Ergonomics in Apparel

Manufacturing - IV
Occupa tional Health & Safety Policy
and Assessment Manual
Why is Occupational Health & Safety so Important?
Reduced workers fatigue, reduced sickness of employees resulting in less absenteeism, reduced risk
of injury at work (Repetitive Strain Injuries, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, etc.), increase in worker
motivation and loyalty to employees resulting in less job turnover, increase in quality of output,
increase in quantity of output and efficient work force are some of the obvious reasons why the health
& safety policy is so important. Moreover occupational health & safety guidelines help an organization
in documenting each and every operation, thus taking a step forward towards implementation of any
Total Quality Management (TQM) system. Assessment and proper documentation of health & safety
regulations also helps to deal with workers claim. Making an occupational health & safety, an
assessment manual for an organization requires identifying and scripting the following sections.

• Identify areas of Responsibility, Hazards, Assess Risk (Risk Assessment) ;

• List Job Safety Information;
• Decide on Emergency Arrangements, Maintenance of Controls, Routine Inspections, Training
Records;
• Finally, Prepare the Action List.

Each of the sections mentioned above will require one or more formats to be prepared and filled up.

Area of Responsibility
Define your nature (field) and area (physical dimension) of responsibilities. For example, all managers
are responsible for:
• Physical condition of premises, equipment, vehicles under their control.
• Activities carried out by people working in the premises.
• Staff working for them whilst on the premises and any other visitors or contract workers.

Fill up Area of Responsibility Form drawing out boundaries of responsibility, including storerooms,
plant areas and access routes. Identify the Responsible Managers for every concerned department by
their name. Record the equipments of that department in separate form.

Table 1. Hazardous Conditions and their Control Measures

Danger of Due to Control Measures
People falling Open stairways / Changes in level / floor surface uneven Put fences, railing.
Walking over fabric rolls in fabric warehouse Mark with yellow lines
for uneven surface
Falling Carton and fabric bale storage above head height. Re-design storage
materials Unprotected edges of work platforms Loading / unloading of space. Use protective
bale, carton, machine on truck helmets in loading bay
Dangerous Band knife and Straight knife cutting machineElectrical Use protective wire
equipment equipment / pressurised boilers in finishing room gloves
Lifting Fork lift trolleys / Lift / hoist for goods and passengers
Equipment
Dangerous Toxic/corrosive/irritant/harmful (certain chemicals used in Label the bottles with
substances spotting, stain removing and garment dyeing/processing) warning message
Flammable materials (drycleaning chemicals) /liquids/LPG
Health hazards Dusts / airborne cotton fibres Gases / vapours (spotting Use masks
chemicals)
Radiations LASERS (marking lights in cutting table & sewing Use protective goggles
workstations)Ultra Violet (UV chambers in testing
laboratory)
Noise / Poor quality machine table
Vibrations
Basement Poor or choked ventilation
Manual Handling of fabric roll in cutting dept. Handling of garment Use Ergonomic
handling bags in finishing and washing dept. Loading / unloading of workstation for
bales, cartons, machines. minimizing injuries
Chemical Textile testing laboratory analysis /Garment dyeing and Label the bottles with
hazards washing warning message
Vehicle Driving / loading / unloading Restrict personnel
movements movement in vehicle
movement area, Use
hooter
Maintenance Machine tool setting and adjustment(Mechanic workshop) Use eye protection,
Welding / brazing / fabrication ear plugs

Hazards
Hazards and Hazardous Activities in the Workplace
A hazard is a situation with the potential for causing injury. First identify the physical hazards that are
present in your workplace. The only way to do this is by a thorough initial inspection of all the areas
within your area of control. Identify the preventive and control measures in specific situations, for
example if the stack of cartons were to fall, or if the cutting m/c blade touches finger or if the broken
m/c needle spring back to eye.

Accidents are not only the result of hazardous conditions, but also result of unsafe working practices
or in other words ‘hazardous activities’. Observe the jobs people do in your area, both as part of their
normal work or as an occasional task. Record all activities in your area on a form. Remember, some
people may do a variety of different activities as part of their job. For example, a sewing room helper
may do both pocket marking and pocket folding. Give each task a reference no. Then, identify special
hazards directly related to work and arrange training to avoid contact with potential hazards.

The control measures may be:

• In the form of physical safeguards, such as guarding machines, using barriers or control systems.
• Dependant on information and instruction given in site rules or warning notices.
• Relying on training and close supervision.
• Personal protection.

For each hazard, decide how the potential for injury is controlled; for example the stack of cartons
supported by railing, using protective wire gloves while cutting or ensure protection glass fitted with
machine is engaged while working. Knowing the number of people employed in an activity is useful
when we assess the risk. Even knowing the special hazards help to decide on priorities for
assessment. Use checklist to identify potentially hazardous work activities and then write the details of
each one onto the form. As you inspect the workplace, you will probably find matters that should be
rectified before completing the assessment. (see Table 2)
Risk Assessment:
You must now assess the risks associated with the hazards you have identified. The hazards may
have serious consequences without proper control measures. Estimate both the probability and
consequences of failures. For each hazard, determine

• The consequences like minor injury, illness due to injury, disablement due to injury, fatality or
multiple fatality, etc.
• How is the risk normally controlled? If the control measures were to fail or deteriorate, then what is
the likely outcome and how probable is this?

The risk assessment ranking table will help you to give each hazard a risk ranking. The priority
increases with either probability or consequences. The priority is greatest if both ratings are large.

Any risk, complex, unusual and difficult to assess may be recorded in form Special Assessment.

Job Safety Information:

Appropriate information on the hazards and control measures must be provided to those at risk. The
greater the risk, the more detailed the control measures required. First identify the basic site rules for
your workplace. Decide which activities are adequately controlled by these rules. Then, identify which
additional activities are left. Those require specific documentation of the special control measures that
must be adopted. Complete a Job Safety Sheet for such activities. Control measures can be grouped
into three categories: physical safeguards, system of working and personal protection.

Physical safeguards - Any engineering control measure provided, for example:

• Barriers and handrails,
• Ventilation systems, and
• Fixed or interlocked guards

System of working - The arrangement for the conduct of the job, for example:
• Permits or procedures for authorization, and
• Requirements to be accompanied or assisted

Personal Protection - The equipment to protect against injuries or ill health, for example:
• Respirators, breathing apparatus, musk,
• Protective clothing, gloves and footwear,
• Eye protection, helmets, bump caps, etc., and
• Finally tie your hair back!

Any operator must be informed of the risks involved in their job before they start, i.e. during induction
training. A list similar to Table 3 can be of help.

Quality controllers of buying companies working in your premises also require Job Safety Information.
They are responsible for safe conduct of their work. You are responsible for their safety in work place.
In particular, they must be aware of your emergency procedures.

Emergency Arrangements:
Emergency arrangements are required to respond to situations of serious danger that may arise like:
fire or bomb threat, serious injury or ill health at work, flooding from rainwater or burst pipes,
explosions of electrical items by short circuit, steam boiler, etc. A five-point plan can be applied as a
standard framework for emergencies, like:
• Detection: How will an emergency be discovered? Are there automatic detectors?
• Raising the alarm: How will those at risk be alerted? How will assistance be summoned?
• Evacuation: Who all must be evacuated?
• Containment: How will the emergency be prevented from spreading?
• Response: What must be done to regain control? When can people return to work?

For each emergency foreseen, complete an emergency response sheet. An emergency arrangement
sheet for sewing room during fire is shown in Table 4.
Maintenance of Controls
It is the responsibility of the Manager to ensure that appropriate maintenance programmes are devised
and implemented for different safeguards like:
Fire alarm detection system. (statutary inspections); Lifts, Hoists, Generators (statutary inspections);
Compressor pressure release valve; Steam boiler pressure release valve; Machine belt guards and
eye protection glass; Emergency stop switch in automatic workstation; and Helmets, musks, wire
gloves.

For each safeguard determine the maintenance required, the frequency and person who will do the
work.

Routine Inspections
To ensure that all necessary control measures are used and remain effective there is a need for
routine inspection. To decide who will inspect and when the inspection will be made, prepare a
checklist similar to Table 5.
Training Records
Everyone must be trained in the safety requirements of the work they do.
Training must be provided when:
• Starting work for the first time in your area.
• Transferring to other work activities.
• New equipments/methods introduced.
All those who work in your area must know:
• The hazards their work may involve.
• The precautions they must take to ensure safety.
• The emergency arrangements.
A Training Record form should be filled up with all safety training and instruction details as a proof of
training and also inventory of work force.
Action List
During your initial hazard survey, record all those matters that require attention in Action List form. For
each action set a target date for completion and update when completed. This form may be used
recording new discovery during Routine Inspection.

Conclusion
Making of the manual is although tedious and cumbersome work, it is worth drafting a manual for an
organization. It not only brings transparency and clarity of processes but clearly defines responsibility
and authority. A well-drafted manual assist in worker- related legal issues. The manual should be
drafted by trained professionals, as a poorly drafted manual may lead to damage to the company.

Other related articles on Ergonomics in StitchWorld

• Ergonomics in Apparel Manufacturing- III Repetitive Strain Injury

Edition: December-2008
• Ergonomics in Apparel Manufacturing - II Workplace Ergonomics in Apparel Industry
Edition: November-2008
• Ergonomics in Apparel Manufacturing - I Importance and Impact of Ergonomics
Edition: October-2008