Context: Tailors in Malvani work for long hours in dismal conditions. Most are migrants & may not have authorized documents to validate their residency or workplace. Moreover they report to the medical facilities only after incurring significant out of pocket expenditure.

Aims: To evaluate the working conditions and study morbidity profile of tailors working in the small scale garment manufacturing outfits in a suburban slum of Mumbai and identify lifestyle or workplace related factors which affect their health status.

Settings and Design: A sequential quantitativequalitative Mixed method study was conducted in 110 tailors working in the new collector compound (NCC) area of Malvani.

Methods and Material: Interviews and examination was conducted in OPD & data collected about morbidity profile. This was followed by visit to their workplace and in depth interviews conducted to obtain qualitative data.

Statistical analysis used: Descriptive analysis using percentage and graphical representation.

Results: All 110 tailors were males working for hours ranging from 10-12 hours per day and work often extended to 16 hours during pre-festival & marriage period. Workplaces were single rooms of either 10/10 ft. or 12/26 ft. dimensions that had poor light and were congested. Most workplaces had no attached toilets. The morbidity pattern amongst tailors indicates that they are vulnerable to chronic morbidities which are compounded by their occupational profile.

Conclusions: The working conditions & nature of occupational demands make tailors a vulnerable population for occupational health risks. Most of these health risks are preventable through preventive, promotive, curative & rehabilitative interventions.