A huge number of Dhaka’s leather industry workers, 61% to be precise, are currently suffering from various health issues and many have experienced accidents at their workplace, according to Bangladesh’ Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE foundation).

The OSHE foundation unveiled a baseline report entitled “Occupational Health and Safety Baseline Study in the Leather Supply Chain of Bangladesh” at the CIRDAP auditorium on Saturday during a multi-stakeholder consultation on the “Promotion of Decent Work at Leather Supply Chain”.

Among the sufferers, 26.6% workers are suffering from headaches, 18.8% from skin burns, 15.6% from hand and leg pains, 14.1% have allergies, and 10.9% of the workers are facing knee and back pain.

The study was conducted at 16 tanneries, two leather goods production factories, and two footwear industrial plants.