COST OF BAD ERGONOMICS

to apparel factories

Subject: Apparel Production, Planning and Control

Subject faculty: Mr. Kamaljeet Singh

PREPARED BY:
JINNY SEBESTIAN
JYOTI RAWAL
NISHTHA VERMA
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In preparation of our assignment, We had to take the help and

guidance of some respected persons, who deserve our deepest
gratitude. As the completion of this assignment gave us much
pleasure, We would like to show our gratitude Mr. Kamaljeet
Singh, Apparel Production, Planning and Control Faculty, of Nift
Kangra, for giving us good guideline for assignment throughout
numerous consultations. We would also like to expand our
gratitude to all those who have directly and indirectly guided us in
making this assignment.

We also thank Nift Kangra for giving us such an opportunity to

explore more with constant learning. However, it would not have
been possible without the kind support and help of many
individuals and institution. Our thanks and appreciations also go to
our classmates in developing the assignment and people who
have willingly helped us out with their abilities.
ERGONOMICS
Ergonomics is the study of people in their working environment. It is a field of study that
deals with the interaction between man and the total working environment, such as
atmosphere, heat, light and sound, as well as tools and equipment of the workplace.

The main goal of ergonomics is to increase productivity and efficiency on one hand and at
the same time to make the employees work under humane conditions and within the
comfort limits on the other hand.

IMPORTANCE OF ERGONOMICS

An ergonomist designs or modifies the work to fit the worker, not the other
way around. The goal is to eliminate discomfort and risk of injury due to
work.
In other words, the employee is the first priority in analyzing a workstation.
In the garment industry, workers spend most of their time carrying out
repetitive activities in awkward postures.
If one does not sit properly, take regular breaks, and also use correctly
positioned furniture and equipment, they become vulnerable to pain and
discomfort.
Injuries and muscle pain affecting the wrists, shoulders, neck and back are
common problems for workers in the garment industry.
The worker is forced to work within the confines of the job or workstation
that already exists. This may require employees to work in awkward
postures, perform the same motion over and over again, or lift heavy loads
– all of which could cause work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
Ergonomics aims at preventing injuries by controlling the risk factors such
as force, repetition, posture, and vibration that can cause injuries to
develop.

Some fundamental ergonomic principles that should be followed in

workplaces are:
1. Use proper tools,
2. Keep repetitive motions to a minimum,
3. Avoid awkward posture,
4. Use safe lifting procedures,
5. Get proper rest
PROBLEMS FACED BY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN
APPAREL INDUSTRY
CUTTING DEPARTMENT
Loading by hand.
Lots of fabric lifted by hand are heavy
and create a substantial risk of lower
back injury.

Loading with a fixed assist

accompanying the spreader.
Bolts are rarely in the proper location to
be picked up by the fixed assist-
operators have to maneuver the bolt by
hand.

Loading with a movable assist

Spreaders that require the bolt of fabric to be threaded with a spreader bar – some
bars are very heavy.
Bolts located on the floor require the operator to adopt a stooped or squat posture to
thread the bar.
When no spreader bar is required the operator has to lift one end of the bolt at a time
to attach the hoist.

SPREADING DEPARTMENT
Spreading by hand.
Long reaches are required to cut across the width of the fabric each time a layer is
completed or flaws are removed from the fabric.

Manual spreading
Operators have the long reach across the table to cut the fabric and they have to
manually pick up weights to hold the fabric down each time a layer is completed
before spreading the fabric in the other direction.
Automated spreading.
Operators either ride on a platform or walk beside the automatic spreader as it
moves along the table.
Operators often have to smooth the fabric while it is being spread.
The table is often too low and operators have to bend their backs while smoothing.
This is a risky posture when maintained for extended periods of time

ASSEMBLY DEPARTMENT
Attachments to the sewing table.
Wooden bars attached to the sewing table are used as the supply location. These bars
are sometimes located too far from the operator, are too small or allow the garments to
slip off them.

Rolling carts.
The carts are very heavy and the shelving units are low. Wheels are frequently in very
poor repair and/or have a build-up of thread on them. This makes the carts very
difficult to maneuver.

Automated stackers
Stackers deposit the garments at a low location that requires someone to bend down
to pick them up to move them on to the next workstation.

Height of the Tables

Sewing tables are not easily adjustable. Tables that are too high create elevated
shoulder postures and non-neutral elbow and wrist postures. Tables that are too low
cause the operator to lean forward and flex his or her neck.

Size and shape

Tables aren't large enough to support the weight of the garment. Other tables are too
large and get in the way of easy pickup and deposit, particularly when using
automated transport systems.Table angles are also not comfortable at times.

Leg room
Sewing machine operators have limited legroom because of drawers and/or trash
chutes attached to the underside of the table.

textile workers according
to a research conducted:
Work in the garment factories is repetitive
and monotonous requiring strong visual
demands, improper postural requirements,
involving long hours sitting or standing in
one position.
The leading issues of which employees,
who worked for many years in the garment
sector, complain are back, waist, shoulder
pain, burn and pain in hands, arms and
elbows, neck flattening, musculoskeletal
problems, pain in the feet and legs, eye
problems.
Illness and injuries among
70% of sewing machine operators using
foot controls report back pain.
35% report persistent lower back pain.
25% have suffered a compensable
cumulative trauma disorder (CTD).
81% reported CTDs to the wrist.
14% reported CTDs to the elbow.
5% reported CTDs to the shoulder.
49% of workers experience neck pains.
Absenteeism increases as working
conditions worsens.
Loss of worker force due to injuries or
high turnover is associated with working
conditions.
Hand sewing and trimming are stressful
to upper limbs.
Stitching tasks are associated with pain
in the shoulders, wrists, and
handsIroning 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
COST OF BAD ERGONOMICS
The apparel industry has found that the
cost of piecework can be high, for workers
who suffer repetitive motion injuries and
employers who bear high workers’
compensation costs.

EXAMPLE: The Owenby Company

(Blairsville, Georgia), a small contract T-
shirt factory, experienced that over a four-
year period, worker’s compensation costs
for the nearly 300 employees tripled, and
the number of injuries increased eightfold.
Worker’s compensation premiums
skyrocketed 250 percent in just three
policy periods

LOSSES FROM THE FAILURE TO APPLY CONSTRUCTIVE

ERGONOMICS:
• Lower production output
• Increased lost time
• Higher medical and material costs
• Increased absenteeism
• Low-quality work
• Injuries, strains, fatigue
• Increased incidence of accidents and errors
• Increased labour turnover
• Less spare capacity to deal with emergencies
• Reduced productivity
• Reduced competitiveness
 REFERENCES:
https://www.homesciencejournal.com/archives/2018/vol4issue3/PartF/4-3-59-898.pdf
https://www.iwh.on.ca/sites/iwh/files/iwh/tools/ergo_handbook_clothing_2001.pdf
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fPrXpLdquA0OkM2yc8bXvVccN4dgR-
aw10J8McHXGgs/edit?usp=sharing
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/43177848.pdf