Indoor air quality is one of the few compliance parameters with an immediate commercial return. Workers in poorly ventilated sewing floors lose measurable output, and the cost of correcting ventilation is usually smaller than the productivity gap it closes.
What to measure
A useful IAQ survey covers five parameters, measured across a full shift and mapped to floor zones.
Reading the numbers
Carbon dioxide above 1,000 ppm indicates that fresh air supply is not keeping pace with occupancy. It is rarely harmful at that level, but it reliably predicts drowsiness and reduced concentration.
Fabric dust in knit and denim operations frequently exceeds respirable particulate guidance in specific zones while the floor average looks acceptable. Zone mapping matters more than a single reading.
How IAQ data supports audits
Brand codes of conduct and SMETA health and safety sections both reference ventilation and workplace exposure. A dated survey with zone maps and corrective actions answers the question far better than a verbal assurance.
Corrections that usually work
Most findings are solved by rebalancing existing air handling rather than new capital equipment: reopening blocked louvres, correcting exhaust fan direction, relocating spot cleaning benches to a captured extraction point, and cleaning ducting on a schedule.