Heat stress, occupational safety (including workplace injuries), poor living and working conditions, indicators of labor exploitation. Injury, Occupational Diseases, Poisoning
Conditions
Interventions
This study is a randomized controlled trial in 200 kilns (120 intervention and 20 control) with brick kilns as the unit of randomization. The study will be implemented across Jashore, Jhenaidah and Sa
Sponsors
Stanford University
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Brick kilns (employers, the level of clustering) are included based on prior participation in a study with our team to improve the energy efficiency of their operation. To be included in the current study, a brick kiln must have previously adopted the technical intervention that improved the energy efficiency of operations. 2. At each kiln, five adult workers will be randomly selected across the main job categories at brick kilns: firemen, molders, loaders, and unloaders, yielding a study population of one thousand workers.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Kilns that do not plan to operate in the upcoming season or that did not previously adopt the technical intervention 2. Workers who decline to participate (and are replaced with a randomly selected worker in the same job category)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The following primary outcome measures are assessed at baseline (approximately mid-November 2025) and at endline (approximately mid-march to end of April 2026): 1. Access to a given PPE item (cooling towels, gloves, helmets, head coverings, boots, goggles, masks, first aid support, oral rehydration salt (ORS)) measured using the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Index 2. Workplace conditions measured using data collected from worker reports, including sanitation conditions, access to rest areas, cooling sheds, and amenities in living quarters 3. Timeliness of wages measured using the proportion of workers reporting on-time payment during the preceding 3 months of work (or since the beginning of the season, if shorter than 3 months) 4. Labor trafficking indicators measured using a standarized set of indicators developed by the United States Department of State Trafficking in Persons Office 5. Heat stress measured using the following standard clinical practice to record maximum heart rate, skin temperature, and urine specific gravity | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The following secondary outcome measures are assessed using worker-reported health outcomes : 1. Respiratory health will be measured using worker-reported symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing) using structured recall periods of 2 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks prior to survey administration 2. Workplace injuries will be measured using worker recall of incidents occurring in the past 2 weeks, categorized by type (cuts, burns, falls, crushing injuries), body part affected, and severity (required stopping work, sought medical care, lost work days) | — |
Countries
Bangladesh
Contacts
Public ContactGrant Miller
Outcome results
None listed