Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing Adapting tasks, work stations, tools, and equipment to fit the worker can help reduce Physical stress on a worker's body and eliminate many potentially serious, disabling work related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Unfortunately, in the field of garment manufacturing; ergonomics has not given due attention yet. We are still working on bad work place designs; most of them are not relevant for current requirements. Organizations are losing a lot of money in- * Health compensations * Operators absenteeism * Poor productivity and * Poor quality Awkward body postures are one of the major ergonomic concems in the garment manufacturing sector. Awkward postures prevent the operator's body from a comfortable Position resulting into reduced efficiency and increased the use of efforts as well as energy. The other easily observed scenario with the garment workers is continuously working in Static posture where the body is held in one position for a long period of time. These types of postures require constant muscle use for the time the body is held in the position. This reduces rest and recovery time, which leads to muscle tiredness. Working in a constant position for a prolonged period of time, such as sitting and working on machine for hours, works in standing postures such as working in cutting department or on embroidery machine as examples of static posture. If the worker stands in one position for long periods of time, muscles of the back and legs will be constantly activated. This can lead to increased fatigue, and decreased blood circulation to the legs. 4.4 Ergonomic principles As discussed earlier, ergonomics aims at preventing injuries by controlling the risk factors Such as force, repetition, posture and vibration that can cause injuries to develop and result in loss in many folds including loss of productivity. These ergonomics principles are very simple in nature and easy to follow. These are based on common sense and enable us for improving designs, working safe and in more productive manner.Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing 4.4.1 Usage of proper tools The tools used while performing the task should be appropriate for the specific tasks. The tools being used should allow keeping the body parts such as hands and wrists in correct posture. The tool should fit comfortably into your hand. The tools should be designed in Proper way for example if the grip size of the tool is too large or too small it will be uncomfortable and will increase the risk of injury. Before: Tool handles are small and angular requiring the worke, to grasp tightly against sharp edges Ergonomicfmprovement: Tool handle is formed to fit the worker's hhand which requires less grip strength or force and a more user- friendly tool Using automated tools shorter 5 and heightadjustable Extended reach and bending over table pee ‘minimize injuries. causes ergonomic stress on. shoulders, and arms, ib Figure 4.1 Usage of proper tools thineWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing Employees use a pinch grip to hold small scissors between the Ergonomic snippers that spring index finger and — thumb. back without operator force Repeated pinch grip may cause and minimize contact stress. hand or wrist injuries. Holding small scissors between the index finger and thumb also can cause contact stress on the fingers. Figure 4.2 Usage of proper tools 4.4.2 Minimizing repetitive movements The repetitive motions done for a longer duration may causes pain. If the same motions are done continuously it may result in to rupture of ligaments and body disorders. The repetitive motions can be controlled by automation. The machines or tasks can be modified to reduce the number of repetitive motions. For example using a power-driven screwdriver or tools with a ratchet device can reduce the number of twisting motions with the armWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing Continuously done repetitive movements such as pick up, lifting the presser foot using knee, slide under presser foot, stitching, taking out and dispose throughout the day cause excess strain on the particular body parts and may result in body pain initially and later some serious deformations in the body. Figure 4.3 Minimizing the repetitive movements Repetitive movements are tiring. Prolonged exposure to such movements may result in to injuries to the muscles and joints. The bad effects of such postures and repetitive movements can be controlled by alternating tasks, it is best to avoid movements that involve regular lifting or repetitive arm movements. A continuous stress on particular muscles and joints due to repetitive movements leads to localized muscle fatigue results into muscle discomfort, weakness and reduced muscle performance. And the person may eventually unable to perform the task properly. 4.4.3 Avoiding awkward posture ‘Awkward postures can be very easily observed specially in the garment manufacturing. Continuous awkward postures put extra stress on the body which weakens muscles and ligaments. At the same time this reduces the productivity too. Your job should not require you to work with your hands above shoulder height on a regular basis. Arms should be kept low and close to your body. Bending and twisting of your wrists, back and neck should also be avoided Awkward postures make the tasks more physically demanding by increasing the exertion required from smaller muscle groups, and preventing the stronger, larger muscle groups from working at maximum efficiencies. Handling or assembling very small parts and materials or performing extremely precise tasks may contribute to eye strain and awkward postures.Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing Se A Wey es SS ‘ergonomic stress to arms, Bar rostune (Ceramics or) — {Mnemi amen Before: Worker rests his wrists on th Ergonomic Improvement: Worker rests sharp ray edges. His wrist is extent her wrists and forearms on a padded into'@ nen-neutral posture surtace. Wrist and forearm a eRe ‘neutral position. Figure 4.4 Avoiding awkward postures 4.4.4 Safe lifting — Incorrect posture while bending and lifting puts excessive pressure to the joints and back. When maintaining a posture or making a movement such as bending, the Joints should be kept as much as possible in a neutral position. In the neutral position the muscles and ligaments are stretched to the least possible extent and are thus subject to less stress. oom 70m rt Es) backload 450 700N 950 Figure 4.5 Increasing the distance between the hands and the body increases the stress on, among other areas, the lower back (10 N is about 1 kg-force). (Courtesy: Ergonomics for Beginners: A Quick Reference Guide)Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing @) £2) Figure 4.6 Safe Lifting An adult's upper part of the body weighs about 40 kg on average. The more the trunk is bent forwards, the difficult it is to maintain the balance for the muscles and ligaments of the back In this situation there is excess stress on the lower back. Such bending should be avoided and a correct bending by keeping the joints at normal position should be practiced. 4.4.6 Sufficient rest Muscular fatigue can be controlled/ reduced by managing the relaxing time over the task duration or working day. It is not logically correct to accumulate break times until the end of the task or working day. Sufficient rest is must after regular intervals. This provides a much needed physical and mental relax to the body of the operator The majority of the people can carry out a prolonged task without feeling any significant fatigue if the energy demand of the task (the energy consumed by the person per unit of time) does not exceed 250 W (1 W = 0.06 kj/min = 0.0143 kcal/min). This figure includes the ‘amount of energy, approximately 80W, which the body needs when at rest. If the energy demand during a task exceeds 250 W, then additional rest is necessary to recover and accordingly the task needs to be planned. 4.5 Ergonomic interventions in garment manufacturing 'mproving working conditions through ergonomic interventions can improve Productivity and Safety which may result in enhanced competitiveness. The ergonomic interventions may include allocating high risk jobs to machines where ever possible or improved product design 8 per operators’ requirements or fitting the task to the man. Ergonomics is nothing but Science that aims on designing task for the operator. An ergonomically designed task would ensure safe, easy and productive work environment.Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing It has been widely recognised that the most of the problems faced by the workforce (specially operators) are due to the inappropriate working conditions, difficult work environment, and wrong posture for a longer duration of time and lack of awareness of handling machine and materials. Sometimes faulty work place arrangement is also responsible for such problems. Repetitive activity for a prolonged duration and continuous exposure to such environment causes serious health issues to the workforce. These work related problems (occupational issues) often start as minor aches and pains but can develop into disabling injuries (occupational hazards) that may affect the life badly. Ergonomics aims at preventing such injuries by controlling the risk factors such as force, repetition, posture and vibration that can cause injuries to develop. There is an ample opportunity for ergonomic interventions in each and every stage of garment manufacturing process. Right from fabrics & trims stores to cutting to sewing, packing and finishing such ergonomic interventions can OBSERVATIONS Postural discomfort and pain in make a significant difference. Table Height Too High or too low shoulders, neck and hands Inadequate Light Too less or too much light or] Problems with vision, colour glare blindness and blurred vision Excess Noise Continuous exposure to noise | Hearing problems and level above 90 dB Handling of machines with continuous sound in ears Excess Vibrations Numbness in fingers, loss of vibrations, exposure to vibration level above 20 Hz. sensing, nervous system disorders Exposure in dust work [Working in environment with | Respiratory problems environment high dust levels, such as in cutting rooms. Table 4.1 Poor Working Environment and its Impact A. Fabric Stores Fabric stores is one of the place which involves heavy works such as unloading and loading the fabric rolls, lifting the rolls and putting it into the racks etc. Due to the nature of the work, operations are more prone to injuries if the correct method and equipment are not applied Manual lifting of Heavy fabric rolls from floor, where the workers need to bend him, lift the roll and then store it to the rack may cause a substantial risk of low back injuryWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing The key issues of concern v Handling of the fabric roll to a height above head level is difficult causes stress in the shoulder and backbone. v The worker has to stretch hands and has to reach far off which causes excessive lumbar extension. Figure 14.1 Material Handling in Fabric Store Suggested solutions Y Rack height should be set in such a manner that it is within the reach of the workers. If it is not possible fork lifters should be used. v The items which are heavy and used frequently should be stored between knee and shoulder height, not on the ground and not also the head level. v Heavy items such as fabric rolls or machines should not be carried manually and should be moved in a trolley. B. Cutting Section In a garment manufacturing set-up, cutting is the place where fabric rolls are brought and spread for cutting. And once cutting is done, the garment panels are stacked and dispatched to the next process Key issues of concern + At the time of fabric roll loading for spreading, the operator needs to lift the roll from floor, which may cause stress on shoulders and back. * The operator also needs to remove the heavy metal rod from the stand to load the fabric roll. This may also cause strain in hands and arms.EE ET ll Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing * The operator needs to bend forward in order to reach across the width of the table to cut the fabric and to adjust it-This may cause stress in the spine, shoulder and abdomen * Incase of automatic spreading the operator have to bend their back to ssmoothen the fabric. * While operating cutting tools such as straight knife, bend knife and numbering the vibrations can cause pains in wrist as well as numbness in the fingers ‘Suggested solutions * Handling and loading of fabric roll though hydraulic or pneumatic devices. * Rolls may be placed in sloped platform at waist level for ease of handling and movement * Two operators may be deployed while spreading to avoid bending forward. «© The height of the cart with multiple selves used for stacking of panels should be equal to the height of the cutting table. * Clamps to hold the fabric plies should be used. C. Sewing floor Sewing floor is the place where the maximum number of activities happens with involvement of maximum number of workers. Each person is involved in on or other activities, such as !oading and moving of panels, to stitching operations involving various types of machines, passing the material to the next work station, quality checking, recording of data, and a number of manual operations such as turning the garments, trimming , creasing, ironing, inspection etc. In addition, the operators need to sit and work continuously for hours and that to following a series of repetitive operations. Generally the operators need to stay in restrict work space with minimal movement. This is quite uncomfortable to work for hours in such environment Key issues of concern- * Repetitive motion with restricted body movements * Handling of big panels while sewing * Simultaneous involvement of different body part such as fingers, hands, knee, leg and ankles. * Fixed height of stools and chair. + No rotary movement and no proper back supportWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing Improper work place arrangement Poor design of equipment such as stackers, ironing tables, material handling trolleys, inspection tables etc. Inadequate light arrangement, which puts excess strain to operator's eyes Suggested solutions Improved design of machine and equipment which are comfortable and safe Chairs/stools with adjustable height and proper cushion and back support. Slanted inspection tables. Semi sitting work stations with proper support and flexibility Use of work aids and attachments to handle the large panels while stitching, Proper light arrangement at the work stations. Usage of de-skilling devices for each of operations. D. Finishing and Packing Finishing and packing is one another important section of garment manufacturing. Like stores, finishing and packing section also deals with heavy duty operations such as loading and unloading of trolleys full of washed garment, lifting and arranging heavy cartons of finished garments etc. In addition activities like ironing, pressing and folding, tagging, quality inspections are also performed in this section. Most of these activities are done in standing posture Key issues of concern In appropriate height of the ironing table (too low or too high) where operator needs to put extra efforts. This may cause pain in shoulders, neck and back. When the table is too high the worker has to use an elevated shoulder posture and when it is too low a poor neck and back posture is the result. Handling of heavy weight irons may cause extra stress in hands and shoulders. Works are done in standing postures continuously and thus the operator gets easily tired. Flat tables (horizontal bed) results in excess bending of neck, and increased stress on shoulders. Poor work place arrangement in the finishing section which makes pick and dispose difficult. Inadequate lighting creates shadows and glare as well as difficulty in inspecting the garments.Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing Suggested solutions * Tables should be of proper height meeting the operator's requirement. * Tables with slated surface for ease of inspection. * Improved work place with easy access to the materials being used frequently. * Provision of body support to reduce fatigue * Arrangement of adequate lighting 4.6 Basic posture selection Posture is often decided by the task needs to be performed or the workplace, where or on which the task needs to be performed. It is very important to work on maintain the right posture while working, to do this it's imperative to work on analyzing the task very carefully. The arrangement of work place and or the work station should fit to the operator so that the right posture can be maintained. Failing to this, an operator may have to work in wrong postures and such postures for prolonged time may lead to complaints of the muscles and joints. Type of Work i Light Work Heavy Work | |) Standing Work | | © Station Legroom No Leg room available available Little Standing up Much Standing (less than 10/hr) UP (More than 10/hr) Sit-stand Work Work Station standin, Station Station with Pedestal Work. Stool Station Figure 4.7 Basic posture selectionWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing Most of the work in offices as well as in manufacturing set-ups is done in sitting postures, such @s garment stitching and assembly work and packaging work). Generally working in sitting is preferred as it has a number of advantages compared to standing. The body is in better comfort because of the availability support from floor, seat, backrest, arm-rest and work surface. Hence working in sitting posture is less tiring than standing. However, activities that require the operator to exert a lot of force or to move around frequently are best carried out standing. The figure 4.7 may be referred for selection of right posture and accordingly work place may be developed or arranged. How to adjust you Sewing work place Make your chair and foot control as per your body requirements Adjust the machine and chair in a position which ole) eee Cree Leelee Back support tilt Back support height Figure 4.8 Adjusting the work placeWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing CHAPTER 05 WORKING CONDITIONS IN RMG INDUSTRYWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing CHAPTER 05 WORKING CONDITIONS IN RMG INDUSTRY 5.1 Introduction Garments industry is one of the most labour intensive industries. The nature of work in the garments factory involves activities with repetitive work pattern. Such kind of work results in fatigue, causing different types of health issues to the operators. Work fatigue also results in the loss of productivity of the workers and bad reputation to the organisation. There are a number of reports and observational studies that suggest that employees in garment manufacturing industry often work under difficult conditions that are unacceptable in industrialized countries. The productivity loss and the higher production rejects result from fatigue due to longer working hours and poor working conditions such as bad lighting and ventilation. The studies have revealed that that the human body is far more productive when working under optimal conditions and it has been found that productivity can be improved merely by improving the conditions under which people work. So far, occupational safety and health and ergonomics have not been given due consideration in Apparel manufacturing. But wherever it has given importance and taken seriously, such practices have shown excellent results. 5.2 Working environment in ready-made garment manufacturing The workers are forced to work within the confines of the job or workstation that already exists in the manufacturing set-ups and one needs to adjust himself to the actual working condition, Many a times the environment doesn't fit to the person employed. This may require employees to work in awkward postures, perform the same motion over and over again or lift heavy loads, ete. It has been widely recognised that the most of the problems faced by the workforce (specially operators) are due to the inappropriate working conditions, difficult work environment, and wrong posture for a longer duration of time and lack of awareness of handling machine and materials. Sometimes faulty work place arrangement is also responsible for such problems. Repetitive activity for a prolonged duration and continuous exposure to such environment causes serious health issues to the workforce. These workWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing related problems (occupational issues) often start as minor aches and pains but can develop into disabling injuries (occupational hazards) that may affect the life badly. Ergonomics aims at preventing such injuries by controlling the risk factors such as force, repetition, posture and vibration that can cause injuries to develop. There is an ample opportunity for ergonomic interventions in each and every stage of garment manufacturing process. Right from fabrics & trims stores to cutting to sewing, packing and finishing such ergonomic interventions can OBSERVATIONS Postural discomfort and pain in make a significant difference Improper working and | Inadequate arrangement Too sitting arrangement High or too low shoulders, neck and hands Inadequate Light Too less or too much light or glare Problems with vision, colour blindness and blurred vision Excess Noise Continuous exposure to noise level above 90 dB Hearing problems and continuous sound in ears Excess Vibrations Handling of machines with Numbness in fingers, loss of vibrations, exposure to vibration | sensing, nervous disorders system level above 20 Hz. Working high dust levels, such as in Exposure in dust in environment with | Respiratory problems work environment cutting rooms Table 5.1 Poor Working Environment and its Impact 5.3 Occupational safety Most of the times it is observed that work environment in the garment manufacturing units is unhealthy and not safe to the workers. Some of the easily observed situations may include, wrong working postures, poor tool and equipment design, improper lay-outs, congested work area, improper ventilation, dust, un-ergonomic workstations, high noise and vibration levels and negligence towards usage of personal protective equipment, unhygienic food facilities, longer working hours, inadequate medical facilities etc. etc. Prolonged exposure to such working conditions lead to Occupational health and safety issues were the major constraints faced by the workers in these units. We live in society and we all are responsible for well-being of every individual. Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees .An effective workplace safety and health is one of the prime concerns.Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing The workplace safety and health is directly proportional to- Increased productivity, + Improved employee morale, Reduced absenteeism and illness, and Reduced workers’ compensation rates. 5.3.1 Occupational hazards An Occupational hazard is a situation with the potential for causing injury to the person on job. Accidents along with unsafe working practices results in occupational hazards. There are two broad categories of hazards as- A. Visible Hazards, due to * Floor openings * Uncovers machines Unsafe storage Chemical splits + Wrong practices while tool/machine handling + Lacklignorance of Safety equipment B. Invisible Hazards, due to Gas leakage + Fumes generation Vibrations Hazards due to expired chemicals 5.3.2 Fire prevention — Due to the nature of textile and garment sector, a number of flammable materials such as fibres, fabrics, cartons, paper, various chemicals, lubricants are used on a large scale. Usage of such materials also increases the chances of fire hazards. Accordingly the organizations need to prepare to prevent such accidents Prevention and protection from fire hazards may be done by taking measures like by designing buildings, processes and storage facilities in such a way, which can limit chances of fire hazards by limiting the possible combination of oxygen, fuel and temperature and by eliminating or reducing the sources of Heat ignition.Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing Preparedness for fire emergency + Emergency Exit Plans- Fire Evacuation Plans + Clear and Properly marked unobstructed exits + Use of proper type of fire Extinguishers with proper instruction + Trained fire fighters * Hand-on training of workers + Time to time Fire alarms and fire drills * Automatic Fire/Smoke detection devices While finalizing the Layout, there must be provisions such as + Hazard Prone section should be made/planned separate + Should be above ground level * Window area should not be less than 17% of the floor area * Ceiling height should not be less than3.0 meters + Each worker should have 10 or more cubic meters of air + Each worker should have 2 square meters or more area as free-floor area 5.3.3 Lighting- Poor lighting leads to eye strain, fatigue, headache, strain and accidents. Too much light also causes glare, strain to the eyes of the operators. One should not put more lights at work place but the existing lights should be cleaned properly and maintained properly. Illumination can affect a person's performance and well-being. The light intensity, which is the amount of light that falls on the work surface, must be sufficiently high whenever visual tasks have to be carried out rapidly and with precision and ease. Availability of adequate lighting is very important in garment manufacturing set-ups. The appropriate lighting is required- * To accelerate production * To find out the correct material with-out wasting time. * Operation effectiveness + Itreduces fatigue and strain on eyesWork Study in Apparel! Manufacturing Improving the light distribution + Excessive differences in brightness between objects or surfaces in the visual field are undesirable. Large differences can result from reflections, dazzling lights and shadows, among other things. * The visual field can be divided into three zones: the task area, the close ‘surroundings and the wider surroundings. The brightness of the task area should not be three times larger or three times smaller than that of the close surroundings. The brightness of the task area should not differ from that of the wider surroundings by more than a factor of ten. * When the visibility of the information is insufficient, it is more effective to improve the legibility of the information than to increase the light intensity. © Except for orientation tasks, the required light intensity on a work surface can be achieved by a combination of fairly limited ambient lighting and more intense localized or task lighting * Available daylight should also be used for general lighting. Incoming daylight and a view to the outside are much appreciated by most people. Using blinds can prevent large variations in daylight intensity from direct sunlight. * Excessive reflections can be avoided by using indirect (i.e., diffuse) lighting in ceilings. * Table tops, walls and such should also produce diffuse reflection of any incident light; in other words, the reflected light should be evenly distributed in all directions Recommended Values for Light Reflectance 0.80-0.90 (LIGHT COLOR! Table Tops lozsoss [Floor | 0.20-0.40 (DARK COLOR Table 5.2 Recommended Values for Light Reflectance 0.40-0.60Work Study in Apparel Manufacturing Recommended minimum illumination levels for garment manufacturing set-up are [een Casual seeing 100 Storage Ordinary-moderate 300 Cutting/Sewing floor, offices general lighting working Critical Tasks 500 Stitching-Focusing at needle point Very Critical tasks 1000 Fabric/Garment inspections Exceptionally critical 2500-3000 | Shade matching, Checking for fine designs tasks Table 5.3 Recommended Values for Lux Level 5.3.4 Noise Sound which is beyond the acceptable level of human is termed as Noise. The presence of high noise levels during a task can be annoying and, in time, result in impaired hearing Annoyance, such as interference in communication or reduction of concentration, can occur even at relatively low noise levels. Annoyance and impaired hearing can be avoided by setting upper limits for noise levels. Noise levels are expressed in decibels, dB (A). A noise level that, over an 8-hour working day, exceeds 80 dB(A) on average can damage hearing. Assuming constant noise levels, this daily level will be reached, for example, with an 8-hour exposure to 80 dB(A), or with a 1-hour exposure to 89 dB(A) Noise Control measures In general three types of measure can be applied to reduce or eliminate the adverse effects of environmental factors: + At source (eliminate or reduce source) + Inthe transmission between source and man (isolate source and/or man) * At the individual level (reduction of exposure duration, personal protective equipment) Noise reduction is achieved in most cases by reducing or preventing the transmission of noise between source and receiver * Separate noisy work from quiet work + Keep an adequate distance from the source of noise * Use the ceiling to absorb noise * Use acoustic screensWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing Usage of ear plugs or ear muffs- One can resort to protecting hearing by using earplugs or earmuffs if the previous measures, which were aimed at the source or at the transmission, are not feasible. Ear protectors must be available if the noise level is temporarily too high, for example during noisy maintenance activities. 5.3.5 Vibrations In garment manufacturing, there are a number of machines and equipment where operator is. exposed to vibrations such as straight knife and bend knife, different kind of sewing machines, embroidery machines etc. To access the vibrations, three variables are important, vibration level (expressed in m/s), vibration frequency (expressed in Hz) and the exposure duration Low-frequency body vibrations (<1 Hz) can produce a feeling of seasickness while body vibrations between 1 and 100Hz, specially between 4 and 8 Hz, can lead to chest pains, difficulties in breathing, low back pain and impaired vision. Vibration control measures * Large machines and motorized tools often constitute a source of vibration Rotating movements generally cause less vibration than reciprocating movements, a fact worth remembering when designing or selecting machines and tools. Likewise, hydraulic and pneumatic transmissions are superior to mechanical transmission in this respect. * Maintain machines regularly * Machines and handheld tools sometimes display loose fits, eccentricity or imbalance, all of which cause vibration, noise and wear. * Whenever measures at source are inadequate, attention should be devoted instead to reducing the transmission of vibration. This is best done by damping the vibration where it enters the body, for instance, by fitting floors, seats an handgrips with a damping material. + If measures at source and in transmission are not effective, then attention must be directed at the individual. This can be done by reducing the duration of exposure, for example by alternating tasks which entail vibration with tasks that do not entail vibration. 5.3.6 Climate Climate plays an important role in efficient working of the people. Extreme climate which is Not suitable to human body makes working difficult and people feel uneasy. Whether aWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing climate is considered pleasant depends also on the level of physical effort required by the work and on the type of clothing. Fortunately such case is not with Ethiopia. And the country has pleasant climate over the year. The recommended air temperature levels (As per ILO standards) have been given in the below table, Type of work Air temperature (°C) Seated, Thinking task Seated, Light manual work Standing, Light manual work Standing, Heavy manual work Heavy work Table 5.4 Recommended Values for Air Temperature 5.3.7 Chemical substances There are a number of different kinds of chemicals used in garment manufacturing Chemical substances occur in the environment as liquids, gases, vapours, dusts or solids Exposure to such chemical (liquid, vapour or gas form) may cause serious problems such as breathing and respiratory issues, affecting nervous system, blurred vision and even cancer. Some substances can cause discomfort or present a health hazard if inhaled or ingested or if they come into contact with the skin or eyes. Control of chemical substances + There are official international limits for chemical substances in air and are intended to prevent adverse health effects and are known as TLVs (Threshold Limit Values).The TLV is an 8-hour weighted average concentration and should not be exceeded in any single day. One should always aim to remain as far below the TL Vs as possible * Avoid peak exposures to the chemicals * Exposure to mixtures of substances should be avoided * Packages of chemicals should be labeled appropriately * Measures can be aimed at the source or at the exposure. Measures at source are preferable, especially if this mean replacing the source. If this is not feasible, the source should be reduced. If this is still inadequate, then the source must be isolated. * Chemical substances must be extracted directly at source * Provide an efficient exhaust systemWork Study in Apparel Manufacturing * Pay attention to the effect on climate when designing air extraction and ventilation with provisions of sufficient air changes. * Various organizational measures are possible to reduce people's exposure. People should spend as little time as possible in rooms with contaminated air, and likewise, the number of people exposed to the contaminated air should be limited. Activities where chemical substances are released can, for example, be separated from unaffected activities by locating them in a separate room. * Personal protective equipment must be used, even though most users consider such equipment to be a nuisance. * Measures can be taken to reduce the absorption of chemical substances through the skin- © Clean dirty clothing and gloves regularly. © Do not use dirty cleaning cloths. © Cleanse the skin regularly with soap and water. o Ensure rapid treatment of skin lesions. 5.4 OSHA regulations Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an international body working under U.S. Department of Labour for developing Occupational Safety and Health regulations, its implementation and monitoring. These guidelines are actually from Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 which get amended time to time based on the requirements. OSHA's role is to promote the safety and health of working American* men and women by * setting and enforcing standards; * providing training, * outreach and education, * establishing partnerships and * encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. * The Standards are initially developed for Americans but are accepted and followed across the globe The key activities of OSHA are- + Formalization of the structure of safety services * Categorization of Occupational hazards + Employee and Employer's awareness