ergonomics in apparel industry

Ergonomics• The study of people's efficiency in

their working environment.

• Derived from the Greek words ergo (work) and nomos (natural laws). The name was officially proposed at a 1949 meeting of the British Admiralty (July 12), by Prof. Hugh

Murrell and was officially accepted in 1950.

Origin of the Word Ergonomics

Tasks Associated With Injuries and Illnesses• Hand Sewing and Trimming are Stressful to All Upper Limbs• Stitching Tasks are Associated With Pain in the Shoulders,

Wrists, and Hands• Ironing by Hand is Associated With Elbow Pain• Garment Assembly Tasks are Associated With CTDs of the

Hands and Wrists• Foot Operated Sewing is Associated With Pain in the Back

Injuries and Illnesses Among Textile and Apparel Workers • 70% of Sewing Machine Operators Using Foot Controls Report Back Pain• 35% Report Persistent Low Back Pain• 25% Have Suffered a Compensable Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD)• 81% of CTDs Were to the Wrist• 14% of CTDs to the Elbow• 5% of CTDs to the Shoulder

Wrong work place design

Not enough space for moving it may injure the spine

the table doesn’t allow enough room underneath for the worker's to move and Uncomfortable chair

Solutions :Provide worker with Adjustable

table, adjustable chair

-Sits for long hours on uncomfortable chair with no back support .

-bend her neck and back .-Pulls fabric with left hand as she sews.-Press pedal for sewing machine all .day

with bare feet-Pressure on the back of leg.

Solution: Provide adjustable treadle so the worker can place it in a comfortable position and get as

close to the table as possibleUse job/task rotation through tasks that

do not require constant leg pressure and awkward leg posture.

Fine work-Acute visual requirements, coupled

with intense wrist, hand, finger movements excessive bending for back and neck

-Bad ventilation-Insufficient lighting may cause eye fatigue and headache.

Solution: Use adjustable task lighting to make it easier for the worker to see product during set up

Not sufficient work place designThe machine stands on workers hollow that prevent them from moving easily

Solution :We should redesign the work place and put the machine in more suitable place

solution:To prevent ergonomic injures workers should be encouraged to rotate tasks or take frequent, short breaks to stretch and relax muscles.

Repetitive motion for very long hours & bending wrist may cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

Bad design poor hand grip may cause:Cuts ,strain, blisters stress on fingers

Solutions: -Using good grips tools.- Avoid using more force than the job

requires ,use partially automated tools to reduce force and repetition of pinch grip.

Quality check point:Require workers to stand for very

long period of time that may injure the spine

Solutions:Provide sit/stand workstations,

which encourage changing posture & provide external support or frequent movement.

:packaging-Over exertion on arm and

shoulders it may cause fatigue. -Bending the spinal.-Repetitive motion. -Standing for long hours.-No space for moving his feet.

Solution :-Provide table next to him so he

wont stretch his arm-They Should redesign the work

place to provide the worker external support or frequent movement.

Packaging:Workers repeatedly bend at the

waist and reach into transportation containers to load fabric, causing stress on the back and arms injury.

solutions: Use height-adjustable carts to reduce the need to bend or reach into the carts or provide her with good chair.

Handling materials:-awkward postures, Repeated torso

twisting while lifting which may result in back and shoulder injuries. -Lifting objects with arms fully extended or lifting from floor level or above shoulder level.

Solutions: -Design stations to allow most lifts at

waist level-Use mechanical lifts, ceiling tracks or carts to transport the fabric to reduce the risk of injury to the workers.

-Ladder not safe with no breaks so the worker may fall down.

--over exertion on arm & stress on shoulders joints.

-The worker is climbing on the shelves to load the stock garments its dangerous & he may falls and may break some bones .

Solutions: provide the workers with a suitable ladder .

Bad ventilation & hot place they should isolate the ironing section

because it affect the other sectorbending and stress on shoulder

1- Because a garment factory uses many heated processes, it is important for workers to avoid heat stress by drinking plenty of water during their shift

2- Water coolers are very far from work space just one source for water not so clean not provided with cups

Solution: Proper ventilation can help to reduce ambient temperatures and ensure worker comfort Drinking water by providing them with several water coolers

lightening

-poor lighting at work can lead to: eye strain, fatigue headaches, stress and accidents

On the other hand, too much light can also cause health

and safety problems such as “glare” headaches and stress. Both can lead to mistakes at work, poor quality and low productivity

Solution: Good lighting and avoid in terms of improved productivity, and a reduction in .errors

Noise :Too much worker with so many machines.

Unsafe floor

There is a role in the factory that force worker to clean the work place around them and its an attempt to maintain workplace clean .

Baring feet Lake of cleaning tools Bending & flexion harmful dust.

solution: must provide enough cleaning tools provide face masks

Un healthy work environment that may pollute the place and affect the worker negatively.

-Uncomfortable environment for work

-Uncovered cables-Storing stuff in wrong place

may disable the workers movement and may cause injuries

Worker awareness

Worker awareness

good drawing surface

Safety Precautions

SummaryTo ensure the continuous development and productivity of companies, employers must ensure the comfort and health of their employees by adopting an ergonomic approach to the design of workspaces.

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