addresing the problems of physically disabled in the clothing industry by ajith jayatissa

ADDRESING THE PROBLEMS OF PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN

THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY

Ajith Jayatissajaytissa@rediffmail.com

Person with disability means; any person who, as a result of any deficiency in his physical or mental capabilities, whether congenital or not, is unable by himself to ensure for himself, wholly or partly, the necessities of life".

Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act – Sri Lanka

Categories of disability Disability in Seeing Totally Blind

One eye blind Weak vision

Disability in Hearing/Speaking Dumb; Deaf; Dumb and Deaf; Speaking difficulties Disability in Hands Loss of one hand including elbow

Loss of both hands including elbowsLoss of one hand below elbowsLoss of both hands below elbowsParalysis of one handParalysis of both handsOther disability in one handOther disability in both hands

Disability in Legs Loss of one legs including kneeLoss of both legs including kneesLoss of one leg below kneeLoss of both legs below kneesParalysis of one legParalysis of both legsOther disability in one legOther disability in both legs

Other Physical Disability

Mental Disability Mentally retardedPsychosis

Reference: 2001 Census of Population and Housing in Sri Lanka

Reference: Census of Population and Housing 2001 – Sri Lanka

TOTAL NUMBER2,74,711

MALE 1,58,446

FEMALE1,16,265

50%

29%

21% Toal disabledpopulation

Male

Female

DISABLED POPULATION IN SRI LANKA

Type ofdisability Disability

in seeing

Disability in hearing/speaking

Disability inhands

Disability in legs

Other physical

Total 69096 73343 48131 90576 13275

Male 35419 40584 31070 56529 7344

Female 33677 32759 17061 34047 5931

Table 1: Census of Population and Housing 2001 – Sri Lanka/ Disabled persons by sex

CONSIDERING DISABLED CONSIDERING DISABLED PERSON FOR AN EMPLOYMENTPERSON FOR AN EMPLOYMENT

People with disabilities have a right to• Employment opportunities• Equality of treatment• Decent productive jobs

Ensured that maximum benefits to employer as well as equitable opportunities for the worker could be achieved

Employers must not discriminate against any disabled person

when recruiting. This includes:

• in the job specification • in the design and completion of application forms • in the selection process (including interview timing and location) • in the assessment technique • in the terms of employment offered.

Employers must not discriminate against any disabled person appointed to a job.

This includes: • in terms and conditions of service • in induction arrangements • in opportunities for promotion, transfer, training or receiving any

other benefit, or refusal of such opportunities • in occupational pensions.[i]•

[i] http://www.shaw-trust.org.uk/page/6/92/

METHODS TO ADJUST THE WORK

ENVIRONMENT

AccessibilityResearch in field of rehabilitation of persons with a disability has identified five environmental characteristics:

Accessibility - can you get to where you want to go?

Accommodation - can you do what you want to do?

Resource Availability - are your special needs met?

Social Support - are you accepted by those around you?

Equality - are you treated equally with others? [i]

[i]http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disacc.htm#_edn16

Shop floor or workplace

No special requirements unless you employ a wheel chair bound personnel.

Has restrictions to move their wheelchair through compact production lines.

Main hindrance would be cut components or haphazard arrangement of bins and machines.

Proper layouts of production lines and placement of such workers near to the walking path is the possible solution.

walking path

Production line 1Production line 2

In the shadow area can place wheelchair bound persons

walking path

Spaces

• Extra space can be allowed for such workers without disturbing to the general layout. This extra space is in between his own machine and the rear machine and it should be 3 to 6 inches

Floor surfaceMost of the factories in Sri Lanka have a cement floor. High standard factories may be consisting of floor tiles or PVC carpets. Undulating surfaces and slippery floors are not expected.

SUMMERY OF BASIC PROBLEMS FACED BY

DISABLED PEOPLE AND SOLUTIONS RELATING TO

THE FACTORY LAYOUT

Wheelchair holders• Overcoming differences in

level Between road and pavement

• Bridging great differences in height Usually tackled by providing stairs

• Maneuvering in tight spaces

• Passing through Opening and over high thresholds narrow door

• Reaching high mounted controls and objects

• Maneuvering in rest rooms

• Install curb ramps

• Provide ramps, wide elevator cabs or platform lifts

• Provide wide routes and spaces

• Provide sufficient wide door opening with low beveled thresholds or none at all

• provide low mounted controls

• Install grab tub and shower seats

People with limited walking ability• Overcoming differences in level

• Maneuvering in situations requiring speed

• Climbing stairs and ramps

• Maneuvering in rest rooms

• Passing through narrow door over high thresholds

• Providing curb ramps, elevators or platform lifts

• Increase the pedestrian crossing time interval , Increase the opening interval of elevator and automatic doors

• Provide handrail for gripping

• Provide sufficiently wide rest rooms, Provide grab bars, bath tubs and a shower seat

• Provide sufficient wide door opening and with low beveled thresholds or none at all

People with limited use of hands or arms

• Opening heavy doors

• Gripping door knobs

• Gripping faucets

• Use automatic or easy to open doors

• Use lever type door handle

• Use lever type or push buttons faucets

TYPE OF PHYSICAL DISABILITY AND METHODS TO ADJUST THEM TO THE

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Right leg amputees (below knee)Generally all persons have their commensurate hand or leg, which can perform better than other side of the limbs. If a person’s right leg is amputated it is easy to employ such persons for industrial machines with induction motors and over lock machines. Over lock machine has a clutch motor. There are two treadles and one is for foot control and other for speed control. Right treadle is to control foot raising and lowering, which could even, operated by the artificial limbs. This task is very simple. Treadle controlled by the left leg is to accelerate the speed of the machine. Comparative it is easy to control this kind of machines than clutch machines.

Right leg amputees are employed in single needle machines where they have to use their right thigh to operate knee lifer of the machine. Only thing is time required to train such operator is comparatively high. It may be four months to one year to acquire acceptable level of efficiency.

Left leg amputees (below knee)

Left leg amputees are not difficult to employ in all types of machines as we assume that their right leg is much used.

Above knee amputees right or left legs

• Accessibility of such disabled personnel is restricted comparatively to below knee amputees. Another problem of such person is bending mechanism of the hinge at the knee is operated by a switch. Therefore such persons should be instructed to remove their limbs and sit on a chair to work as machine operators. Side of the knee lifter has to be changed according to the amputated leg. This could be done using a simple mechanism

Hand amputees

• The amputees who have their limb up to the elbow and below can be utilized as helpers in the clothing industry. Trimming and marking jobs can be done easily. Required assistance is to be incorporated with the artificial limb and the attachments

Finger amputees

• Such person’s ability is different due to the level of amputation and the number of fingers amputated and the type of the finger.

Other Disabilities of Limbs due to Muscle Weaknesses

Different level of movement restrictions could be seen at disabled personnel. There are also people with complicated disabilities. As an example such people may be having amputation as well as muscle weakness of hand or other available leg. Hence nerve damages and muscle weakness may be restrict the lifting power force, stretching or bending ability.

Level of muscle strength can be measured by using modern technology. But in the employment aspects of such personnel in clothing industry is totally different as expected. Since all these jobs require less strength but depend on the skill level.

FACILITATE DISABILITY THROUGH AUTOMATION

Automation is not a new term when considering the garment industry. From pedal operated machines in the 60s, the industry moved on to power-operated machines and steam presses in the mid 80s, started assembly line manufacturing in the late 80s and then entered the phase of using computerized machines.[i]

The industry saw a rapid change with the introduction of computerization in the garment industry. Automated machines for cutting, sewing, button-holes, CAD/CAM for pattern making etc, have brought down the cost of production considerably too.

Automation also helped the disabled people to work in the garment industry. Following chart indicates the type of disability and how the new technology is helping in the clothing industry to overcome it.

[i] http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=33533

Left Leg amputee below Knee

• Operator use his Right Leg

• Machine type– All machines

• Single needle lockstitch

• Double needle lockstitch

• Standard machines can be used

Left Leg amputee below Knee

• Over lock machines • Foot lifting

use solanide switch sensor

(Left leg knee level)

Left Leg amputee below Knee

• If unable to use

Right Leg

Machine type• Button Attach • Bartack

• Operating device combined to Right or Left hand elbow by a touch switch

• Machine start function given to Left Leg Knee level or Right Hand Elbow level

Left Leg amputee below Knee

• Foot lifting – Right leg

• Start the machine – Left leg

• Machine• Button attach• Bartack

• Operate the machine using a sensor switch near the right elbow or near right hand level

Right Leg amputee below Knee

• If operator use left leg

• Machine type– Single needle lock

stitch

• Knee lifter shifted

• Use cable & pulley to modify and operate existing knee lifter from left leg

Right Leg amputee below Knee

• Right Leg with artificial leg

• Machine type– Single needle lock

stitch

• Computerized panel machine with pre set speed and number of stitches

Pocket Flap Attach

Right Leg amputee below Knee

• Left Leg for treadle control & Right Knee for machine foot lifting

• Machine type– Overlock machine

• Convert Right Leg operating treadle to available left leg machine tool lifting. Solanide switch fixed to the foot lifting cable.

Right Leg amputee below Knee

• Left leg for machine clamp lifting Knee of the Right Leg to operate the machine

• Change treadles for two senses separately by using mechanical and electrical solanide switch

Right Leg amputee below Knee

• Using artificial limb

• Machine type– Computer controlled

cycle machine

• Total function pre set & controlled by gig set

Right Leg amputee below Knee

• Right Leg is incapacitated & out of control with his artificial limb

• Machine type– Computer controlled

cycle machine

(AMS 2100)

• Machine start providing solanide switch near the right elbow.

1st & 2nd finger amputees (Right or Left Hand)

• This level of disability is more crucial as he lost his main grip

• Machine type– Single needle lockstitch– Bartack machine– Flat lock machine– Special Belt Loop making

machine

• Computerized machine with pre set number of stitches

• Computerized machine with a clamp device

• Folder, Looping given to the machine with roll form

Injury on Right/Left Elbow

• Restrictions of stretching hand

• Machine type – Button attach • Button attachment

with a feeder

Injury on shoulder

• Can not lift weight. Low bulk garment or components should be selected

• Machine type– All type of machines

• Short distance railing on the opposite side for components pick up and disposing

• Provide pneumatically operated component disposal system

• Pneumatic edge guide

Restrictions of disability at the Wrist

• Study impair during the training

• Machine type– Overlock machine– Single needle

lockstitch

• Pneumatically operated clamp device which hold two plices and feed to the machine.