrences from the New York Times was
saved and documented. An Excel document was kept; for every pertaining article found, dates
and locations were recorded chronologically as well as the article title and source. The data from
this Excel document can be found in the Appendix. The articles were saved in a folder dedicated
for New York Times articles from 1910 to 2015. Once all the articles regarding factory abuses
were identified and collected, they were coded.
3.2 Data Analysis & Coding
In order to analyze and find patterns in the articles collected, the data must be coded. To
find recurring themes, information in the New York Times articles were categorized and sub
categorized through descriptive coding and causation coding. The categories fell under statistics,
conditions, and outcomes. Statistics included the information such as date and location.
Conditions were subcategorized into themes such as locked doors, substandard buildings, and air
quality. It also included labor laws in place at the time, if mentioned in the article. These two
categories, statistics and conditions, were found through descriptive coding. Outcomes or
consequences such as fires breaking out, number of fatalities, and length of destruction were
detected through causation coding.
27
These details, once found, were reported in the same Excel document made for keeping
track of each relevant New York Times article. The statistic, condition, and outcome details
conveyed in each article were recorded in the corresponding row. Doing this for every incident
and related article allows for a more complete view of the situation. It also allows groupings to
emerge through repetition of certain conditions, countries, dates, or other categories. Through
this process of coding and analyzing the data, themes and patterns were identified and led to
conclusions about the conditions in fashion's manufacturing sector.
3.3 Limitations
The biggest limitation of this study is the source of data. Using only The New York
Times restricts the research to just one media source, which biases what data will appear. This
report relies on others' published data, so it is also limited by the extent of others' research.
Which countries, factories, and sweatshops have been investigated previously directly dictates
the course of this study. Having more data from one country than another can make the data look
skewed, leading readers to believe that the countries with the most data also have the most
sweatshops or substandard factory conditions. This may or may not be the case, as other
countries may not have been as well exposed to the media in terms of their labor standards.
Many substandard conditions are also hidden during factory audits, so oftentimes a problem can
go unnoticed or unreported.
Finding articles from the most exploitative countries was problematic. News of labor
violations, or frequency of reports does not necessarily indicate severity of the situation, only
availability of media in the country. Since it is difficult to conduct experiments or even simpler
research in these types of factory settings, much of the information pertaining to apparel factory
28
abuses are limited. However, many New York Times articles exist, highlighting specific events
and conditions of factory environments that have been revealed to the media. Each of these
articles was dissected to find recurrent themes and patterns. Although this study intended to
follow the locations of these hazards, earlier New York Times articles are very limited to a small
area range around New York City for some time until communication technologies improve.
New York Times articles are vast using the ProQuest search engine. However, this index
only runs through the year 2012. This is a significant limitation to the study. Articles up to the
year 2015 and more current publications are available through The New York Times website,
using a paid subscription for unlimited access. The results that appear using the same search
terms are far less frequent. This may mean the results are more relevant to the study, or it may
mean some incidents are overlooked. As a comparison, 76 articles are available for the year 2012
using the ProQuest search engine while 21 articles result from the New York Times website
index for the same year.
Another limitation that must be pointed out is the bias of cultural perceptions. As an
example, Western thinking may dictate that any factory with poor air circulation may be a
sweatshop. However, it could be the case that employees are happier in this factory because they
work for themselves. Furthermore, when considering garment work and illegal laborers, it is
beneficial to contemplate what other options the workers may have. One garment worker is
quoted by Brooke (2004) as having said that factory work is prestigious compared to working at
a karaoke bar or nightclub; she earns more money. Many retailers will retract contracts from
factories and areas in violation of safety practices, but this often results in workers losing their
jobs (Mahr & Habib, 2013). Laborers may then turn to other forms of work for money.
Sometimes they can remain in the garment industry, working for more dangerous factories or
29
ones that pay less. They may enter construction work, or other more dangerous tasks like
prostitution or drug selling (Brooke, 2004). In this case, garment manufacturing may have been
the safest option for the worker. Instead of terminating all business from one of these factories, it
might be more effective for a retailer to invest in more rigid safety practices, ensuring worker
well-being (Mahr & Habib, 2013). Because of these differences in cultures and ways of thinking,
this study did not attempt to differentiate between sweatshop and factory, but merely detailed
apparel factory incidents throughout time and describe the conditions surrounding such events.
Due to the differences in perspective, and the difficulty of comparing such cultural
differences, certain conditions presented in articles were ignored. Since the minimum wage
changes throughout time, and is incomparable across countries, details on wages were excluded,
unless workers receive no pay, are owed back wages, or children are involved. On the same note,
hours and overtime conditions also were left out, especially because some workers choose to
work longer in order to earn more money. Exceptions include when no pay is received, no breaks
or sick days are allowed, and when labor is forced or related to children.
3.4 Ethical Considerations
The goal of this study is to implement better ethical standards to avoid mistreatment of
humans. Since it relies on second-hand data, no harm or psychological disturbances will come of
apparel factory workers due to this study. That being said, considerations still must take place.
The researcher must have honesty and integrity when collecting and analyzing the data.
They need to report the data correctly and thoroughly. They also must not show bias with the
data they find. This means not leaving out data that could give a country a negative image
30
because of bias, prejudice, or conflict of interest. Skewed data due to researcher error should be
avoided completely.
31
CHAPTER IV
RESULTS
4.1 Data Analysis
From the year 1910 until 2015, a total of 15,107 New York Times articles resulted using
the search terms on both the ProQuest search engine and New York Times website search
engine. The ProQuest database was utilized from years 1910 until 2012 while the New York
Times search engine was used for year 2013 to 2015. Using the collection limitations while
searching these articles, 146 articles were found pertaining to the study. This indicates that
relevant articles made up less than one-percent of all search results. Figure 1 shown displays the
relevance of New York Times articles collected for the study to those resulting from the search
results. This line plot shows that search results presented became more relevant during the 1960s
and especially after 2005.
Data Search Results
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
0
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
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50
# of Articles Resulting from Search
# of Articles Relating to Study
Figure 1. Data Search Results
32
This could be due to the improvements in record keeping and terminology used, or that search
engine parameters became more elaborate as communications further developed. In the last
several years of the study, it is very much likely due to the use of the second search engine,
showing that the results found through the New York Times search index are perhaps more
related to a particular search term or phrase.
When the 146 related articles were examined, it was clear that some events were reported
multiple times while other articles sometimes cited multiple cases of hazardous occurrences. In
Figure 2, the line plot shows the discrepancies between the reports on events and the actual
number of events themselves. Most years are relatively equal in terms of this ratio, while others
with significant consequential disasters are usually discussed more heavily. This is especially
apparent in the year 1911, when the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire occurred.
Data Collection
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
1910
1915
1920
1925
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# of Articles
# of Events
Figure 2. Data Collection
33
After coding these articles and dissecting the hazardous conditions presented with each
factory, patterns begin to emerge. Studying these patterns will allow conclusions to be drawn,
and recommendations to be made.
4.2 Major Themes and Patterns
Through coding these articles, major themes present themselves, especially the theme of
types of hazardous events. Four main categories were discovered, which are building collapses,
factory fires, child labor, which presents itself with homework, and other hazards. The themes
and details of each article's conditions are presented in chronological order by event in the
study's appendix.
4.2.1 Collapses
Throughout the time period, only three factory collapses occurred. However, though less
prevalent, they may be more fatal than other hazards, as proven by the Rana Plaza factory
collapse. The first collapse of this study occurred on September 15, 1959 in Hammonton, New
Jersey. In this case, a wall collapsed due to an excavation hole being dug next to the wall so the
building could be expanded (40 Injured, 1959). When the wall buckled, the roof collapsed,
injuring 40 workers, one needing hospitalization. Seventy-five workers were in the building at
the time of the collapse, mostly women.
The second factory collapse that took place during the 105 year span destroyed Rana
Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 24, 2013. Six articles were found relating to this event. In
the end, 1,129 deaths were disclosed, but the first article coming out hours after the collapse
reported up to 142 deaths, grossly underestimating the damages and human lives lost. Although
34
no monetary costs were reported, blame was said to lie with the Prime Minister, factory owners,
building owner, and global retail companies. Owners could face homicide charges, resulting in
sentences that may include life in prison (Daniel, Quadir, & Ortiz, 2013). The building owner,
Sohel Rana, was arrested after being found near the Indian border after being on the run
(Yardley, 2013a). He was involved in criminal activities including gangs and drug trades
(Yardley, 2013b). His assets were seized, and the public was insistent on execution (Yardley,
2013b). Other substantial conditions that were revealed include falsifying records, malnutrition,
forced labor, and child labor. Companies found to be working with factories in Rana Plaza are
Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney, and Mango, who only just started fleshing out order details and mocking
up samples. Wal-Mart originally denied involvement and refused to join a safety agreement that
was legally obligating. Spokespeople stated Wal-Mart was committed to stronger safety
measures (Manik & Yardley, 2013).
The third collapse happened less than one month after Rana Plaza, on May 16, 2013 in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. One short article discussed how the overweighed mezzanine of one
Wing Star Shoes Factory led to two deaths and eleven injuries. Previous to the collapse, workers
were forced to work overtime, with threats of being dismissed if they did not comply. After the
collapse, workers, fearful of returning back to work, began stampeding out of the factory when
the electricity short-circuited upon their return four days later. This incident led to 20 more
injuries, including some workers who fainted, and some who needed hospitalization. No blame is
cited.
35
4.2.2 Fires
While there were three building collapses that were reported to have occurred between
1910 and 2015, 25 fires broke out in the same time period. Since there were so many, and since
some were minor compared to others, only the fire related events that have multiple reports will
be discussed here. A full description on each fire can be found using the event chart in the
appendix.
The first major fire of this study was the New York Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire.
Ultimately killing 146 workers, not all bodies were able to be indentified until one hundred years
later (Berger, 2011). Limitations of this study present themselves when articles collected reveal
varying numbers of fatalities, eventually settling on 148 fatalities, two casualties more than the
last included article reported. In fact, dozens of articles were found relating to the Triangle
Shirtwaist fire for over a century after it happened. Of these, eight were collected that described
the factory conditions within the year that it happened.
Two years later, the Binghamton fire in New York City resulted in five articles written
for the New York Times, and 40 fatalities. After this, extensive reports of fires lessened until
Pakistan's 2012 Ali Enterprises fire in Karachi. Four articles detailed this event, reporting 289
deaths. Most of these deaths were due to smoke inhalation, and most victims were surprisingly
men (ur-Rehman, Walsh, & Masood, 2012).
The Tazreen fire of Dhaka, Bangladesh, is described in detail during the introduction of
this study. Occurring only two months after the Karachi fire, eight articles reported on this event,
citing 112 deaths. Before Bangladesh's factory collapse, this was known as the country's worst
garment industrial disaster. Interesting is the fact that even though more people died in the
36
Pakistan fire, it was not as well publicized. The distribution of fires throughout the time period
are shown by year in Figure 3, and by decade in Figure 4.
Fires by Year
4
3
2
Fires
1
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
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0
Figure 3. Fires by Year
Fires by Decade
10
8
6
4
Fires
2
2010
2000
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
1940
1930
1920
1910
0
Figure 4. Fires by Decade
4.2.3 Child labor & homework
In all, 31 cases of child labor or homework appeared in New York Times articles from
1910 to 2015. Of these, 29 involved child labor. Only two indicated homework with no mention
of child exploitation, and the rest of the five homework incidents overlapped with child labor
conditions. Ten of these cases, over 50% of those before 1995, took place in New York City.
Many others were in New Jersey, while those that came after 1995 were more commonly
37
worldwide. Child labor started being exposed in Honduras, as was so publicized with Kathie Lee
Gifford, Mexico, India, Bangladesh, and Cambodia.
As can be gleaned by Figures 5 and 6, child exploitation, or at least reports of child labor,
were most common during the 1990s and the 1920s. The early cases may be in part due to the
legality of homework, and how it was accepted until the 1940s, while the later occurrences may
be explained by shifting globalization and production moving to industrializing companies, as
well as the advancing development of information technologies.
Child Labor or Homework by
Year
4
2
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
0
Child Labor or Home Work
Figure 5. Child Labor by Year
Child Labor or Homework by
Decade
10
5
Child Labor or Home Work
Figure 6. Child Labor by Decade
2010
2000
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
1940
1930
1920
1910
0
38
4.2.4 Other Hazards
The conditions that occur along with various other hazards that did not fit under the
categories of collapses, fires, or child labor are examined through research question 2b. One
particular case of interest involved forced labor and virtual servitude.
One of the biggest surprises discovered was the 1995 case of El Monte immigrants. A
criminal labor ring, under investigation since 1992 or earlier, was raided on August 2nd, 1995
(Noble, 1995a). Besides being held captive, surrounded by armed guards, spiked fences, and
barbed wire, 72 Thai immigrants were regularly abused throughout their detainment. Some
workers, kept for years, face continuing health problems due to their time in servitude. Figures 7
and 8 display the prominence of these types of events throughout the years. It can be seen that
earlier violations often fell into the fire or child labor categories, while various other forms of
abuse and hazards present themselves in more recent years.
Other Hazards by Year
8
6
4
2
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
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2010
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0
Other Hazards
Figure 7. Other Hazards by Year
39
Other Hazards by Decade
2010
2000
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
1940
1930
1920
1910
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Other Hazards
Figure 8. Other Hazards by Decade
Another theme that became apparent was that of victimization. Keeping track of the type
of people working during each incident, if available, data showed that those involved most in
apparel factory hazards were women, children, and immigrants. This finding in and of itself is
not surprising and was to be expected. Most interesting, however, was that this pattern seemed to
hold true in many places around the world, and throughout the time period.
4.3 Research Questions
4.3.1 Statistics
RQ1a: How many apparel factory incidents have been reported in the New York Times in total
each year since 1910?
RA1a: Using both ProQuest and New York Times indexes to search articles between the years
1910 and 2015, 146 articles related to the study came about from 15,107 total articles
resulting from search terms. However, in terms of incidents and not articles, 139
individual events were found. Three events, or roughly 2% of these describe apparel
40
factory collapses. Twenty-five, or almost 18% detail fires. Thirty-one, or about 22% are
cases of child labor or homework, which are often found together. Finally 80 incidents, or
nearly 58%, are various other hazards, such as poor ventilation, forced labor,
malnutrition, or debt bondage. Figure 4.1.2 helps visualize how the incidents are spread
out through the years. The pie chart below in Figure 9, Incidents by Hazard Type, shows
what different types of hazards appear most often.
Incidents by Hazard Type
Collapse 2%
Fire 18%
Other
Hazards
58%
Child labor
or Home
work
22%
Figure 9. Incidents by Hazard Type
RQ1b: Where are labor violations reported to have happened most frequently according to The
New York Times and how have these reports shifted across the globe?
RA1b: Based on the separate categories of hazards as well as all presented hazards in general,
there is a global geographical shift of violations. Since the 1910s starts with very little
communication world-wide, and less interconnectivity in trading than what is seen today,
the world of reporting during the early years was very limited. Most of these articles
41
report incidents that take place in New York City, but some span to New Jersey or
Massachusetts. In regard to fire threats, until 1988, all had taken place in only these three
states. Of these fires, twelve or 75% occurred in New York, 62.5% in New York City
specifically. On March 31, 1988, South Korea gave the United States its first exposure of
fires in overseas factories. The entirety of fires from 2000 until 2015 occurred in foreign
countries, four or 57% in Bangladesh, 29% in Pakistan and 14%, just one occurrence, in
Italy.
Building collapses are not common, with only three reported in 105 years. The
1959 incident was in New Jersey, and the ones from 2013 were in Bangladesh and
Cambodia.
Regarding child labor, international news gets reported fairly early in our
industrialized history. In 1927, Hankow, China was exposed for high levels of child labor
as was Manchuria in 1945. Child labor was prevalent in the United States, occurring here
most frequently until the 1990s. The 90s revealed abuses growing in places like Honduras
and Bangladesh just as often as it revealed them in New York City, until 1997. Four
factories in Los Angeles, California were the last reported child labor charges in the
United States through the New York Times. The 2000s exposed child labor in Mongolia,
Mexico, and India, and the 2010s included Bangladesh and Cambodia.
In general, factory hazards have shifted across the globe over time. As expected,
what was once so prominent in the United States started to move in the 1970s and 1980s
to countries in Asia, but changed drastically during the 1990s. Along with the
information age, this could also be due to moving production overseas. The increase of
production in places like Saipan clashed with the growing ethical awareness of
42
consumers in the mid-90s, revealing now infamous accounts, like Nike's child labor
violations and Kathie Lee's broadcasted factory abuses in Honduras. Most surprising
about the shift in violation locations is how often hazards still occurred in the United
States and other industrialized countries. It seems Chinatown and other urban
neighborhoods in New York City were, and still are, prime for labor exploitation.
RQ1c: When do violations occur most frequently according to The New York Times and how
have these reports changed over time?
RA1c: Depending on how the data is grouped, violations occur most frequently during different
time periods. Going by year alone, 2013 has uncovered the highest amount of hazardous
violations. A total of thirteen incidents were found in that year, two counts of collapses,
three fires, two cases of child labor or homework, and six other hazardous situations. The
distribution of incident type by year is shown below in Figure 10, Type of Incident by
Year.
14
Type of Incident by Year
12
10
8
6
4
2
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
0
Other hazards
Child labor or home work
Fires
Figure 10. Type of Incident by Year
Collapse
43
If events, however, are grouped by decade, as shown by Figure 11, Type of
Incident by Decade, then the decade of the 2000s, and not the 2010s is when the most
hazards occurred according to the New York Times. It is important to recognize that four
years' worth of data have yet to be generated, making the 2010s decade incomplete in
terms of comparability to previous decades.
Type of Incident by Decade
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
Other hazards
Child labor or home work
Fires
Collapse
2010
2000
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
1940
1930
1920
1910
0
Figure 11. Type of Incident by Decade
It seems unusual that as knowledge of safety matters has increased along with
more improvements and regulations, that the amount of hazards would increase as well.
This may not necessarily be the case, as increased reporting of events does not
automatically indicate an increasing number of occurrences. One major idea of note is
44
that of enhanced communication. The age of the internet skyrocketed in the 1990s,
allowing for faster spread of news and more reports from around the world. This could
quite likely be the reason to see an increase of reporting of hazardous events occurring in
the last three decades of the study's time range.
4.3.2 Health and Working Conditions
RQ2a: What is the fatality or injury rate for each reported incident?
RA2a: Fatality rates are not common in incidents except when an accident occurs, such as with a
fire or building collapse. That being said, all three building collapses included in the
study caused a total of 1,131 deaths and 1,071 injuries. The data is grossly skewed by
Rana Plaza, but if this data were representative of an average, each collapse would be
responsible for 377 deaths and 357 injuries.
Fires reported in these articles, in total, account for 789 deaths and about 272
injuries across 21 incidents, averaging to 37 fatalities and 12 injuries per fire. Fires with
explosions, counted separately, resulted in 5 deaths among 4 incidents, and 45 injuries.
This translates to roughly 1 death and 11 injuries per explosion. In this case, factory
collapses are shown to be most fatal, but occur much less frequently. Rana Plaza, the
biggest industrial disaster to happen in the garment industry, certainly tips the scales. If it
were not for this particular incident, collapses would comprise an average one death and
35 injuries per incident.
When describing numbers of fatalities and injuries, it devalues the importance of
the human costs. Even the case of one death per incident is still too many. These types of
accidents could be avoided entirely.
45
RQ2b: What kind of factory conditions have been reported in conjunction with each factory
incident?
RA2b: Depending upon the type of incident, various manufacturing conditions repeatedly
present themselves in New York Times articles throughout time. Relating to fires,
escapes are often inadequate, blocked, or nonexistent. The building, especially in apparel
manufacturing, has flammable materials all throughout the structure, increasing the life
force of each fire. In cases where fire escapes are inadequate, workers resort to jumping
from windows, if the windows are not barred. Safety responses also seem quite
inadequate from time to time. Hoses break and extinguishers malfunction or are not
present. Workers waste precious minutes attempting to fight these fires instead of
escaping, or in early cases before alarm systems were widely available, alerting others.
Firemen may have a hard time reaching victims, either because of difficult road systems,
useless lifesaving supplies such as ladders or nets, or inability to reach the fire due to
crowds of escaping workers.
Building collapses often occur with conditions indicative of underlying danger.
Illegal or ongoing construction, cracks in the walls or foundation, and overloading are
indications of a more serious matter. Building collapses appear to be the most easily
avoidable, as many collapse hazards have come up over the years, but were quickly
remedied through the intervention of inspectors and engineers, having factory owners destress the building by shifting loads to less vulnerable areas.
Child labor, as discussed previously, is often found through violations of
homework. Since homework is difficult to regulate, these cases may slip through the
cracks. Many times a child is helping his or her mother with stitching or clipping threads,
46
possibly unaware of the law violation. Other times, the child knows the legality of the
situation, as demonstrated by lies about school being closed or not remembering their
own birthday. Sometimes, the child may have no choice but to work, and making money
through apparel production may be the safest option. If factory conditions were safer,
child labor, even found through established businesses, may not be such a hazard. As it is
presently, malnutrition, stunted growth, tuberculosis, and machine injury reports have all
been found with child labor (Child Workers, 1923; Lieberman, 1945; Kristof, 1998).
Other potential hazards report on the possibilities of accidents, such as fires or
collapses, happening. These often are uncovered with similar violations as when fires
break out or collapses occur. Blocked exits, piles of flammable material stacked high,
lack of sprinklers, or other building code violations are present. A potential disaster that
can be spotted preemptively is a disaster avoided if conditions are remedied.
Less fatal violations highlight conditions like poor ventilation, poor lighting, bad
ergonomics or repeated movements leading to pain. The presence of chemicals can lead
to problems, as well as man-made issues like debt bondage or discrimination. Many
violations are sanctioned by those in charge, whether it involves sexual harassment,
forced overtime, falsifying records, threats of being fired, or monitored bathroom visits.
There is an important issue of corruption and negligence. An extensive list of all
conditions presented within these themes is included in the appendix.
RQ2c: What physical health issues have been reported in conjunction with each factory incident?
RA2c: As previously stated, child labor hazards can lead to health problems like malnutrition,
stunted growth, vision defects, machine injuries, and diseases such as tuberculosis and
47
cotton dust disease. Poor lighting often leads to poor vision, which can be caused by lack
of windows or too harsh fluorescents. Other deteriorating health conditions result from
forced labor or involuntary servitude. The case of El Monte found 72 Thai workers
detained behind armed guards and razor wire fences, some having suffered there for
years. These workers face ongoing health problems, even after being released from their
imprisonment. Workers in contact with chemicals may also experience problems, as was
the case with Nike workers in Vietnam, with 77% suffering from respiratory problems
(Greenhouse, 1997). The same hazards were mentioned three years later as well in a
separate article. The chemical these workers were exposed to, toluene, has been linked to
physical damage in the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system (Greenhouse, 1997).
Physical detriments such as injury or death due to these destructive events have been
described in research question 2a.
RQ2d: What mental health issues have been reported in conjunction with each factory incident?
RA2d: Although not many mental health issues were noted in the New York Times articles
collected for this study, one occurrence was mentioned. In the year 1974, in Nitro, West
Virginia, workers at a rayon plant suffered from carbon disulphide poisoning. One
worker explained the effects of the chemical, describing how he began to act insane and
suspected everyone of watching him (Scott, 1974). Although misdiagnosed with acute
schizophrenic reactions, the presumption of poisoning was supported by similar reports
from several other workers.
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RQ2e: What apparel factory incidents have suicide protests occurred at?
RA2e: Suicide protests do not seem to be related to the apparel manufacturing industry.
However, there were three articles of interest that should be discussed. In 1952, a fire
occurred in a New York City factory. A truck driver who saw women appearing in the
building's windows did not perceive that they were in imminent danger, but instead
thought these women were trying to kill themselves (Lone Rescuer, 1952). He rushed to
the building to help only to discover the threat of fire. Following through in his mission,
he helped to save dozens of workers.
The second event also follows a factory fire. The first of four articles depicting
Pakistan's Karachi fire in 2012 highlights an inconsolable woman waiting for her worker
son to appear. "If my son does not return, I will commit suicide in front of the factory"
(ur-Rehman, Walsh, & Masood, 2012, para. 9). This is seen as a form of protest or stand
against the conditions of the factory that led to the fire and resulting consequences.
Declaring suicide in front of the factory forces those in charge to have their negligence
exposed to the public. Although this was not a stand taken by an active worker, this
woman ended up a victim as well through the factory's negligence.
The third and most recent event relates most to the question at hand. In 2014, a
phenomenon occurring in Cambodia for years was disclosed through the New York
Times. Wallace (2014) depicts 250 workers who effectively halted production not
through the formal use of protest, but by emphasizing any and all health problems. This
form of mass protest is most unusual as it is threatened at a level of physical harm,
though not to the same extent as suicide. In the article, workers protest their factory
conditions by fainting. Faintings resulted from poor ventilation, heat, chemical fumes,
49
overwork, and food poisoning (Wallace, 2014). The situation, which has been going on
since 2011, is a most interesting way of getting a message of poor conditions through to
management, highlighting the physical effects of factory hazards at the same time not
resigning to the lethal threat of suicide.
4.3.3 Corporations and Costs
RQ3a: What monetary and responsibility costs did factory owners or managers face?
RA3a: Responsible companies face a wide range of costs when hazards, especially those
involving fires, occur. From as little as fines costing $25 in New York, 1956 to as much
as millions of dollars in damages and lawsuits starting mostly in the 1990s, someone
must be held accountable for all the expenses (Fire Head Scores Hazards, 1956; Shenon,
1993). Earlier articles from the 1910s until the 1960s and 1970s primarily focused on
monetary costs. The Birnbaum fire of 1911 was reported to have cost $500 while the
Binghamton fire of 1913 reached costs of $220,000 (Small Fire Panic, 1911; 50 Girls
Die, 1913). Most accidents were have found to generate costs in the hundreds of
thousands of dollars until the Paterson explosion and fire of 1963. This particular incident
cost more than a million dollars, having destroyed not just the factory, but damaging six
residential houses and twenty automobiles (Associated Press, 1963).
The 1960s and 1970s show an increase of responsibility costs. Articles detail
consequences like company executives receiving jail time. Factories have been closed,
and goods seized. Even if a factory owner or manager was making a better profit
exploiting their labor force, those efforts seem in vain once production is shut down. Any
profit gained, and especially those gained through violations, will become null once fines
50
and damages are paid, back wages compensated, machinery confiscated, and workers
taken away by authorities. With the effective elimination of hazardous practices, factory
owners will find it difficult to reopen shop elsewhere in attempts to skirt such payments.
A fully detailed list of each individual hazard and available cost information is available
in the appendix.
RQ3b: What retail corporations have been linked to the factories involved in hazards according
to the New York Times?
RA3b: Most companies involved in factory incidents up through the 1920s were local
companies, more heavily focusing on the manufacturer. Of note, the first retailer
mentioned in connection with a safety hazard was Abercrombie & Fitch in 1929. In
Ossining, New York, Lucy Abercrombie, the founder's daughter was working on a
chemical compound for waterproofing the company's sporting goods. The vat exploded
and set fire to the woman who later died never having regained consciousness.
No other retail company is mentioned in conjunction with a factory incident until
1992, when Wal-Mart was exposed for child labor in Bangladesh. In response, investors
stopped buying the stock, as evidenced by the company's $2.375 loss in stock value
(Hayes, 1992). Wal-Mart continued to be involved with such hazards, more recently
discovered 21 years later in connection to Rana Plaza. As Wal-Mart is one of the biggest
retailers in the world, it would be difficult not to be involved in business matters all
across the globe.
Many other retailers identified were department store chains, like J.C. Penney,
Macy's, Kohl's, Filene's, even Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Discount powerhouses in
51
addition to Wal-Mart such as Sears, Kmart, and Target were named as well. Those in the
contemporary fashion markets are also not exempt from factory hazards occurring.
Highly branded stores like GUESS, Gap, Eddie Bauer, J. Crew, Donna Karan, Kate
Spade, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and of course, Nike have found themselves in
trouble over subpar conditions in apparel manufacturing factories. A detailed list of all
retail companies related to factory hazards found through the New York Times is
available in the appendix.
RQ3c: How did involved corporations react?
RA3c: Oftentimes, corporations exposed to having been involved in labor violations deny the
connection, or knowledge of involvement, effectively distancing themselves from the
incident. Often citing subcontracting violations, retailers deny responsibility. Companies
that have been shown to repeat this behavior have been Wal-Mart, Gap, Sears, and Nike.
Other heavily branded companies faced with the same exposure and reaction include
Kate Spade, Donna Karan, Sean John, and Diesel. Although these companies try to deny
involvement with violating factories, consumers and mass society hold them responsible.
This leads to outcomes like lawsuits or other high cost consequences.
Other companies, while shocked over factory devastations, accept responsibility
and try to do more to combat these problems. Levi Strauss and GUESS have both been
aggressive in fighting factory violations. GUESS, who came under scrutiny in 1996 and
1997, immediately terminated its relationships with 40 factories in violation of standards,
and also signed voluntary agreements to help pay for back wages owed to workers. Along
with 44 other companies, GUESS helped to raise $7.3 million between 1993 and 1996
52
(Adelson, 1996). Levi's terminated business with Saipan's biggest garment manufacturer
of 1993 after finding unsatisfactory treatment of workers, but continued to produce at five
other of the island's factories.
If companies face enough setbacks, either through decrease in consumer demand,
protests, or action by governments, they may change their behavior. Companies such as
Wal-Mart and Nike, while being some of the biggest violators of labor exploitation,
found they could no longer ignore the problems. After enormous pressure in the 1990s,
both companies have yielded to the global force and now are leading companies in
upholding safety standards. If retailers continue to feel this pressure, or if they value
workers' rights as a priority, there should be no reason for retailers to hide from these
violations, but instead face them head on.
4.4 Summary
Although there appears to be in increase in exploitation over the years based on number
of incidents, the results may be deceiving. Apparel factory labor hazards seemed to spike in the
1970s with an increase between 1990 and present day. The 1970s manufacturing decade is
defined as a period of shifting production from domestic factories to those offshore. The 1970s is
the turning point for America's manufacturing with a very low level of domestic manufacturing
(Morley, 2006). The increase of reports of hazards in the 1990s until current day may be
explained by the information age, technologies making worldwide communication much more
accessible, as well as growing levels of consumer awareness.
Statistical information showed a high number of domestic violations up until the 1970s,
when global incidents became more pronounced. It also showed that of categorized hazardous
53
incidents, child labor is most common, followed by fires, and most rarely, factory collapses. In
regards to physical and mental health, time does not prove to be remedying these violations, as
the most hazardous event occurred in the most recent years. Heightened enforcement of labor
laws appears to be needed.
In terms of companies involved and costs, retailers rarely have paid for damages from
these incidents. However, they do incur damage to their corporate image. Retailers may be
blamed for lack of responsibility, often resulting in decreased consumer demand and lower sales,
exampled by both Nike and Wal-Mart in the 1990s. Monetarily, these companies are urged by
consumers to donate to victim's funds or implement better safety measure through structural
improvements. The real penalties are to the owners and managers of each factory. Besides facing
jail time, these individuals are often charged with negligence or culpable homicide. They face
large fines for each violation, and more damaging are the repairs needed to fix the building,
equipment, and furniture after a hazardous event occurs.
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CHAPTER V
DISCUSSION
5.1 Recommendations
After studying detailed descriptions of conditions that are present with apparel factory
hazards, certain patterns repeat themselves throughout history. Since this can be demonstrated
through this study, many shortcomings of apparel factories or the response to apparel hazards,
can be recognized and remedied accordingly. Throughout this study, several have emerged, such
as lack of safety equipment, oversight of hazards or environmental conditions, as well as human
action or inaction. While investigating these inadequacies, solutions and remediations have also
presented themselves.
5.1.1 Infrastructure
For many tragedies, safety has been a big issue when dealing with equipment. Poorly
constructed buildings, buildings under construction, or buildings not up to code put not only
production workers, but managers, owners, and retailers at risk. Often construction is involved
with the collapse of a building. With the first collapse in 1959, a hole was being excavated next
to a wall in order to expand. Building owner, Mr. Rana, had additional floors illegally added to
his already substandard building, given that it had a weak foundation and was built on swampy
ground (Daniel, Quadir, & Ortiz, 2013). This makes building safety all the more important.
When it comes to fires, the building can also be problematic. Even those buildings
claimed as fireproof result in death, often due to the flammable material in work rooms and lack
of escape options. Fireproof stairs should be mandatory, removing the hazards of rickety stairs or
wood catching on fire at what may be the only escape route. As evidenced in many of the
55
articles, especially those at the beginning of the time frame, escape paths are often inadequate.
Even prompt responses by emergency personnel are not always effective. When ladders, safety
nets, and roadways all hinder a fireman's ability to help, alternatives must be investigated. Even
planting shrubbery under factory windows may help to break some victim's falls as they will
inevitably jump if escapes are blocked, however, this would not be an ideal pre-emptive solution.
Many of these hazards can be found and fixed through rigorous building inspections and safety
regulations.
Environmental hazards apparel factory workers face include poor ventilation, poor
lighting, chemical usage, machine usage, and poor ergonomics. Although costly, preemptive
improvements to these hazards would cost less than post event damage control. Air conditioning
and proper filtration systems help with worker breathing issues, as well as the implementation of
proper safety gear like masks, gloves, and even shoes. Machinery safeguards would prevent
workroom injury, saving on valuable time and avoiding having to deal with inspection
violations. Less importantly, but still important in improving working conditions, proper
ergonomics could help with worker discomfort. When someone has to man a machine for hours
on end or repeat the same movement all day, positioning can ease any physical injury the worker
may face.
Also dealing with workroom regulations, child labor, and convenience, a child care
center or daycare on premise would greatly help working mothers, and help protect the child
from underage work or equipment harm (Burns, 1974). A well implemented daycare would
provide educational opportunities for the child as well.
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5.1.2 Training
Along with the physical hazards involved in factory building environments, many
problems could be avoided with better training. Starting with most authority to least authority,
many people, not just workers or managers involved, should be held more responsible for worker
wellbeing.
On the police level, law enforcement should do just that, enforce the law. Many areas are
profitable through corruption, but police should be involved in helping protect the rights of
workers, not adding to the negligence. Inspectors as well, need to hold true to their title, not be
paid off through bribes. Several inspectors, as stated by many New York Times articles, lack the
training, knowhow, or care to be an effective authority. Inspectors should receive training on
building codes, fire hazards, and chemical management. Perhaps having multiple inspectors with
an expertise in each area would help avoid work hazards.
Another setback is the attitude of the manager, or owner in charge of the building or work
force. When profits matter more than human lives, a manager who identifies with that
philosophy should not be in charge of so many people. Managers should be briefed in ethics, the
importance of health and wellbeing, and proper treatment of humans. One thought is for retailers
to administer an ethics test to prospective suppliers and manufacturers. Only if the test is passed
does the supplier win the retailer's business. This is a very rigid method, and perhaps many
business deals would fall though this way. However, it would help to stress the importance of
worker safety and emphasize that retailers take the task seriously, so factory managers should
follow through as well in order to gain orders and maintain business relationships.
The final classification of training would be for the general apparel factory worker. In
many cases in history, workers were unprepared for evacuation in emergency situations. They
57
may have lacked the knowledge of exit locations, or thought an alarm to be false. Panic is very
often involved in such situations. Worker training would help victims stay collected in the face
of a threat, bettering their chances on escaping with their lives. After the Triangle Shirtwaist
factory fire, fire drills were implemented as a requirement, along with automatic sprinklers.
However, in some cases, workers were told an alarm was false and were ordered back to work.
Having a set time to conduct fire drills would help employees identify when an alarm is just a
drill and when it actually indicates emergencies. Making use of fire escapes during these drills
would be helpful as well, as many workers trapped in flaming buildings are unaware of
alternative exits. Putting the workers through a variety of situations during a drill, such as fires
breaking out on different floors, would better prepare the workers for times of actual
emergencies.
Further training, such as how to handle machine equipment or chemicals, would also
increase job safety knowledge of each worker. A person who knows the effects of the chemicals
they are working with may chose not to be in that position, or may handle chemicals with better
care. Knowing the repercussions and hazards of each machine would decrease machine misuse.
Other areas of knowledge that would be beneficial to an apparel production worker involve their
rights as a worker and could be taught through various education programs.
Teaching programs already being implemented at some of the safer factories around the
world include language practices, helping migrant workers integrate to their places of work.
(Finder, 1995; Lii, 1995). With an increase of communication come an increase of
understanding. Workers should also have programs that teach them about their rights including
working hours by law, minimum wage, consequences of back wages, discrimination and firing
58
laws, and union organization. Often workers do not speak up for their rights as they are unsure of
what actions they are legally allowed to take, and sometimes face threats from managers.
5.2 Conclusion
After exploring over 100 years of data with a narrow focus, much information has been
revealed. Although a vast amount of information is presented along with event specifics, the key
takeaways are important as well.
Limitations of this study became apparent when looking into locations of apparel
hazards. Apparel factory conditions were more often publicized if they took place in the
immediate vicinity for much of the study. The decade of the 1970s showed further expansion
from the immediate vicinity of New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The development of
technology may have played a part in this, allowing for a heightened amount of information from
distant countries to come through to The New York Times in more recent decades. Because of
this, readers and academics cannot ascertain a complete understanding of how such hazards have
shifted throughout time.
Another awareness that came from this study's major themes was the result that only a
small percentage of all apparel factory hazards came from building collapses. Although collapses
have accounted for one of the most fatal apparel incidents, as was the case of Rana Plaza, the
lack of occurrences may not prove to be of great significance to factory owners or managers. The
fact that it happens so rarely may necessitate owners to ignore such hazards, or to focus on
others, such as fires or child labor. However, as found in the study, factory collapses have been
avoided through pre-emptive investigation and corrective action, demonstrating the necessity of
continuous monitoring of problem areas (Greenhouse & Manik, 2014). Child labor, as has been
59
identified through prior studies and newspaper articles found through this study, has been hard to
regulate throughout time, especially because it often coincides with homework. Fires, however,
can be prevented through proper safety measures, perhaps better than other hazards.
An additional finding resulting from this study is that most injuries reported were of a
physical nature. Deaths, broken limbs, scrapes, and burns were very common throughout the
hazards presented in the New York Times. However, only seldom were mental injuries discussed
as a direct consequence from apparel factory conditions. One could take this to mean that they
are not as pervasive as physical injuries, but they are also much less noticeable to the eye. The
fact that barely any mental traumas were reported, but have been well documented in past
studies, may very well mean they have been overlooked, especially when more urgent injuries
take priority.
The next step in further exploring this study would be to investigate these factory hazards
by seeing them instead of merely reading about them. Traveling to areas presented by this study
would add valuable firsthand experience and knowledge otherwise unobtainable through
secondhand data collection. Visiting such factories, and more importantly, talking with the
workers and owners, may provide higher levels of insight. It may turn out that each incident
found through New York Times articles were some of the worst conditions, and the average
apparel factory worker may not experience such hardships. It may also turn out that conditions
are under-reported and that hazards similar to those found in the study are common throughout
apparel factories. This cannot be ascertained without follow up studies.
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5.3 Suggestions for Future Research and Action
Studying apparel factory hazards from 1910 until 2015 using the New York Times has
provided a considerable amount of data. This study is very extensive, and details many
conditions of apparel factories around the world. Although many of these conditions are explored
through this study and recommendations made, there are factory hazards still present that are
going unreported. It is important to note that despite best effort practices, notes of such incidents
slip through the cracks. Without knowledge of these exploits, it is difficult to rectify them.
Academics and researchers can make use of the data presented here to further promote
worker wellbeing. Follow up studies can be made researching future years to come, those that
have passed, or using different publications. This study is just a chip of a literary iceberg,
highlighting 139 events through 146 New York Times articles. More in depth studies may shed
some additional light not explored through this study. Although the results and data from this
study may help academics, it is more importantly geared toward fashion industry executives.
These people have the power, funds, and knowhow to better implement safety programs
and make improvements toward apparel factory hazards. Highlighting costs involved with
ignoring such safety hazards should help persuade industry officials to take action. Not only can
deaths, injuries, physical maltreatment, and mental anguish be avoided in workers, business
profits can be made through the increasing demand power of the socially responsible consumer.
Costs from damages, fines, back wages, jail time, and poor brand image can all be avoided with
some relatively simple measures.
In the past, some of these measures have been pushed by consumer groups or ethical
'crusaders' through protests or other "naming and shaming" events, as was the case with WalMart and Nike. Although these advocates have successfully promoted ethical treatment and
61
worker well-being, it is neither the consumers nor the protesters that can make the biggest
difference toward safer factories. It is time for company executives to take action and emphasize
the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility throughout the supply chain. Stressing the
importance of human well-being through business statements, missions, and cultures as well as
following through with programs, funding, investments, monitoring, and factory improvements
are strong ways to combat factory hazards and worker harm, which, in the end, is the most
essential result that could be ascertained from this study.
62
APPENDIX
New York
Quick Grand Jury
New York City
Fire Investigation
Washington Place
New York
New York City
New York
New York City
Greene Street and
Washington Place
1911,
March 26
1911,
March 27
1911
March 27
Locked in Factory,
the Survivors Say,
when Fire Started
that Cost 141 Lives
Death List is 141;
Only 86 Identified
New York
New York City
Corner of Greene
Street and
Washington Place
1911,
March 26
141 Men and Girls
Die in Waist
Factory Fire;
Trapped High Up in
Washington Place
Building; Street
Strewn with Bodies;
Piles of Dead Inside
Newspaper Article
1911,
March 25
Location of Event
23 Die, 40 Hurt in
Newark Fire
Date of
Publication
1910,
1910,
New Jersey
November 26 November 27 Newark
High and Orange
Street
Date of Event
-
-
-
-
-
Author
10-story building
Owners Harris & Blanck
10-story building
Loft building
10-story building
Triangle Waist Company
-8th-10th floors
Owners Harris & Blanck
Crows & Wallace
-Clothiers
-6th & 7th floors
Morris Blum
-Clothier
-5th & 6th floors
Harris Brothers
-Clothiers
-3rd & 4th floors
Hatters' Exchange & Martin
Bates, Jr.
-1st & 2nd floors
Wolff Muslin Undergarment
Company
-4th floor
Type of Factory/ Building
Fire started 4:40 PM
8th floor
Top 3 stories
Spread to NYU Law
School next door
Lasted half hour
Owners escaped
Fire started 9:15 AM
3rd floor
Explosion gasoline
Lasted until 1 PM
Start of event
Doors locked
-To 8th, 9th, 10th floors
-Prevent girls from taking rests
on stairs
-Open inward
-Owners deny locked doors
Staircases fireproof
-Enclosed by fireproof doors
Freight elevators enclosed
Inadequate fire exits
1 fire escape
-Broken & twisted at 10th floor
access
Trapped
Help to rescue
2 ladders used to span
2 buildings
-50 rescued
Some girls collected
belongings or wages
before escaping
Panic
Fear
Jumping
Crowding
Help to rescue
-Elevator man 20 trips
-NYU student manned
other elevator
Jumping
Help to escape
-NYU students next
door
-100 women & 20
men rescued
Panic
Rushing
Trampling
Jumping
Panic
Rushing
Chaos
Crowding
Help to put out fire
Help to rescue
-Step ladder
-20-30 rescued
141-145 deaths
-Mostly girls
-86 identified
141 deaths
-128 women
-18 men
-55 unidentified
12 injuries
-Hospitalized
-Most from jumping
out windows
-Broken back
-Fractured leg
-Internal injuries
-Compound fracture
of pelvic bone
15 missing
150-200 deaths likely
-55 had jumped out
windows
-35 jumped down
elevator shaft
-70 trapped on floors
Injuries
-Elevator man
trampled, leg injury
141 deaths
-125 girls
-50 from 9th floor
-30 in elevator shaft
-20 on sidewalks
-48 unidentified
23 deaths
-Women & girls
-8 killed by jumping
out windows
-1 burned still in seat
40 injuries
-Arms, bodies, faces
ripped up
-Sprained ankle
-Broken arm
-Internal injuries
-Broken ribs
Unknown number
missing
Criminal negligence
likely proved against
someone
Building department
center of attack
Building Department
thought guilty
Damages
-Faculty room
-2 classrooms
Law only required 1
fire escape
Mayor started fund
for relief of
sufferers
2,000 employed at
building
600 workers
-500 girls
Most barely spoke
English
-Italian
-Russian
-Hungarian
-German
200 on 8th floor
Men only on 10th
floor
Workers only on top
3 floors
100 women & girls
on 4th floor
200-300 in building
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Fire started 4:40 PM Rushing
8th floor
Probably northwest
corner
Probably from
cigarette or match
Heap of rubbish
Fire started about 5
PM
Spread to Law
School
1 fire escape in back of building Fire
4 stairways
Top 3 floors
4 elevators
-2 freight elevators not in use
Building fireproof
Had 4 recent fires
1 interior fire escape
-Never used
-Loose on upper floors
No outside escapes
Escape blocked
-Stairs cut off by flame
-1 elevator out of service
Crowded
-Aisles cluttered with trimmings
on 8th & 9th floors
-Machines too close together
Inadequate fire response
-Ladders 2 stories short
-Life nets useless
-Horse blanket ripped
-Tarpaulin tore from grasp
Child labor
-13 year-old girl
Building 50 years old
Floor saturated with oil
2 fire escapes
-Blocked by fire
-Flimsy
-Iron ladder stuck
Stairways blocked by smoke &
fire
Inadequate safety response
-Life nets unable to withstand
strain
-Ripped
-Not enough nets
Spiked iron gate injured/killed
many jumpers
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
63
1912,
April 27
1912,
June 4
1912,
April 26
1912,
June 3
New York
New York City
12 White Street
New York
New York City
21 Bowery
New York
New York City
34 Bond Street
New York City
Deny Locked
Washington Place Doors, but Girls
and Greene Street Insist
1911,
December 19
1911,
May 18
New York
1911,
March 31
1911,
May 17
New York
1911,
March 30
Blazing Loft Rocks
under Fire Streams
Many Leap, One
Dies, at Fire
Small Fire Panic
City will Bury the
Unidentified
Supt. Miller Home;
Won't Talk of Fire
New York
Blame Shifted on
New York City
All Sides for Fire
Horror
University Place
and Greene Street
1911,
March 28
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6-story brick loft
Gitenstein, shirt factory
-2nd to 6th floors
5-story brick building
Abe Jablowsky, Shirtwaist
maker
-2nd floor
Harris Lapizes and Steler &
Co., Trouser manufacturers
-3rd & 4th floors
Birnbaum Factory
4-story
Millinery goods manufacturing
-3rd & 4th floors
Owned by E. Chesbrough
estate
10-story loft building
Triangle Waist Company
Owners Harris & Blanck
Asch building
Loft building converted to
factory
Asch building
Owner Blanck
10-story loft building
Asch building
Owners Harris & Blanck
Fire
Fire
Fire started evening
8th floor
Lit match or cigarette
Waste near oil cans
or clippings under
cutting table
Upper 3 stories
Owners escaped
Escapes inadequate
-1 entrance/exit
Lack of fire escapes
-2
-Rusted ladder made useless
Trapped
Escape blocked by smoke
-Fire escape
Lack of fire escapes
-1
Trapped
Escape blocked by flames
-Stairs
Doors open inward
-Law violation
Fire started early AM
Smoldered in clothes
on 3rd floor until
draft
Fire started NOON
3rd floor
Gas engine
Explosion
Fire started AM
Ground floor
Bathroom
Cigarette in trash
Door locked
Fire
-Washington Place side
-8th & 9th floor doors had to be
broken in
Smoking in building
-Boss denied smoking
Narrow stairs
-Blocked to firemen coming up
by girls escaping
Fire hazard
-Storage in rattan baskets
9th floor elevator doorway 20"
wide 8th floor hose broke
Workers unaccustomed to
Washington Place doors as they
were always closed
-2/3 of workers had no
knowledge of doors
Doors locked
-No axes, firemen retreated
No fire escape ladder from 2nd
floor to bottom of air shaft
Water hose on 8th floor rotted
-Tap rusted
Clippings on 8th floor
No advice in mother languages
on location of exits or getting to
roof
Inadequate fire escape
Never fire drills
Building complies with law
Inspectors incompetent
Smoking not allowed
-Constantly indulged in
Exits blocked
-Likely locked
-Firemen needed axes to get
through
-Staircases blocked by fire
Supposed escape times by exit
-Fire escape 3 hours
-Elevators 20 minutes
-Staircases 30 minutes
Elevators doors enclosed
Chemicals
-Cleansing compound for
removing spots
-Lubricating oil
Cloakroom entrance 21" wide
Jumping (25)
Panic
Panic
Rushing
Shoving
Jumping attempts
Crowding
Panic
Attempts to jump
Help to rescue
-Carry fainted girl
-NYU students
1 Injury
-Small cuts from
falling glass
1 Death
-Man jumped from 4th
or 5th floor
-Missed net & landed
headfirst on cement
Several injuries
-Landing on pavement
-Man's thumb bit
2 Injuries
-Hands burned
-Face scratched
148 deaths
144 deaths
-14 unidentified
143 deaths
-16 unidentified
8 injuries
-Still in hospital
Help to rescue
142 deaths
-Harris found
-Most from 9th floor
stepladder to escape -29 unidentified
to adjoining building
-75 rescued
-Elevator man
-100 rescued
Damages:
Stock $60,000
Surrounding building:
Water damage $1000s
Damages:
$500
Owners on trial for
manslaughter in 1st
degree
Failure of department to
investigate buildings to
blame
Building Department
insisted on building
2 fire escapes after
Shirtwaist fire
Suggestion that
automatic sprinklers
be installed
Wicker baskets to be
replaced by woven
wire baskets
Monthly fire drills to
be enforced
Installation of
sprinkler systems to
be made compulsory
Suggested fireproof
covers for
combustible
contents
Responsibility charged to Relief funds started
Building Department
Laws to not lock
Company's owner & 13 doors
others under
investigation
225 on 8th floor
350 on 9th floor
60 on 10th floor
More than 100 men
and women
40 Girls
Girls spoke mostly
Italian & Yiddish
Triangle
Shirtwaist factory
fire
64
Welcome Labor
Control
New York
New York City
36 Injured, 15
Missing
Fire Escape Poor,
says Ahearn's Aid
1917,
August 26
New York
Binghamton
1913,
July 25
Rigorous Inquiries
in Binghamton Fire
New York
Supersafe Office,
Long Island City only 16 feet up,
Steinway section Death Trap for 7
Blackwell Street &
East River
New York
Binghamton
7 Wall Street
1913,
July 24
Lays Blame to
Murphy
1916,
October 18
New York
Binghamton
1913,
July 24
Girls had Small
Chance
1916,
October 17
New York
Binghamton
1913,
July 23
50 Girls Die in a 20Minute Factory
Blaze
New York
Williamsburg
281 & 283 North
Sixth Street
New York
Binghamton
7 Wall Street
1913,
July 23
1915,
1915,
November 6 November 7
1913,
July 22
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Military uniform
manufacturing
2-story building
Oakes Manufacturing
Company's dye plant
Offices & laboratory on 2nd
floor
Material storage on 1st floor
5-story building
Essex Shirt Company factory
-3rd floor
Tailoring Company
-4th floor
Barasch Cloak Company
-5th floor
Binghamton Clothing
Company
Binghamton Clothing
Company
Binghamton Factory
Binghamton Clothing
Company
4-story brick building
Binghamton Clothing
Company
Freeman Overall Company
Child labor
-Little children
Home work
-Dirt
-Disease
Building 1 month old
-Made of corrugated Iron
Lack of fire escapes
-2 outside
-1 outside steel staircase
Spread to surrounding buildings
-Storage sheds
-Veneer plant
Inadequate fire safety
-Absence of fireproofing
-Lack of fire escapes
-1 escape front of building
blocked by flames
-None in rear
-Main stairway passed unused
elevator shaft
Life nets inadequate
Windows jammed
-Broken by escapees
Child labor
-15 year-old
Escapes inadequate
Faulty fire escape
Fire escapes not used in drills
Escapes Inadequate
Escape blocked
Staircases not fireproof
Escapes inadequate
One staircase from 4th floor
Waste on floor:
-Oil
-Rags
-Shreds
Lack of fire escapes
Escapes inadequate
Not big enough
Escape blocked by fire
Roof fell in
No Extinguishers
Tools made useless:
-Nets
-Ladders
-Hoses
Days' scraps and dust built up on
floor
Panic
Loss sense of
direction
Help to rescue
Thought False
Alarm
Jumping
Fear
Panic
Confusion
Thought False Alarm
Jumping
Pushing, crowding,
rushing
Department heads
stayed (died) to help
rescue workers
Owner survived
Fire started after
Help to fight fire
NOON
1st floor
Electricians knocked
over ladder
Broke jar of
chemicals
-Bisulphite of soda
Fire started 1:50 PM Jumping
Elevator shaft
Fear
Roof fell in
Crowding
Panic
Help to rescue
-Men put ladder to
window
Fire
Cigarette thrown
from 2nd floor
through opening by
stairs
Ignite plush pile
Fire
Fire
Fire
Fire started 1:30 PM
1st floor
Under staircase
Cigarette
Explosion
Lasted 20 minutes
7 deaths
-6 women
-1 man
12 deaths
-3 men
-6 women
36 injuries
-Majority women
-Many from jumping
11-15 missing
40 Deaths (reduced
number)
50-55 Deaths
50 Deaths
-And counting
Injuries
-Broken back
-Compound fracture
of leg
50 Deaths
-And counting
50 Injuries
-Burns
Bureau ordered 676
factories to install
fire drills
Hired inspector to
direct fire drills
Damages $190,000
-Building $25,000
-Sheds $5,000
-Finished dye products
$100,000
-Veneer plant $15,000
-Wood at veneer plant
$45,000
Arrest of building owner
& wife
-Held without bail
-Charges criminal
negligence
Committee to
inspect factories of
manufacturers
bidding for contracts
Deaths blamed on
Employees
workers slow reaction to evacuated in 20
seconds during
alarm
previous fire drill
Blame Tammany leader,
Charles F. Murphy
Lack of proper factory
supervision by Labor
Department
Several hundred
employees and
proprietors of factories
arrested, fined, and
sometimes jailed to
enforce no smoking law
Damages:
Building $100,000
Surrounding buildings:
-Post office $30,000
-MacKallor Drug
Company $50,000
-O'Neil establishment
$40,000
Workers blamed for
slow reaction
200 workers, most
above 2nd floor
111
125 mostly women
and girls
80% American
20% foreign
-Italian
-Polish
-Jewish
Triangle
Shirtwaist factory
fire
New York
Triangle
Shirtwaist Factory
Fire
New York
Triangle
Shirtwaist Factory
Fire
65
New York
East Harlem
New York
New York City
China
Hankow
1924,
January 11
1925,
October 25
1927,
April 24
-
-
-
-
Author
200 garment shops
Tenements
Tenements
5-story building
Louis Weinstein
Clothing manufacturer
Treinis Brothers' athletic
uniform factory
-3rd floor
Type of Factory/ Building
19th Victim Dead in
Lynn Explosion
-
Chinese owned
Poor lighting
Poor ventilation
Weaving factory
Building near residence
-12 feet away
Japanese owned
Child labor
Weaving factory
Child labor
-Loosening cotton
-Sorting cotton
-Sitting on floor
-No break for food
Poor ventilation
-Dust
Bad posture
Poor lighting
Child labor
-Children embroider silk
stockings
Children make babies' caps &
boots
Home work
-Disease
-Insanitary conditions
Child labor
-13 year-old beading dresses
-10 year-old sewing rompers
Child labor
-Tiny children too young to
work
-Babies under machines
Poor lighting
Poor ventilation
-Moisture
Bad odor
Preble Box Toe Company
-Imitation leather
Start of event
-
Explosion
Chemicals
-Volatile &
explosive:
-Guncotton
-Acetic ether
-Pyroxylin
-Naphtha
-Alcohol
Fire started day later
Escapes inadequate
Fire started before
-Weak & rickety
6:30 PM
-2 staircases
-1 wooden staircase to 4th & 5th
floors
-1 exit in front
Trapped
Law violation
Chemicals (shellac) on lower
floors
2 elevators
-1 abandoned, not always closed
off
-1 only reached 3rd floor
Fire tower unreached
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Silk mill
Picture the Woes of Ross, Donald Press packing plant
Labor in China
Fashion Show in
Interest of Health
3-Year-Old Toilers
found in Tenements
Child Workers
Increasing; Million
are now Employed
New Jersey
1923,
September 2
Newspaper Article
New York
Swift Factory Fire
Brooklyn
Kills 1; Others
126-142 Thirteenth Dying
Street
Location of Event
1922,
October 31
Date of
Publication
1928,
1928,
Massachusetts
November 8 November 10 Lynn
1922,
October 30
Date of Event
19 deaths
4 injuries
-Critical condition
2 missing
Health defects
Children have to wear
glasses
Sometimes beaten &
forced to work
Fall asleep at school
Tuberculosis in 4
children
Swallowed needle
-Throat glands
swollen and
granulated
Jumping
1-3 Deaths
Crossing entire floors 8 injuries
Fire department to
inspect monthly
buildings with
flammable or
explosive chemicals
Rooms light
Ceilings high
Women & children
Women, children, &
babies
Women, children, &
men
Children
Children
Women, girls, men
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
66
'Industrial South'
Location of Event
Author
Lieberman,
Henry R.
1952,
May 2
New York
New York City
Lower East Side
45 East Broadway
Lone Rescuer
Averts Fire Panic,
Saves 25 in Blazing
Loft; 29 Hurt
-
Newspaper Article
Manchurian Mill
Keeps Child Labor
Author
-
-
Author
1952,
May 1
Location of Event
China
Manchuria
Chinhsien
Newspaper Article
Silk Sweatshops
held code menace
Two States Lax as
to Child Labor
Newspaper Article
-
Date of
Publication
1945,
December 31
Location of Event
March New Jersey
Patterson
Date of
Publication
1934,
28
1933,
May 22
Date of
Publication
1951,
1951,
New York
Fire Peril Closes 6Story Building
September 11 September 12 New York City
1938 Park Avenue
Date of Event
Date of Event
Date of Event
-
6-story brick building
Garment loft
6-story brick building
Textile manufacturers
Alert textile Processing
Corporation
Escape blocked
-4th & 5th floors
Fire hazard
-Gasoline leaks through cellar
walls
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Child labor
-13 year-old
-12 hours a day
-Received living quarters
-Small ration of millet
-Pay of 20 yuan
Cotton mill
Previously Japanese owned
Type of Factory/ Building
Child Labor
-Did not abolish system
-11-15 years-old
-8 hours a day
-Living quarters
-Millet
-No pay
Drafty building
Foreman shoed children to work
by tapping rolled newspaper
against their bottoms
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Child labor
-No limit in hours
-No specified wages
Home work
Child labor
-Long hours
-Days & nights
No laws
Poorly enforced laws
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Door locked
Alone in building
Poor lighting
-90% of buildings
Poor lighting
Cotton mill
50,000 spindles
Cotton padded uniforms &
caps for soldiers of Chinese
forces
Chinese owned
Type of Factory/ Building
Family shops
Produces 25% of Paterson's
silk products
Textile mills
Type of Factory/ Building
3-story factory
Abercrombie & Fitch
-Sporting goods firm
Lucy Abercrombie
is Killed by Blast
-
1929,
1929,
New York
November 26 November 28 Ossining
Eye Strain Laid to
Shop Lighting
6,000 garment workshops
1928,
New York
November 27 New York City
1928
1913
Fire started 9:40 AM
4th floor
Started in presser
Lasted 30 minutes
Start of event
Start of event
Start of event
1 death
-Lucy Abercrombie
1 injury
-Critical condition
-Severe burns
-Arms & chest
Abercrombie & Fitch
Woman & man
3,000 adults
200 children
Panic
Rushing
Elevator operator
helped rescue (15)
Truck driver saw
women in window
-Thought suicide
attempts
-Helped rescue by
roof (25-30)
29 injuries
-3 Critical condition
Damages:
$150,000
90
Mostly young
woman
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Factory shut down
Building vacated
50 gallons of
explosive liquid
removed
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Fear
Children suffering
Hope to reduce child
5,000 workers
from Trachoma
hours to 6
Stunted in growth
Give working
children 2 hours of
Could not operate
school daily
without children
Silk and Rayon
Workers Guild to fix
prices and enforce
code provisions
Children
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Explosion 4:00 PM Help to rescue Lucy
3rd floor
by trying to put out
Wiring
fire
Chemicals
-Waterproofing
formula:
-Powdered paraffine
-Gasoline
Fire
-Lucy's clothes
aflame
Similar prevalence out
of 10,000 garment
workers
Defective vision in
75% of garment
workers (2,096)
67
1956,
April 11
New York
Bronx
Hunts Point
Date of Event
1963,
October 21
Date of Event
South Korea
Seoul
Peace Market
garment district
1974,
August 17
West Virginia
Nitro
1974,
North Carolina
September 16
China
Wusih
1974,
April 5
Location of Event
New York
New York City
Lower East Side
1964,
March 13
Date of
Publication
New Jersey
Paterson
Japan
Nishiwaki
Location of Event
1963,
October 22
1962,
January 28
Date of
Publication
1959,
1959,
New Jersey
September 15 September 16 Hammonton
1956,
April 10
Type of Factory/ Building
1-story factory
Modern Clothing Company
1-story factory
Textile Fabrics Corporation
-Imitation leather
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Burns, John
Author
Ranzal,
Edward
AP
Rayon plant
Chemicals
Carbon disulphide
-Makes people act insane
Poor ventilation
-Cotton dust
Pay for food & living in factory
dormitory
-Meals rice, vegetables & soup
-Meat once a month
Restrictions
-Can leave twice a week and
Sundays
Strikes banned
Lingerie factory
What Work can do Scott, Rachel Textile mills
to You
Over 100 degrees
1 fan
Poor ventilation
Crowded
Heat
Noise
No vacations
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Law violation
Started in November 1960
Child labor
-14 cases
-10 year-old girl
-Others up to 15 years-old
Falsified records
Fire spread
-Entire factory
-Surrounding residences
Loft building
Shop 149
Sew children's dresses
Silk mill
Type of Factory/ Building
K. Saltzman & Son, Inc.
Men's evening wear
accessories manufacturing
Bowties & cummerbunds
3-story factory
Franklin Finishing Company
-Textile dyeing
Start of event
2 Explosions
started 12:30 PM
Finishing plant
Employee to relight
gas-fed unit
Machine blew up
Fire
Lasted 30 minutes
Start of event
9-ft excavation beside rear wall Factory wall buckled
-For new cutting room
Roof collapsed
Rear wall cinder blocks cracked
Law violations (28)
-Dangling light string in
equipment
-Light bulbs without vapor-proof
casing
-Barred windows
-Piles near windows
-Piles near drier
-Locked exits
Rosenthal, A. 500 textile plants
Smaller plants
-Produces 350,000,000 sq yds -Poor lighting
M.
of textiles a year
-No safety guards on machinery
Author
-
-
South Korea Keeps Butterfield,
Labor Costs Down Fox
Through
Exploitation of
Work Force
Ancient Chinese
Silk Industry
Comes out of
Cocoon
Newspaper Article
Child-Labor Case
Brings Stiff Fines
26 Injured in
Paterson Blast;
Worker is Missing
in Rubble
Tax Plan Perils a
Japanese Town
Newspaper Article
40 Injured in Jersey
as Wall Collapses
Fire Head Scores
Hazards in Bronx
75
Mostly women
30
Company fined $10,000
Secretary-treasurer &
Vice president each fined
$5,000
2 years probation
$7,846 back wages
Defendants pleaded
guilty
Damages:
Factory $1,000,000
Over 6 houses
-1 destroyed
20 autos
14 Puerto Rican
children
94
Gasping
Several injuries:
Carbon disulphide
poisoning
Injuries
-Damaged lungs
2 underwear factory
managers arrested
1 textile mill manager
jailed for 1 week
Girls not to work
more than 8 hours a
day
6 days a week
Men in age 30s
20 teenage girls
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Effort to provide
-Ventilation
-Washing facilities
56 days paid
maternity leave
Free use of nursery
at mill
26 injuries
-1 critical condition
-7 hospitalized
-2 firemen
1 missing
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
40 injuries
-1 woman hospitalized
Building owners fined
$25
Building owners received
two summonses for not
remedying violations
found previously
Factory shut down
68
1977,
August 2
'Sweatshops' Cited
1979, October New York City
20
Chinatown
&
South Bronx
-
85 'Sweatshops'
Stetson,
Accused by U.S. on Damon
Work Rules
1979, October Manhattan
19
Chinatown
-
Explosions and Fire
Sweep a Factory in
Brooklyn, Killing
One and Injuring 2
119 garment factories
85 garment factories
6-story building
Deitsch Textile Company
Zalman Deitsch, company
owner
1-story building
New York
Manhattan
Chinatown
43d Street
1979, October New York
11
Brooklyn
510 Waverly
Avenue
6-story building
Garment manufacturing
Dress factory
Judy Beth shop
Dress operator
Dye plant
Fabricolor Manufacturing
Company
C.E.L. Fashions
Palacios Sportswear
A & A Manufacturing
Company
New York
Manhattan
Chinatown
Canal Street
Sweatshops Thrive Stetson,
Despite Union and Damon
Federal Efforts
1979,
New York
September 18 South Bronx
Jerome Avenue
-
Vat in Blast came
Hanley,
from Arms Factory Robert
Illegal Sewing
Janson,
Homework is found Donald
on Rise in State
Garment Union
Calls Some Bronx
Factories
Sweatshop
Operations
New Jersey
Paterson
New Jersey
Trenton
1979, August 1 New York
South Bronx
821 East 160th
Street
1977,
August 4
1976,
August 25
400 building code violations
-Faulty elevators
830 fire code violations
Evidence of Chinese worker
exploitation
Falsifying records
-No record of hours worked
-Inaccurate production records
-Lack of info for employee
records
-Addresses, ages, Social Security
numbers
-Undated time cards
-Time card discrepancies
-Payroll discrepancies
Child labor
Trapped
Barred windows
Child labor
Bundles stacked
Child labor
Crowded
Doubled as kitchen
Dust
-Some workers wear masks
1 fan
Poor ventilation
-Hot
-Dusty
Grimy storefront
Crowded
-Cluttered aisles
Bundles stacked
-Polyester fabric
-Floor
-Corners
-Tables
-Exits blocked
-Aisles blocked
Home work
Locked gate
Barred windows
1 fan
Poor ventilation
Leaky roof
Escapes inadequate
-Sealed fire exit
No sprinkler system
Explosive residue in vat
10 workers welding near vat
Home work
Stacks of material
Falsifying records
-Failure to keep wage & hour
records
Child labor
Fire started 3:30 PM
1st floor storage
room Fabric bales
Set off explosions (34)
Possible chemicals
-Magnesium
sometimes used in
processing fabric
Explosion started
1:20 PM
Residue detonated
Possibly seeped
through pinhole into
steam-heating coil
Sharp pieces of steel
shot into welders
1 death
2 injuries
-1 critical condition
Smoke inhalation
Lacerations
4 injuries of fireman
-Smoke inhalation
-Lacerations
3 deaths
-1 died at scene
-1 died after surgery
-1 died of internal
injuries
12 injuries
-1 critical condition
with internal injuries
88 summonses
construction defects
36 summonses faulty
elevators
Legal action justified
against 85 companies
3 civil contempt charges
Building destroyed
Danger of collapsing
200 windows shattered in
dozens of silk mills
Young-Posen
responsible for cleaning
vats before resale
Young-Posen to warn
buyers vats once
contained explosives
Fined up to $500 per
house and 2 years in jail
Palacios & A & A
charged with child labor
Labor Department can
seize goods
137 building code
violations corrected
All fire code
violations corrected
Home work legal if
licenses for
manufacturers &
home workers
Chinese workers
Mostly non-English
speaking
9 women
69
Location of Event
New York
Chinatown
Elizabeth Street
1990,
May 30
1992,
June 21
China
Hong Kong
Bangladesh
New York
Manhattan
West 37th Street
1990,
Texas
November 28 El Paso
New York
Manhattan
West 38th Street
Location of Event
1990,
February 5
Date of
Publication
1992,
1992,
December 22 December 24
1992,
June 15
Date of Event
South Korea
Anyang
1988,
March 31
1988,
April 6
New York
Queens
Astoria
27th Street
1987,
New York
November 16 Queens
Corona
103d Street
Date of
Publication
1987,
November 13
Date of Event
Freitag,
Michael
Author
Deimy's Designs
-1st floor & basement
Small sewing factory
-Dress assembly
Type of Factory/ Building
Wal-Mart Disputes
Report on Labor
More Children are
Employed, Often
Perilously
Pay Abuses in
Border Garment
Shops
Immigrants Strain
Chinatown's
resources
Thousands of
Children doing
Adults' Works
Newspaper Article
Belt factory
Type of Factory/ Building
Hayes,
Thomas C.
Falsified records
-No time cards
-Time clock stopped
Poor ventilation
-Women wear improvised fabric
masks
Exits blocked
-Barred windows
-Fire door blocked by boxes &
metal bar
Poor lighting
-Harsh fluorescent
Bad odor
-Caustic chemicals
Crowded
Child labor
-11 year-old girl
Potential hazards
-Hydraulic hole punches
-Steam presses
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Women sleeping in factory
-Doubles as dormitory
-Slept 3 to a room
-Windowless
Exits locked
-Stairways
-Stacked with sweaters
No legal permit to operate
Close to neighboring buildings
Fire hazards
-Inadequate ceiling
-Blocked exit in basement
-Exposed wires touching fabric
Poor ventilation
Home work
Falsified records
-Inaccurate punch clock
Grimy windows
Rusted gate at storefront
Cluttered aisles
Fire hazard
Inadequate exits
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Sino Overseas
Garment factory
Falsifying records
-Misidentifying labels as Made in
Malaysia or other countries
Forced labor
Child labor
-Young as 11
Investigation
-NBC report
Wires dangle from ceiling
Child labor
-Suspiciously young workers
Diana's Fashions workshop
Back wages
El Paso International Apparel -Factory closed & doors locked
-Machinery removed
-Reopened down street to avoid
paying back wages
No health benefits
Kolata, Gina 7-story factory
J.J. Fashions
Belkin, Lisa
Hays,
Hong Fong Sportswear
Constance L. company
-4th floor
Freitag,
Michael
Author
In Korean Factory, Chira, Susan Green Hill Textile Company
a Dream is reduced
Small factory
to Ashes
New York is
Fighting Spread of
Sweatshops
Newspaper Article
Start of event
Fire started late
March
Start of event
Treated 'well'
-Owner brought
meals and cake
when girls worked
late
28 young women
1 Spanish girl forgot
her birthday, had no
identification
25 deaths (2 years
prior)
-From fire
-Several children
Wal-Mart stock fell
$2.375
Fines if problems not
corrected
$40,000 paid in back
wages
Some machinery
impounded and
auctioned for $1,500
Citation to owner for no
employee records
Group La Mujer
Obrera (The
working woman)
tracking factories &
owners for back
wages since May
Wal-Mart
50 women
Couple men
Mostly poor Hispanic
immigrant women
Majority illegal
50 Chinese women
Couple men
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Lie about classes
Missing school
Factory owner cited for Apparel Industry
Children
being canceled
violating child labor laws Task Force (formed
Falling asleep at
Can be fined up to $500 1987) made child
school
labor priority
if guilty
22 deaths
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Dozens of Spanish
Triangle
women
Shirtwaist Factory
Fire
70
New York
Brooklyn
Williamsburg
1995,
February 6
1995,
March 12
California
San Francisco
1994,
March 6
Sewing shop
Garment factory
Chai Feng sewing factory
(Previously Superior
Fashions)
P.S. Pleating
Plaid skirts
New York
Manhattan
325 West 38th
Street
Week in Sweatshop Lii, Jane H.
Reveals Grim
Conspiracy of the
Poor
Industrial building
3 garment shops
New York
Queens
Long Island City
New York
Brooklyn
Chinatown
Sunset Park
2-story cinder-block building
Garment shop
Finder, Alan Garment factory
Cotton sweaters
Echaveste,
Maria, &
Nussbaum,
Karen
Clothing factory
Mr. Tan
New York
Brooklyn
Sunset Park
Despite Tough
Laws, Sweatshops
Flourish
96₵ an Hour: The
Sweatshop is
Reborn
-
Saipan
1993,
July 18
The Harsh Lessons
of Free Enterprise
Northern Marianas Saipan Sweatshops Shenon,
are no American
Saipan
Philip
Dream
1993,
July 18
Previous owner owed $80,000 in
back wages
Poor lighting
-Rags covering windows
-Fluorescent lights hanging from
chains
Bundles stacked
-Some taller than worker
-Haphazard mounds
Workers hunched and squinting
Heater broken
-Numbing cold
Children playing
-Among lint
-Some helped mothers work
Child labor
-11 year-old working in garment
shops since age 9
-Naps on piled clothes
-Works through no dinner
Incomplete employee records
Poor ventilation
-Dusty warehouse
-Lint filled
-Steam pressers
-Hazy with lint
-Moisture
1 position 13 hours
Falsifying records
-18 time cards
-37 workers
-Payroll records
Grimy
Exits locked
-Fire exits sealed by metal gates
with padlocks
No windows
Poor ventilation
Heat
Small
Dingy
Children playing
Exits locked
-Fire exits sealed by metal gates
with padlocks
Discrimination
-96 cents an hour because "old
and slow"
6 workers living in one room
190 sq ft
Toilet primitive
Crowded barracks
-8 to a room
-Beds separated by sheets
-Room doubles as kitchen
-Sometimes plywood shacks
-Tin roof
-Often no regular water or
electricity
-Sometimes surrounded by
barbed wire or guards
Hallway strewn with litter
Bad odor
-Mildew hallway
Threats if complain
-Take away money
-Send back to China
Debt bondage
Virtual captivity
Toilets primitive
Sore throat
Dry cough
Stiff back
-"Sewer's back"
Aching shoulders
Charges against factory
for improper payroll
records
-Can be fined up to
$1,500 for first violation
and $3,000 for
subsequent violations
Federal officials can
seize garments made in
violation of wage or
safety laws
Labor Department led to
35 workplaces paying
$500,000 in back wages
to 1,300 garment workers
$1.3 million factory
repairs
$76,000 penalties
Treated 'well'
Rhubarb Fashions
-Owner serves tea
Christine David
-Drives workers
home at night
-Allows mothers to
leave during day to
pick up children
from school
Free English lessons
offered by union
3 workers centers
-English classes
-Help getting back
wages
Federal minimum
100 sq ft per person
30 workers
Almost all Fujianese
37 workers
20
$9 million in back wages Federal minimum
No comment:
Mostly Chinese
$1.3 million in repairs
100 sq ft per person -Arrow
to cook & sleep
-Gap
$76,000 in penalties
-Montgomery Ward
Insignificant amount of
production:
-Claiborne
-Eddie Bauer
Aggressive in ending labor
abuses:
-Levi Strauss & Co.
Triangle
Shirtwaist Factory
Fire
71
1995,
August 2
California
El Monte
12 miles east of
downtown LA
California
El Monte
California
El Monte
California
1995,
August 4
1995,
August 5
1995,
August 15
Honduras
1995,
August 4
1995,
July 21
Noble,
Kenneth B.
Garment factory
Herbert, Bob Orion Apparel
Shirt producer
U.S. Warns Big
Retailers about
Sweatshop Goods
Los Angeles
Sweatshops are
Thriving, Experts
Say
Noble,
Kenneth B.
Noble,
Kenneth B.
F40 California Inc.
Tomato Inc.
L.F. Sportswear
Ms Tops of California
Balmara Inc.
New Boys Inc.
Point Zero
Excuses Sportswear
Paragraff Clothing Company
Bermo Enterprises
A & M Casuals
Us Boys
BUM International
Diane Samandi
Makeshift garment factory
Buying Clothes
Herbert, Bob Garment sweatshop complex
Without Exploiting
Children
Thai Workers are
Set Free in
California
Children of the
Dark Ages
Forced labor
-Locked up & guarded each
night
-Threatened with rape or
violence if try to escape
Barbed wire
Spiked fences
Doors locked from outside
Violations
-Health
-Safety laws
Exits locked
-From outside
-Authorities had to ax down each
door
Child labor
-Young as 13
Forced labor
Barbed wire
Complex surrounded
-Barbed wire
-Spiked fences
Forced labor
-Security guards posing as men
seated under umbrella wouldn't
allow anyone to approach or
escape
-Workers lived and worked in
barracks some for years
Doors locked
-Locked up and guarded each
night
-Threatened with harm or death
if try to escape
-"go to their hometowns in
Thailand to burn their houses
down"
-Routinely abused
-Children held hostage
Child labor
6 ft high brick wall enclosure
Barbed wire
Spiked fences
Crowded
Barred windows
-Thick iron bars
-Plywood sheets nailed from
inside on 2nd floor
Child labor
Talking forbidden
Bathroom restrictions
2 bathroom breaks a day
Not allowed to attend school in
evening - would have to leave
plant too early
2 injuries
-Severely beaten and
sent back to Thailand
when tried to escape
Subpoenaed records
from 16 Southern
California garment
makers believed to have
connections with El
Monte operation
8 men arrested of El
Monte ring
-Denied bail
-Federal slavery charges
possible
-6 men charged with
harboring illegal
immigrants
-2 men charged with
bringing illegal
immigrants into country
8 people accused of
abusing workers they
lured from Thailand
6 months in prison for
each incident
Easily up to 30 years
Iowa introduced bill
to block importation
of goods produced
by children under 15
70 workers from
Thailand
70 Thai immigrants
70 Thai workers
Sears
72 illegal immigrants
Macy's
from Thailand
Neiman Marcus
Foley Petites
Meier & Frank
Robinsons-May
Hecht's
Filene's
Kaufmann's
Dayton HudsonCorporation
Mervyn's
Broadway Stores Inc.
Rich's
Specialty Retailers Inc.
Montgomery Ward &
Company
-Sued LA garment
manufacturer
-Removed all merchandise
supplied by vendor
Fred Meyer
Venture Stores Inc.
Lerner
Macy's
Hecht's
Filene's
Fruit of the Loom
-Gitano
72
Massachusetts
Methuen
Indonesia
Serang
New York
New York City
West 38th Street
1995,
December 16
1996,
March 16
1996,
May 31
El Salvador
San Salvador
San Marcos Free
Trade Zone
1995,
October 9
Massachusetts
Methuen
California
Los Angeles
1996,
May 4
1995,
1995,
December 11 December 13
California
Los Angeles
1996,
April 30
Garment factory
Live with Kathie
Lee and Apparel
Workers
An Indonesian
Asset is also a
Liability
Dilapidated building
barbed wire
spiked fences
Forced labor
Threats of death if try to escape
Factory since 1989
Barbed wire
Razor wire
Spiked fence
Workers passports had been
taken
Supplied with phony passports
Threatened to beat workers if try
to escape
Censored workers mail
Monitored workers phone calls
Razor wire
Spiked fences
Forced labor
-Held against will
-Made to work day & night
Debt bondage
-Imprisonment continued after
debt repaid
-Provided workers fake
passports
Confined to windowless
warehouse
Virtual slavery
Factory surrounded
-Fence
-Razor wire
Debt bondage
-Smuggled workers
-Took passports
-Workers to repay travel costs
Corruption
-Possible police office as factory
guard
-
Malden Mills textile complex
Flocking
Greenhouse,
Steven
Gargan,
Edward A.
Nike sport shoe factory
Abuse
-Screaming
-Hitting
-Throwing clothes at workers
Bathroom restrictions
-Twice a day
Managers abusive
-sexually harass
-Grab workers legs and buttocks
Child labor
-1 girl started at age 13
-60 hours a week
Detained after firing
-Interrogated for 7 days
Subcontracting
Child labor
-13 & 14 year-old girls
Explosion
Near boiler room
Fire
Fire spread to 3 other buildings Explosion
Explosion knocked out sprinkler Near boiler room
Fire
system
Herbert, Bob Mandarin Company
Surrounded
Maquiladora factory complex -Cinder-block walls
-Barbed wire
Patrolled by armed guards
Heat
Poor nourishment
Adelson,
Andrea
AP
Garment factory
Garment factory
Set of apartments
Plume of Hope
Herszenhorn, Malden Mills flocking line
Rises from Factory David M.
Century old building
Ashes
Massachusetts
Dream Darkened as
Mill's Ruins
Smolder
Not a Living Wage
Look Who's
Minding the Shop
Six-Year Terms for
Mistreating
Factory's Crew
7 Thais Enter Guilty
Pleas for Detention
in Sweatshop
California
Suburban El
Monte
1996,
February 11
Reuters
Agency Missteps
Sterngold,
put Illegal Aliens at James
Mercy of
Sweatshops
1995,
California
September 21 El Monte
25 injuries
-Dozen hospitalized
1,400 workers without
jobs
25 injuries
1,400 workers without
jobs
Workers faint
Children thin & weak
Many workers suffer
serious medical
problems from years
of imprisonment
Sued to get job back
Investigations of
factories producing
Kathie Lee clothes
2 owners sentenced to 6 Labor Department
1992 provision to
years in prison
1938 Fair Labor
Standards Act to
seize goods
produced by
exploited labor
2 sentenced to 6 years in
prison
Restitution
-$4.5 million to 81
workers
-Paid to victims in 5
years
-$1 million seized from
profits
2 accused fled likely in
Thailand
7 Thai citizens accused
of slavery signed
agreements for prison
terms 2-7 years
-2 guards
-1 lieutenant in operation
-2 others declared
fugitives
Thai shop owners
arrested
2,500 employees
400-500 people on
the job
Nike
>5,000 Nike workers
-Not aware of worker held in Indonesia
for a week
Companies like Guess,
Chorus Line and 43 others
signed voluntary
agreement with Labor
Department to help with
back pay owed to workers
Raised $7.3 million since
1993
72 Thai immigrants
72 Illegal Thai
immigrant
73
1997
Honduras
1996,
June 27
New York
Brooklyn
Sunset Park
900 60th Street
Vietnam
California
Los Angeles
1996,
September 4
1997,
June 27
1997,
July 18
Blouse manufacturing
Seo Fashions
Clothing factory
Herbert, Bob Nike factories
Fried, Joseph Garment factory
Suits and jackets
P.
Gonzalez,
David
Rohter, Larry Global Fashion plant
Galaxy Industrial Park
-South Korean run
Strom,
Stephanie
Home work
Child labor
Chemicals
-Workers exposed to carcinogens
177 times local legal standards
-Toluene
-Half of workers who dealt with
hazardous chemicals did not
wear protective masks or gloves
Employee carelessness
Forced labor
Subcontracting
Poor ventilation
-Foul air
-Excessive heat
-Dust exceeding standard x11
Noise
Managers abusive
-Yell
-Harass
Back wages $80,000
Kelly Sportswear
Home work
-5 homes
-Sewing machines
-Bags of garments
Repeated violations
Falsifying records
-Punch cards
-160 employees
-113 clocked in
Forced overtime
Brutal discipline
Corporal punishment
Abuse
-Forced to run around factory in
sun
Locked doors
Obstructed aisles
Sprinkler violations
Subcontracting
No windows
Stacks of shirts
Noise
Supervisors abusive
-Scream at workers
-Hit workers
-Sexually harass
Forced overtime
No pay
Back wages
Subcontracting
Child labor
-13 & 14 year-olds
-20 hour days
Child labor
-15 year-old worker
Forced to sleep in factory
Fear
-Workers scared to tell truth to
monitors
Jeans Plus
Sweatshop Raids
Greenhouse, Pride Jeans
Price Jeans
Cast Doubt on an
Steven
Price Fashions
Effort by Garment
Makers to Police the
Factories
Mr. Young gets it
Wrong
'Sweatshop' Again
Tied to Celebrity
In Quiet Bank,
Dreams Grow for
Immigrant
Hondurans in
'Sweatshops' See
Opportunity
A Sweetheart
becomes Suspect
A Crusader makes Greenhouse, Global Fashions
Celebrities Tremble Steven
Sportswear factory
Vietnam
Nike Shoe Plant in Greenhouse, Nike plant
Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam is Called Steven
Unsafe for Workers
New York
Brooklyn
1996,
August 28
1997,
November 8
Honduras
San Pedro Sula
1996,
July 18
New York City
Garment district
Honduras
1996,
June 18
77% of workers suffer
from respiratory
problems
Toluene known to
cause damage to
-Liver
-Kidneys
-Central nervous
system
12 injuries
-Workers fainted
Injuries
-Burned by ironing
Sued Guess for $
millions in wage
violations
$87,750 in citations
1 factory official
convicted of physically
abusing workers
1 under indictment for
abusing workers
1 fled country during
sexual-abuse
investigation
Owners & managers
arrested
-Reckless endangerment Up to 7 years in prison
Labor Department to
hold hearings
Nike workers
-superior wages
-superior conditions
Nike sharply cut
overtime
Improved
ventilation -More
fans installed
Improved safety
Reduced toxic
chemicals
Industrial home
work banned in
1940s
-Too hard to
regulate
Ages 14-16 can
work up to 6 hours a
day in Honduras
Gifford efforts to
help monitor &
improve conditions
in apparel plants
worldwide
Some plants
subsidize lunch
Offer free medical
care
Air conditioned
Allow unions
Gifford's husband
gave $300 to each
worker for back
wages
Legal for 14-yearolds to work in
Honduras
Gifford lent name to
fight against
sweatshops
Gifford demanded
Wal-Mart let
independent
monitoring in
factories that made
her clothes
Guess
-Severed relationships
with 40 factories in
violation
Kmart (Kathy Ireland)
-Requires contractors
identify subcontractors
-Regular & surprise
inspections
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
J. Crew
Eddie Bauer
Warner's
Wal-Mart
Immigrants
Kathie Lee
74
Northern Mariana Saipan: Where
Oasis has many
Islands
Meanings
Saipan
Northern Marianas 4 Companies gain
Accord in Labor
Islands
Suit
New York
Manhattan
West 38th Street
1999,
February 20
1999,
August 10
1999,
July 1
Seamstresses
Protest Factory
Conditions
Northern Marianas Suit says 18
Companies
Conspired to
Violate Sweatshop
Workers' Civil
Rights
Thailand
Bangkok
Garment factory
AP
Dress production
Choe Ltd.
Couture Enterprises Ltd.
Eastpoint International
Greenhouse, Garment manufacturing
Steven
Faison, Seth
Greenhouse, Garment manufacturers
Steven
Asia's Crisis Upsets Kristof,
Rising Effort to
Nicholas D.
Confront Blight of
Sweatshops
Nike factory
Chang Shin factory
Vietnam
Indonesia
Jakarta
Nike factory
Tae Kwang Vina
Vietnam
Making Nike Shoes Landler,
Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam
Mark
1999,
January 14
1998,
June 15
2000,
April 28
Bathroom locked
No use of phone
Forced to keep bent over work
No pay for overtime
Discrimination
-Racist rules
-Hispanic women restricted to
sew by hand because told they
would break machines
Virtual imprisonment
-Involuntary servitude
Poor lighting
-Dull fluorescents
Repeated motions
Virtual imprisonment
-Debt bondage
-Recruiting fee
Restrictions
-No freedom to leave Saipan
Crowded living quarters
Vermin-infested
Signed contracts
-Not to become pregnant
-Not to strike
-Not to discuss problems
-Illegal in US
Falsifying records
-No specifics on deductions
-Workers who live outside
barracks still charged room &
board
-Work hours off the clock
Over 1,000 safety violations
Discrimination
Abuse
-Force pregnant workers to have
abortions
Sleep 7 to a room
Barracks surrounded by barbed
wire
Bathroom restrictions
-Foremen limit bathroom breaks
Exits locked
Unguarded machinery
Child labor
-15 year-old worker
-9 hours a day
Press rubber in metal cast into
shape of sole
Worked exposed to high levels
of toxic chemicals
Needle went through
hand twice
Running noses soon
after starting job
Injuries
77% of workers
suffered respiratory
problems
Lawsuit against 18
American retailers
4 settling retailers to pay
$1.25 million
Lawsuit >$1 billion
against 18 American
retailers
Lawsuit >$1 billion
against 18 American
retailers for conspiring to
place thousands of
workers in involuntary
servitude
1 manufacturer repaid $9
million in back wages
Monitoring to
include
-Unannounced
factory visits
-Investigations of
complaints by
workers
Require that
factories honor basic
rights
Not use factories
using workers who
paid recruitment fees
Nike to raise
minimum age to 16
Admit outside
inspections
Improve air
filtration
Switched from toxic
solvents to waterbased solvents
Installed powerful
fans
Earplugs in noisy
sections
Donna Karen
-Does not own or operate
factories
-Nothing to do with
conditions
Agreed to independent
monitoring:
-Nordstrom
-Gymboree
-Cutter & Buck
-J. Crew
-Polo (Ralph Lauren)
-Donna Karen
International
-Phillips-Van Heusen
-Chadwick's of Boston
Deny wrongdoing:
-Gap
-Wal-Mart
-Tommy Hilfiger
Gap
Tommy Hilfiger
Sears
Roebuck
Companies deny charges
Tommy Hilfiger
Sears
Roebuck & Company
Wal-Mart
Gap
Nordstrom
J. Crew
Limited
Nike
-Said had been working to
improve conditions before
problem was publicized
50,000 past &
present apparel
workers
15,000 Chinese
workers
75
Date of Event
New York
New York City
West 38th Street
Critics Calling U.S. Greenhouse, Apparel factory
Supplier in
Chentex
Steven
Nicaragua a
Nien Hsung Textile Company
'Sweatshop'
Nicaragua
Mexico
Puebla
2000,
December 3
2001,
January 27
Rights Group
Greenhouse, Apparel factory
Scores Success with Steven
Kukdong factory
Nike
Citing Child Labor, Kahn, Joseph Clothing factory
U.S. Bans Apparel
Dong Fang International
from Mongolia
-Chinese-owned
Plant
China
Shanghai
2000,
Mongolia
November 29
Clothing factory
-Taiwanese-owned
Type of Factory/ Building
Report Says Global Greenhouse, Garment factory
Accounting Firm
Steven
Overlooks Factory
Abuses
Garment factory
Wong, Henry
Author
No pay for overtime
Bathroom restrictions
-Locked bathrooms
Could not receive phone calls
Child labor
-Under 16 years-old
-Over 6 hours a day
Malnutrition
-Fed workers rancid food
Forced overtime
Managers abusive
-Scream at workers
-Hit workers
Bathroom restrictions
-Monitored bathroom visits
Malnutrition
Child labor
-Forced labor
-Marathon shifts
Chemicals
-Not wearing gloves
-Masks
-Proper shoes
Chemicals
Spot cleaner containing
carcinogen benzene
Managers abusive
-Shout at workers
-Hit them on head
-Throw flawed garments in their
face
Poor ventilation
Insanitary
-Dirty toilets
Heat
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Veje Leather factory
30 minutes for lunch
Kate Spade bag manufacturing -No other breaks
No health benefits
3 holidays a year
Owner stalled contract
negotiations
Bad odor
-Industrial glue
Repetitive movements
-Hammering leather & nylon
2000,
South Korea
September 28 Seoul
Help China and
Help Chinatown
Newspaper Article
Toy, Vivian
S.
Chung S. Choe
Nicaragua's Trade Gonzalez,
Zone: Battleground David
for Unions
New York
New York City
Chinatown
Location of Event
High-End Leather,
Low-End Labor
A Seamstress Sues Wong,
Donna Karan
Edward
Claiming Retaliation
for a Lawsuit
2000,
Nicaragua
September 16 Managua
2000,
May 24
Date of
Publication
1999,
New York
September 22 New York City
119 West 25th
Street
1999,
December 26
Start of event
Kate Spade
-No need to comment
-Distance company from
factory
-No control over factory or
its decisions
Donna Karen
-Accusations untrue &
misdirected
Workers mostly from Kathie Lee
Ecuador &
Dominican Republic
don't speak English
Injuries
Workers sick from
food
Children with protein
deficiency
$1.5 million worth of
imports detained
Illegal to import
goods made from
child labor
Nike
Reebok
Army & Air Force
Exchange Service
Wal-Mart
Kohl's
Wuxi Guangming
No comment:
-Guess
-Van Heusen
1,800 workers
Children
Chinese immigrant
Garment worker
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
Injuries
-Hands
Federal lawsuit settled
with cash payment
7 workers sued for
$215,000
76
2000,
November
American Samoa
2002,
May 10
Bangladesh
Narsingdi
American Samoa
2002,
April 20
2001,
April 15
American Samoa
American Samoa
2001,
March 27
2000
2001,
December 14 February 6
Garment factory
Daewoosa Ltd.
Owner, Kil-Soo Lee
-
Garment factory
Greenhouse, Apparel company
Daewoosa factory
Steven
-Sportswear
-Owner Kil-Soo Lee
AP
Lives Held Cheap in Bearak, Barry 4-story building
Bangladesh
Chowdhury Knitwears
Sweatshops
-Managing director Tanveer
Chowdhury
Polo shirts
Sweatshops under
the American Flag
Apparel Maker in
Samoa is told to
Pay Workers $3.5
Million
Arrest in Worker
Abuse
Beatings and Other Greenhouse, Small factory
Abuses Cited at
Clothing manufacturing
Steven
Samoan Apparel
Daewoosa
Plant that Supplied
-Korean-owned
U.S. Retailers
Folding gate locked
-Gates locked if complain
Trapped
Lights out
Stairs blocked with people
Never fire drills
Fire response inadequate
-Extinguisher malfunctioned
Emergency exit unsafe
-Too steep
Malnutrition
-Deprived of food
Beaten
Debt bondage
-Recruitment fees
Debt bondage
-Recruitment fees
-No pay
Guards abusive
-Beaten for returning after
curfew
-Melee workers
Malnutrition
-Deprived of food
Promised free room & board
-Sleep 2 to a single bed
-Demanded reimbursements
Threatened deportation if
workers did not return back
wages received through
Department of Labor settlement
Virtual imprisonment
-Held workers prisoner
-Physically restrained
Forced labor
Heat
Malnutrition
-Deprivation of food
Safety & health violation
Malnutrition
-Walking skeletons
-Withhold food sometimes for
days
-Broth of rice and cabbage
Abuse
-Beat workers who return after
curfew
-Had to be back by 10 PM
-Hit, slapped, kicked by guards
Sexual harassment
-Managers routinely enter
women's barracks to watch them
shower & dress
Crowded
-36 workers to a room
-2 to a 36" bed
Virtual imprisonment
Debt bondage
Trafficking humans violation
Restrictions
-No freedom to come and go
Back wages
-$600,000
-Don't pay workers for months at
a time
Fire
4th floor
Spark from electrical
spot gun
-Used to clean
clothing
Spread to can of
flammable liquid
Rushing
Pushing
Jumping
Trampling
Attempts of rescue
52 deaths
-Most young women
-10 children
-1 victim went back in
for left pay
Injuries
-Hip from trample
prevents easy walking
Injuries
-1 worker lost eye
Damages
-$586,373 from fire
-$70,000 machinery
-$20,000 furniture
Management to blame
Restitution
-$3.5 million to 270
workers
2 1999 lawsuits
proceeding
Labor department
recovered $millions
Daewoosa declared
bankruptcy
-Workers may never see
back wages owed
Court ordered company
to play $3.5 million
-Average $13,000 for 270
workers
Factory closed 15
months ago
Owner indicted with
-Involuntary servitude
through threats
-Confiscating passports
& return plane tickets
Faces trial
Plant closed in January
Owner arrested
Worker lost eye from Plant closed in January
being beaten with pipe Factory in receivership
Workers suing for
hundreds of thousands
of dollars
New safety
equipment after fire
$20,000
-Smoke alarms
-Sprinkler system
Gap
Dayton Hudson
The Limited
J.C. Penney Company
-Stopped selling apparel
obtained from factory
J.C. Penney Company
-Stopped selling apparel
obtained from factory
-Canceled contracts with
the supplier
1,250 workers
Women & children
Mostly women from Daewoosa
China
Hundreds of Chinese
& Vietnamese
immigrant workers
300 workers
Mostly women from
Vietnam
77
2002,
March
1997
Guatemala
New York
Brooklyn
2002,
February 1
2002,
May 2
El Salvador
El Salvador
2004,
April 6
Honduras
Choloma
2003,
October 28
2003,
December 4
Dominican
Republic
Villa Altagracia
2003,
April 4
2002,
Bangladesh
September 27 Dhaka
El Salvador
2001,
May 10
BJ&B factory
Produces caps & clothing for
universities
Romero,
Simon
Garment production
Textile factory
Confecciones Ninos
Greenhouse, Shirt manufacturing
Steven
Gonzalez,
David
Amid a Trade Deal, Becker,
a Debate over Labor Elizabeth
On Eve of Trade
Talks, Group
Reports Salvador
Labor Abuses
A Hip-Hop Star's
Fashion Line is
Tagged with a
Sweatshop Label
Latin Sweatshops
Pressed by U.S.
Campus Power
A Push to Improve Greenhouse, Shirt factory
Labor's Lot
Shah Makhdum
Steven
Overseas
U.S. Sues a Sweater Greenhouse, Danmar Finishing
Factory after a Pop Steven
(Previously Mario Sweater)
Singer Assails It
Labor Brings
Greenhouse, Blouse factory
Witnesses to Tell of Steven
a Harsher Side to
Growth
Labor Abuses in El Greenhouse,
Salvador are
Steven
Detailed in
Document
Restrictions
Not allowed water
Not allowed permission for
bathroom
Discrimination
-Fired after age 35
Armed guards check id
Bathroom restrictions
No permission for doctor visits
No vacations
No overtime pay
Managers abusive
-Yell at workers
-Curse
-Grabbed a worker by throat
Forced overtime
Discrimination
-Pregnant workers fired
-Mandatory pregnancy tests
No talking allowed
Bathroom restrictions
-Pass needed
-2 visits a day
-Workers called on loudspeaker
if in bathroom for more than a
few minutes
Fixed inspections
-Workers ordered not to tell truth
to monitors
Forced overtime
Not allowed to leave early for
school
Supervisors abusive
-Insulting
-Threaten to hit
-Verbally humiliate
Managers abusive
-Hit workers
Discrimination
-Pregnant women forced to quit
No vacation or sick days
Falsifying records
-Record keeping violations
-Had workers clock out after 40
hours than go back to work
Abuse
-Yell at female workers
-Hit them
Forced overtime
Discrimination
Pregnant workers demoted
Bathroom restrictions
-visits monitored
-5 minutes leads to warning letter
Forced overtime
Threats of firing
No pay if quotas unfulfilled
Poor ventilation
-Unhealthy air
-Heat
Unhealthy water
Mandatory pregnancy tests
Blacklist for union supporters
Closed in March 2002
U.S. Department of
Labor sued Danmar for
hundreds of thousands
of dollars for
underpaying 175 past &
present workers
Honduran law
prohibits firing
workers for
supporting a union
Wal-Mart
J.C. Penney
Sean John (Sean Combs)
-Denies knowledge of
situation
-Will look into
Nike
Reebok
Walt Disney Company
Licensee
-Pulled out all business
Delia's (Shakira)
-Severed relationship year
prior
-Subcontracted
Gap
Polo (Ralph Lauren)
El Salvador
Kohl's
government to train Gap
inspectors better
Liz Claiborne
Nike
300 workers
380 workers
1,600 workers
Kathie Lee
Kathie Lee
78
2005
April
Honduras
2005,
July 23
Benson,
Todd
Greenhouse, Apparel contractors
Steven
Children's costumes
Owner Rubie's Costume
Company (based in Queens)
Small scale garment factories
Korean-run
Back wages
-Unpaid
Supervisor abusive
-Yell
Forced overtime
-Threats of firing
Doors locked
Indonesia
Swaziland
Matsapha
Forced overtime
No holidays off
Withheld pay for 3 months
Virtual imprisonment
Locked doors
-Workers locked in 10-13 hours
a day
Forced overtime
Bathroom restrictions
-Need permission
Supervisors abusive
-Yell
-Curse
Managers abusive
-Scream
Discrimination
-Forced pregnancy tests
-Firing pregnant workers
No pay for overtime
Exits locked
-Padlocked
Lack drinking water
Bathroom restrictions
-No toilet paper
Abuse
-Shouted at workers
-Called them names
Malnutrition
-Food made workers vomit
Bathroom restrictions
-Did not allow visits
Forced overtime
-Closed factory doors
Made to buy equipment
-Work equipment
-Belts to carry heavy equipment
($45)
-Toilet paper
Child labor
-8 workers under 16
-No reduced hours
-Altered birth certificates
Falsifying records
Crowded
-Basement workspace doubles as
residence
Repeat same task motion
Poor lighting
Debt bondage
-Paid journey to Brazil
-Owner took passports
-If worker damages piece, has to
pay retail price not cost
Poor ventilation
Forced labor
Locked doors
Forced overtime
Forced labor
-Threats of firing
No days off in 6 months
Supervisors abusive
-Slap face
Fixed inspections
-Less than 10% unannounced
-Managers coach workers on
what to say
Suit Says Wal-Mart Greenhouse,
is Lax on Labor
Steven
Abuses Overseas
Protest Calls for Pro Picker, David Hansoll factory
Athletes to help
Replica jerseys
Stop Sweatshops
Fired Officer is
Suing Wal-Mart
Mexico Labor Case Malkin,
Grows for Maker of Elisabeth
Barbie Gowns
No Streets of Gold
in São Paulo
Bangladesh
Dhaka
2005,
China
September 14 Shenzen
Honduras
Mexico
Mexico City
Tepeji del Rio
2005,
June 12
2005,
July 1
Brazil
São Paulo
2004,
December 2
Nose bleed from being Lawsuit accuses WalMart
hit
-Negligence
-Unjust enrichment
-Fraudulent & deceptive
practices
Offenders can receive
fines as well as 2-8 years
in prison
Korean couple arrested
-Fined $914 for each of
11 illegal immigrant
workers
-Awaiting trial on
criminal charges
Mattel requires
workers to be at
least 16 years-old
Rubie's promised to
hire workers 16 and
older
-System to identify
forged documents
Commits to paying
overtime & on time
Wal-Mart
-Working to improve
monitoring
Apparel workers
Reebok
1,500 workers
-Own investigation found Mostly women in 20s
inconsistencies with
reported conditions
-Enlisting independent
agency to make assessment
Walmart
-Dismissed 1,200 factories
-108 more for child labor
Mattel
-Deny allegations
-Did not respond
aggressively to workers'
complaints
Immigrants
-Bolivia
-Paraguay
-Peru
79
2006,
October
New York
Queens
Long Island
47-51 33rd Street
2008,
July 24
Shanghai Jinjue Fashion
Company
Apparel Factory
Greenhouse, Jin Shun
Workers were
(Previously Garlee NY
Steven
Cheated, State Says
Previously Venture 47)
Women's apparel
Seeing the Sights of Nocera, Joe
Industrial China: 2
Factories, 2 Futures
China
Kun Shan
industrial zone
2008,
April 5
Textile workshops
Al Shahaed factory
Jordan
Gentleman,
Amelia
Honorway Apparel Jordan
Sleepwear
Jordan
Gap Vows to
Combat Child
Labor at Suppliers
Western Garment
Jordan
Greenhouse, Paramount Garment factory
Steven, &
Barbaro,
Michael
United Garment
Manufacturing
An Ugly Side of
Free Trade:
Sweatshops in
Jordan
Jordan
Amman
Jordan
Amman
2007,
India
November 16 New Delhi
2006,
May 3
Falsifying records
-Time records
-2 sets of time cards
-Cash payments
-Half hour for lunch, 1
subtracted from time cards
No days off
-120 days straight
Fixed inspections
-Instructions for false answers
when inspectors visit
-Coaching workers to lie
-Hour lunch on inspection days
Run down buildings
1 room filled with tables and
sewing machines
Cafeteria
-Rickety chairs
-Beaten-up tables
Dormitory
-Debris littered river
Falsifying records
-Made in Mexico labels to take
advantage of Nafta
Child labor
-Young as 10 years-old
-Hand embroider
-Up to 16 hours a day
Forced overtime
-Sometimes 48 hours straight
No pay for 6 months
-Abuse when asked
-Hit
Falsifying records
-Working off clock
-Wages could not be verified
No pay for overtime
Forced overtime
Sleep on factory floor
Fixed inspections
-Instructed what to say
Malnutrition
-Half glass of tea for breakfast
-Rice & rotten chicken for lunch
No pay for 4 months
-If complain, jailed without food
-Sent back to Bangladesh
Discrimination
-Jordanian workers allowed to
leave at 4 PM
-Foreign workers forced
overtime until MIDNIGHT
No pay for months
Supervisors abusive
-Hit
-Jailed when complain
Debt bondage
-Paid $1,000-3,000 to work
-Passports taken
Forced overtime
-No pay when quota not met
Restrictions
-No freedom to go elsewhere
Owner says offers workers
-Free room & board
-Sometimes medical care
Workers say when sick
-Punished
-Pay docked
Sick from exhaustion
Labor department tagged
10,000 items stating they
were produced under
unlawful conditions
-Urban apparel paid
$60,000 to have tags
removed
Restitution
-Back wages
-Children to be paid until
of working age and then
offered employment
India's Child Labor
Prohibition and
Regulation Act
prohibits
employment of
children under 14 in
hazardous jobs,
including
embroidery industry
Many retailers policy
to work with
factories to improve
conditions rather
than withdraw
business
Banana Republic & Gap
-Cooperate with authorities
-Suspending future
production
Urban Apparel
Victoria's Secret
-Zero tolerance policy
Macy's
-Investigating matter
Camaïeu
-French brand
GapKids (Gap)
-To refine procedures to
ensure no child labor
-Grant of $200,000 to
improve conditions
-International conference
to come up with solutions
-Suspended 50% of orders
from vendor
-Put vendor on probation
Wal-Mart
Kmart
Wal-Mart
Guest workers
Mostly from
Bangladesh and
China
80
Bangladesh
Dhaka
Ashulia industrial
area
2010,
2010,
December 14 December 15
2012,
September 12
Walsh,
Declan
Ali Enterprises factory
Owners Bhaila brothers
Pakistan's Premier
Intervenes in Fire
Inquiry
2013,
January 24
Pakistan
Karachi
Inspectors Certified Walsh,
Apparel plant
Pakistani Factory as Declan, &
Ali Enterprises
Safe before Disaster Greenhouse, -Largely denim
Steven
Garment factory
Ali Enterprises
4-story building
Textile factory
Undergarments
Shoe factory
10-story factory
Garment factory
Ha-Meem Group
Produce pants
9th floor finishing area
10th floor dining hall
Type of Factory/ Building
2012,
Pakistan
September 20
ur-Rehman,
Zia, Walsh,
Declan, &
Masood,
Salman
Manik,
Julfikar Ali,
& Bajaj,
Vikas
Author
Anger Rolls Across Walsh,
Pakistani City in
Declan
Aftermath of
Factory Fire
Lax Regulations
Blamed as Fires Kill
Hundreds in
Pakistan
Fire Breaks Out in
Top Floors of
Bangladesh
Garment Factory,
Killing at Least 20
Newspaper Article
Flatiron Building
Clothing manufacturer
Forest Uniform Corporation
New York City police officer
formal occasion uniforms
Contractor
-Technical Garment USA
Propper International
8 factories
American troop camouflage
uniforms
2012,
Pakistan
September 14 Karachi
Pakistan
Karachi
Baldia Town
2012,
2012,
Pakistan
September 12 September 13 Lahore
Location of Event
Date of
Publication
Date of Event
New York
Police Uniforms are Sulzberger,
New York City
Seized in Garment A. G.
45 East 20th Street Factory Raid
251 West 39th
Cave,
Damien
2009,
April 30
Economy
Complicates Labor
Dispute
Puerto Rico
Adjuntas
2008,
December 11
Exits locked
-Emergency exits chained
Trapped
-Locked doors
-1 exit unlocked
Barred windows
Falsifying records
-250 workers registered
-1,000 working
Fixed inspections
-Warned of visits
-Coached to lie
-Threats of dismissal
Factory failed fire safety
standards 2007
Locked doors
-Managers forced workers to
stay to save stock
Child labor
-15 year-old
Barred windows
-Not on higher floors
Fire safety inadequate
-Extinguishers failed
Fixed inspections
-Forced to lie about conditions
-Threats of dismissal
Trapped
-Locked doors
-1 exit unlocked
Inadequate fire exits
-No emergency exits
Barred windows
Factory filled with smoke
Corruption
-Inspectors forbidden from
Karachi & Punjab factories since
2003
Flimsily built
Illegally located residential
neighborhood
Doors locked
Stacks of clothes
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Fixed inspections
-Workers coached to lie
Falsifying records
-2 sets of time cards
No sick days
-Workers to disregard health to
keep sewing
1 week paid vacation
Threats of plant closings and
firings
Fire
Fire
Fire
Boiler explosion
Lasted 48 hours
Fire
2 loud blasts
Cause unclear
-Possibly electrical
Fire
Generator caught fire
Chemicals
-Ignited
Fire started around
lunchtime
9th floor
Possible electrical
short circuit
Start of event
2006 law to seize
goods & equipment
from garment
manufacturers
charged with
multiple labor
violations
Jumping
Jumping
Panic
Jumping
259 deaths
Nearly 300 deaths
289 deaths
-Many died from
smoke inhalation
Injuries
-Burned leg
-Burned arm
289 deaths
-Mostly men
-Most died from
smoke inhalation
Injuries
-Many survivors
sustained 3rd degree
burns
-Broken leg
Some missing
25 deaths
Dozens injured
Factory owners in jail
since September (4
months)
Possible charges against
3 factory owners for
conspiracy to commit
murder
Men yet to be found
Raided home of owner
CEO wanted for
questioning
Owner & nephew
wanted for questioning
-In hiding
Damages:
Severe structural damage
Diesel
-Denies links to plant
Kik (German)
Okay Men (German)
Hundreds of workers Triangle
Shirtwaist factory
fire
600 workers
Multi-cultural
Majority poor
working class
Mostly men under 25
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
20-24 deaths
Restitution
-Still counting
-Company to pay
families of workers
Dozens injured
killed $1,400 and
promised to pay $1,400
more
Restitution
-$500,000 back wages
-Damages for 16 current
& former workers
400 garments seized
along with equipment
3,000 workers
81
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Dhaka
Bangladesh
Dhaka
2012,
December 6
2012,
December 7
2012,
December 8
2012
2012,
Bangladesh
November 24 November 26 Dhaka
Savar
Bajaj, Vikas
9-story building
Tazreen Fashions
Tuba Group
Managing director Delowar
Hossain
T-shirts, polo shirts, & fleece
jackets
Factory in
Bangladesh Lost
Fire Clearance
before Blaze
AP
Recalling Fire's
Yardley, Jim
Horror and
Exposing Global
Brands' Safety Gap
9-story building
Tazreen Fashions Ltd.
Owner Delowar Hossain
8-story building
Tazreen Fashions Ltd.
C & A 3rd floor
Walmart 5th floor
Sears 6th floor
Order forms for US Marine
Corps apparel
Documents Indicate Greenhouse, Apparel factory
Walmart Blocked
Tazreen Fashions
Steven
Safety Push in
International Direct Group
Bangladesh
Success Apparel
Topson Downs
Fatal Fire in
Bangladesh
Highlights the
Dangers Facing
Garment Workers
Fire started
Ground floor
Stacks of yarn &
fabric
Fire
Fire started 7 PM
Ground floor
Warehouse storing
yarn
Possibly from
electrical fault or
cigarette spark
Lasted all night
3 stories legally built
Fire started
-9th under construction
Ground floor
Fire safety certificate expired
-June 30, 2012
-Fire authorities refused to renew
Building under construction
Exits blocked
-Managers told workers alarm
was test
-Ordered back to work
-Staircase blocked by fire
Barred windows
Power went out
Stacks of yarn & fabric illegally
stored ground floor near
electrical generators
Subcontracting
Chemicals
-Toxic fumes
-From burning acrylic
Fixed inspections
-Pictures of fire safety for
emphasis
-Poor actual training
-Taught to use extinguisher
-Taught to run down stairs in
descending order if fire starts on
upper floors
-No training if fire starts on
bottom
No sprinklers
No outside fire escape
Subcontracting
Approach road for firefighters
inadequate
Not enough exits
Top 3 floors under construction
Power went out
Thought false alarm
Panic
Rushing
Trample
Help to rescue
-Break window bars
with brick
Crowded
Escape using
construction
scaffolding
112 deaths
112 deaths
-69 on 3rd floor
-10 on 5th floor
-53 unidentified
112 deaths
>100 deaths
-At least 111
-Most on 1st & 2nd
floors
Injuries
-Taken to hospital
-Burns
-Smoke inhalation
Possible fines
Possible demolition of
illegal floors
-Capital Development
Authority chose to do
nothing rather than
confront Bangladesh's
biggest industry
64 garment factories to
shut down if fail to fix
issues in a month
Global brands need to
take responsibility
-Tommy Hilfiger
-Gap
-Walmart
Fire department
inspecting 232
garment factories
Enclosed fireproof
room required by
law for storage
Walmart
Disney
C & A (European)
-Subcontracting
Walmart
-Faded Glory
-Previously found
violations
-Terminated business
Sears
-Terminated business
All denied knowledge
Walmart
-Claimed 1 rogue supplier
subcontracting without
authorization
-3 suppliers for Walmart at
factory
-Blocked effort to have
global retailers pay for
improved safety in
Bangladesh
-Terminated business
Subcontracted without
authorization
-Sears
-Disney
Walmart
-Faded Glory
-Unable to confirm if
Tazreen is supplier
-Previously flagged high
risk violations
1,400 workers
1,150 workers in
Triangle
Shirtwaist factory
building
Many victims young fire
rural women with
little education
600 workers working
overtime
1,500 employed
82
2013,
April 24
2013,
April 24
Bangladesh
Dhaka
Savar
Bangladesh
Dhaka
Bangladesh
2012,
December 29
2013,
January 27
Bangladesh
Dhaka
2012,
December 18
2013,
January 26
Bangladesh
2012,
December 11
8-story building
Tazreen Fashions factory
Owner Delowar Hossain
Manik,
Julfikar Ali,
& Yardley,
Jim
Building Collapse in Manik,
Bangladesh Leaves Julfikar Ali,
Scores Dead
& Yardley,
Jim
Bangladesh Factory,
Site of Fire that
Trapped and Killed
7, Made European
Brands
8-story building
Clothing factories
Rana Plaza
Ether Tex
Smart Export Garments
factory
As Walmart Makes Greenhouse, Garment factory
Safety Vows, it's
Tazreen Fashions
Steven, &
seen as Obstacle to Yardley, Jim
Change
Bangladesh Finds Manik,
Gross Negligence in Julfikar Ali,
Factory Fire
& Yardley,
Jim
2nd Supplier for
Greenhouse, Women's robes & nightwear
Walmart at Factory Steven
Tazreen garment factory
that Burned
Tuba Group parent company
Fire started
Jumping
Ground floor
Fabric & yarn stored
illegally
Possible sabotage
Violated building codes
-Top 4 floors illegally built
-Foundation substandard
-Structural cracks
Owners of upper floor garment
factories made workers come to
work after inspectors urged
building closed
Dust thick
-Breathing a struggle
Trapped
Subcontracting
Building illegally constructed
Lacked emergency exits
Lacked extinguishers
Exit locked
-Metal gate
No fire license
-Did not apply for one
Child labor
-One victim 15
Factory collapse with Using light of mobile
cracking sound
phones
Concrete beams &
pillars collapse
Akin to earthquake
Fire started
Panic
afternoon 2nd floor Jumping
Inadequate inspections
Fire
-Lack electrical and fire safety
aspects
Fire hazards
-Lack of fire alarms
-Shortage of extinguishers
Escapes blocked
-Obstacles
Lack of emergency lights
Exit doors on ground floor open
inward
Trapped
Exits blocked
-9 midlevel managers &
supervisors prevented workers
from leaving after alarm sounded
-Closed gates
Escape blocked
-3 staircases
-Staircases blocked by smoke
-No outdoor fire escape
Barred windows
Chemicals
-Toxic smoke
No sprinkler system
No fire safety certificate
Subcontracting
134-142 deaths
-Still counting
1,000 injuries
-1 hit by ceiling fan
Many still trapped
7 deaths
-Females
-Several teenagers
Several injuries
-1 critical condition
-Unconscious
-Seizures
112 deaths
112 deaths
Prime Minister could
face political fallout
Suggested charges
against owner for
unpardonable negligence
Global brands should
share responsibility
Fire safety license
mandatory for all
garment factories in
Bangladesh
Law requires
fireproof warehouse
for storage
Plan for independent
international
monitoring
Recommended
government task
force to oversee
regular inspections
Bangladeshi law
requires flammable
materials be stored
in a room with
fireproof walls
>1,150 workers in
building
Mango (Spanish)
Primark (British)
Walmart
-Sympathy for victims
-Committed to stronger
safety measures
C & A (Dutch)
Benetton
-Denied connection to
factory
Cato Fashions
Inditex
H&M
Gap
2,500 workers
Inditex (Spanish company) 300 workers
-Denies knowledge of
factory
-Leftie's
-Bershka
French brands
-Sol's
-Scott and Fox
-G Blog by Gemo
KIK (German discount)
M. Hidary & Company
-Hawaiian Authentics
swimwear
Walmart
1,150 workers
-Will not buy from unsafe
factory
-Little interest in changing
practices
-Unauthorized use
-6 suppliers used factory in
previous 18 months
-Previously rated orange
risk
-Proposed
recommendations for
authorities and owners
Denies knowledge of
factory:
-Walmart
-Sears
Walmart
-Says Success Apparel
subcontracted work
without Walmart's
authorization
-Success Apparel
Subcontracted work to
Walmart approved Simco
-Simco subcontracted
work to Tuba Group
-International Intimates
also supplier for Walmart
subcontracted to Tuba
Group
-Walmart terminated
business with supplier
Success Apparel
Sears
-International Intimates
subcontracted
-Sears terminated business
with supplier
Tazreen fire
Spectrum
Garments 2005?
Tazreen fire
83
2013,
May 20
2013,
May 16
Bangladesh
Savar
Bangladesh
Savar
Bangladesh
Savar
2013,
April 30
2013,
June 17
2013,
December 30
2013,
June 13
8-story building
When you Build a
Small Roof for the
Dog
Manik,
Julfikar Ali,
& Yardley,
Jim
6-story building
Garment factory
Arva Textile Limited
A.K.A. Arba
-Floors 1-3
Hasmatullah Knitwear
-Floors 4-6
Wallace, Julia Manufacturing plant
Wing Star Shoes Factory
Clothing Brands
Yardley, Jim Rana Plaza
Sidestep Blame for
Phantom Tac factory
Safety Lapses
-5th floor
-Owners David Mayor &
Aminul Islam
8-story factory complex
Rana Plaza
Phantom TAC
-Owners David Mayor &
Aminul Islam
Yardley, Jim 5 factories
Rana Plaza
Yardley, Jim 5 garment factories
Rana Plaza
Owner Sohel Rana
Editorial
Board
Good Intent a
Daniel, Frank
Casualty of Factory Jack, Quadir,
Crash
Serajul, &
Ortiz, Fiona
The Most Hated
Bangladeshi,
Toppled from a
Shady Empire
Tears and Rage as
Hope Fades in
Bangladesh
Another
Preventable
Tragedy in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Another Garment
Dhaka
Factory Scare in
Ashulia industrial Bangladesh
district
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Bangladesh
Savar
2013,
April 28
2013,
May 23
Bangladesh
2013,
April 25
Inspectors found shortcomings
-Lack of onsite water resources
Fire did not spread
Delays
-Firefighters had to break a wall
to get to fire
-Had to import water
Electrical short-circuit
Forced overtime
Threats of firing
5 days of rescue
operations
On-site amputations
Rescuers overcome
by dust and
decomposing body
odor
Building collapse
morning
Power went out
Generators came on
Shook building
Fire started 9:30 AM
Ground floor
Fabric storage
Locked warehouse
Cause not
determined
Lasted 2 hours
Mezzanine collapse
>1,100 deaths
1,129 deaths
-200 from Phantom
TAC
400 deaths
Others still missing
377 deaths
-Still counting
Hundreds missing
buried in rubble
>650 survivors
Injuries
-Fractured skulls
-Crushed rib cages
-Severed livers
-Ruptured spleens
-Loss of limbs
>200 deaths
20 injuries
-Fainted
-Hospitalized
Rush
Injuries
Upper factory
-From rush to escape
workers able to
escape by two
staircases not passing
storage area
Panic
Stampede
Fear of going back to 2 deaths
work
11 injuries
Building collapse
Rushing
morning
-Day prior when
Owner escaped from cracks appeared
basement office
Malnutrition
Collapse
-Food foul
Rana
-Gang & criminal activities
Child labor
-Discovered 2012
Building temporarily closed
-Cracks 3rd floor
-Engineer said should stay closed
-Islam urged workers back
Designed as 5-story shopping
center
Built on swampy ground
Substandard concrete
Owner built 3 more floors
Forced overtime
Crack appeared
-Workers ordered back
Generators on upper floors
Corruption
-Rana took property by force
-Police did not confront him
-Political allies gave construction
permit
-Bribery
-Involved in drug trade
-Criminal gang
Falsifying records
-Rana falsified land deed
Cracks in building day before
-Engineers declared building
unsafe
-Needs to be closed
-Rana denies crack as problem,
says plaster is broken
Cracks discovered day before
collapse
Trapped
Workers forced to work after
cracks appeared in structure
-Owners threatened wages and
firing
Owner Mayor
disappeared
Partner in jail
Rana in jail facing
charges
Mayor & Islam under
investigation
-Islam in jail
-Government panel
recommends both face
charges of culpable
homicide, up to life in
prison
Several factory owners
arrested
Building owner under
arrest
Involved in illegal drugs
& guns
Bangladeshi court seized
his assets
Public insists on
execution
Rana's father arrested
Arrested building owner
hiding near Indian
border
Blamed for lying about
safety of building
Blame Prime Minister for
failing to act
Government to
conduct safety
inspection across
country
Mayor negotiated
with buyers for
longer deadlines to
avoid excessive
overtime
Williamson-Dickie
Manufacturing Company
-Dickies
-Halted business with Arva
in February
-No association with other
company in building
Mango
J. C. Penney
Agreed to help
finance $40 million
compensation fund
for victims
-El Corte Ingles
-Mango
JC Penney
3,000 workers
Cato Fashions
Benetton
Primark (British discount)
Brands expressed sorrow
None endorsed tougher
independent inspection
programs
Walmart
-Offered half measures
Gap
-Offered half measure
H& M
Refused to demand or pay
for adequate safeguards
Rana Plaza
Tazreen fire
Rana Plaza
Tazreen fire
Tazreen fire
84
2013,
December 1
Zongtex Garment
Manufacturing
Army & Air Force clothes
Manta Apparels
General Services
Administration uniforms
Repurposed apartment
building
Coast to Coast
American military base
clothing
VF Imagewear Matamoros
TSA uniforms
7-story building
Citadel Apparels
Boys cotton T-shirts for Army
& Air Force bases
Bangladesh
Gazipur
Bangladesh
Gazipur
Mexico
Bangladesh
Gazipur
DK Knitwear
Marine Corps shirts
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
U.S. Flouts its own Urbina, Ian
Advice in Procuring
Overseas Clothing
Georgie & Lou factory
Smithsonian Institution
clothing
Bangladesh
2013,
December 22
Verbal & psychological
harassment
-Jeering from managers if
request sick leave
Ongoing physical abuse
-Forced to stand if late
Guards abusive
-Sexual harassment
-Beat workers
Chemicals
-Labels only in English
Ineffective monitoring
-1 day visit
-Yes/no questions
Cracks in walls
Workers barefoot
-65%
-Some on roof
50% without masks for cotton
dust
Falsifying records
-16% missing time sheets
-Potential forced overtime
Exits blocked
Stairwells blocked
Uniforms treated with chemicals
2 floors illegally added
Crack in top floor ceiling
-6-ft
-Leaks when rains
Falsifying records
-Ordered to keep sewing after
time cards clocked out
Exits locked
-Chained
Abuse
-Beatings
Child labor
-2 dozen underage workers
-Instructed to hide from
inspectors
Bathroom restrictions
-Workers sometimes soil selves
at machines
Managers abusive
-Physical harassment
-Cameras monitoring workers in
bathroom
Child labor
-One-third of work force
Managers abusive
-Punch workers for missing
quotas
No working alarm system
-Previous fires
Clothing assembly preparation No emergency exits
Teresa Moda
Barred windows
Dormitories found in adjacent
wholesale stores
Clifford,
Rosita Knitwear factory
Stephanie, & South Ocean
Greenhouse,
Steven
Deadly Factory Fire Povoledo,
Bares Racial
Elisabetta
Tensions in Italy
Fast and Flawed
Inspections of
Factories Abroad
Thailand
Chiang Mai
Italy
Prato
Bangladesh
2013,
December 6
2013,
September 1
Fire possibly started
from camp stove
Injuries
-Hundreds of rashes
of TSA agents
Injuries
-Burns from irons
-Require
hospitalizations
7 deaths
-Chinese workers
-5 men
-2 women
Owners of Tazreen & 11
employees charged with
culpable homicide
Charge 4 Chinese citizens
-Multiple manslaughter
-Failure to uphold
workplace safety
measures
-Exploitation of illegal
workers
Arrest warrants for 11
people, Chinese & Italian
-Procuring illegal
residence permits
Italian partner of
company under
investigation
Dormitory stores shut
down
Walmart
-Orange risk rating
Tazreen fire
85
Date of Event
Date of
Publication
2014,
June 25
Started 2011 2014,
January 17
Location of Event
Bangladesh
Dhaka
Cambodia
Kompong Speu
Province
Newspaper Article
Stalemate over
Garment Factory
Safety in
Bangladesh
Workers of the
World, Faint!
Author
Type of Factory/ Building
Greenhouse, 10-story building
Florence Fashions
Steven, &
Manik,
Julfikar Ali
Wallace, Julia Anful Garments Factory
Conditions of event
(Hazards & Description of
incident)
Engineers declared unsafe
-Too much weight on support
columns
-Should be evacuated
-Government declined shutdown
order
Florence continued production
Mass faintings
-Heat
-Poor ventilation
-Overwork
-Chemical fumes
-Food poisoning
-"Spirits"
Hard bed
Malnutrition
-Mystery curry
Nurse refused sick worker of
going home
Start of event
Faintings have halted
production
Accord hired
engineers for more
thorough inspections
Wages have risen
and set to rise again
Monthly bonuses for
health &
transportation
800 employees at
Florence
Mostly young female
rural factory
workforce
Rana Plaza
Immediate response
Consequences
Consequences
Positive changes or Associated Retailers and
Type of victim
Honorable
by victims/
(Fatalities/ Injuries)
(Fiscal and
laws implemented
their responses
present
Mentions of
employees
Responsibility)/ Costs &
(If any)
(Nationality,
previous events
Blame
gender, immigrant,
etc.)
250 hospitalizations
-Fainting
-Food poisoning
86
87
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