ERGONOMICS

A presentation on Ergonomics in Sewing Workstation (Single Needle Lock Stitch Machine)

Presented by :Jatin Sharma, Nikhil Chauhan, Pavan Powar, Shikhar Vaidya

Introduction
The clothing industry is generally seen as a safe place to work. Compared to other industries, there are relatively few serious accidents in clothing plants The major health risks in this industry do not arise from immediate, potentially fatal hazards. Instead, the risks that clothing workers face come from more subtle hazards whose effect accumulates over time.

Introduction
Research shows that sewing machine operators face a substantially higher risk of muscle pain and injury than workers in other jobs. Studies also show that the frequency of persistent neck and shoulder injuries increases with years of employment. One report found that sewing machine operators experience as many cases of repetitive strain injuries as data entry keyers and secretaries combined. These injuries lead to long-term health effects. This is why we wanted to look at the working conditions that can reduce such high rates of disability for clothing workers.

What is ergonomics anyway?

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 principals that should be followed in our workplaces are: 1. Use proper tools 2. Keep repetitive motions to a minimum 3. Avoid awkward postures 4. Use safe lifting procedures 5. Get proper rest

GENERAL PROCEDURE IN ERGONOMIC DESIGN

Designing work-space with ergonomic consideration involves the following steps Define the Tasks to be performed at the Workstation Determine the body dimension relevant in design Define the population to use the Workstation Determine the Principle to be applied Select the percentage of population to be accommodated with the Workstation

Promote Lumber Lordosis

When standing erect, the lumber portion of the spine is naturally curved inward (concave), that is, it is lordotic. When one is sitting with the thighs at 90 degrees , the lumber region of the back flattens out and may even assume an outward bend(convex), that is, it becomes kyphotic.

It is seen that a 2 inch thick lumber support with a seat back rest angle of 90 degrees have a marked impact on maintaining lumber lordosis.

Minimize Disk Pressure

Unsupported sitting, i.e. not using a back rest, increases disk pressure considerably over that experienced while standing. Nachemson and Elfstrom (1970), for example, found that unsupported seating in an upright, erect posture(forced lordosis) resulted in a 40% increase in pressure compared to standing. Unsupported seating in a forward slumped posture increases pressure by 90% compared to stansding. Andersson (1987) reports that using of a reclined backrest has a marked effect with considerable reduction in pressure by reclining backrest from vertical 90 to just 100 to 110 degrees.

PROBLEMS FACED DURING SEWING (WORKSTATION-RELATED)

HEIGHT SIZE AND SHAPE TABLE ANGLE LEG ROOM

PROBLEMS FACED DURING SEWING (WORKSTATION-RELATED)

CHAIRS Operators are provided with very poor chairs such as stacking chairs. These chairs are not adjustable. They provide no cushioning or back support and the edge of the seat constricts blood flow at the back of the legs because of a large rounded hump or square edge. Some plants provide slightly better chairs that have some height or back adjustment capabilities but they cannot be adjusted quickly and easily and do not provide sufficient back support. Often the seat pan is too large, resulting in the backrest not touching the back of the operator. The seat pan may have an uncomfortable hump at the front, causing the operator to sit on the front edge of the seat and not use the backrest.

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CHAIRS
Swivel chairs for workstations are approved in accordance with the DIN 68877 standard. These chairs are adjustable in height, seat tilt, and backrest position and their backrest is padded. They facilitate the necessary work and support the workers spine. One must bear in mind the size of the worker when determining the height of the chair and the position of the treadle.

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CHAIRS
The height of the chair and position of the treadle must permit the worker to occupy the seat with a straight sitting posture. The workers foot should be able to easily operate the treadle. The angle of the knee should be slightly greater than 90degrees and the thighs should be horizontal. When sewing, one should not remain permanently in a certain position but rather be dynamic. This means to change sitting positions occasionally from front to centre of the seat and to lean back to relax.

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Treadle & Leg Room
Many sewing tables have a moveable treadle fixed on a traverse. Using screws the treadle can be mounted to the front or rear. Even with a medium sized worker, it may be necessary to move the traverse to the far edge of the table in order to permit the worker to have a comfortable leg position. Sufficient space under the table allows the worker to move their feet to an optimal position and thereby avoid excessive bending of the upper body. Hence, components such as the motor, operating devices or drawers should not be installed under the table top because they project into the leg area

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SEWING PEDAL 1. Width of pedal When operators activate the sewing pedal with two feet, the pedal should be wide enough to allow simultaneous activation with both feet. When it is not wide enough. operators have to push their knees together to activate the pedal with their two feet. Movement causing discomfort in the hips and back, Wider pedals encourage belle, posture and allow proper spacing between feet. When operators activate the sewing Pedal with one foot. It is recommended to install a footrest beside the sewing pedal which should be: The same height and at the same angle and front/back position as the Pedal. Wide enough. Solidly fixed with a non-skid surface.

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LATERAL POSITION OF PEDALS The pedal should be adjusted when the operator is facing the work zone, not necessarily in front of the needle. The pedal should be Metal laterally positioned so that the thigh, leg and foot are in line.

FRONT/BACK POSITION OF PEDALS The front/back position of pedals should be adjusted when the operator is sitting at the machine in a position that provides a clear view of the work at hand and does not impede movements. The (front/back location of the pedal partly depends on the height of the chair. The front/back adjustment is correct when: thighs are approximately horizontal (with a horizontal seat): knees are at an angle of approximately 120 degrees.

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Adjustment of sewing pedal for work in upright position Activating sewing pedals while in an upright position causes an unbalance that can result in injuries to he legs, hips and back. These constraints can be eliminated by: using thinner pedals so part of the foot remains on the floor; linking pedals to a flexible cable so the operator can position the pedals as desired: electric pedals embedded in anti-fatigue tugs. In addition: ensure that pedals adhere to floor surface so they will not move when activated: if possible. cover floor surface with shock-absorbing material to reduce leg fatigue or provide shoes with ergonomic soles.

TABLE HEIGHT Maximum and minimum height of the work table of a flatbed sewing machine for a large person in the sitting position (where high standards of accuracy are necessary with short viewing distances) and for a short person (where less accuracy is required and larger viewing distances).

1000 mm

700 mm

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The height of many sewing tables is adjustable by turning a screw. However, a table frame with electronic infinite adjustment of the height is more comfortable. The height of the table should allow the worker to sit in a comfortable upright position. If the table is too low, workers will have to hunch forward, putting strain on the back, neck and shoulders. If the table is too high, workers will have to raise their shoulders to get their arms high enough to work. This posture puts strain on the neck, shoulder and arms.

THE ERGONOMIC WAY

Therefore, the fitting of the table base and thus the working height of the table top should be fixed so that the worker can sit in an upright position and can reach and see all work areas, especially the sewing needle. If the height of the table is too low and not adjustable, an increase of height by simple means is also possible (e. g. a foundation under the feet of the table or blocks).

There is a good evidence to indicate that adjustable furniture that can support sit-stand working may be beneficial to the health, performance of office workers. Its time after much ado that we actually stand up for it to stand up. Professor Alan Hedge, Cornell University, September 8, 2008

A well-designed workstation is important for productive work. Most garment workers repeat the same or similar tasks throughout each shift, which, if performed efficiently and quickly, can result in greater productivity. Further, each workstation should be designed to suit the needs of the individual worker (dependant upon height, reach, size, etc) Sitting and Chair Design Lower back problems are on the increase as more workers sit at their workstations all day. Often, workers are provided with simple benches with no backrest. A well-designed chair is essential one that is adjustable for individual workers, for the height of the worktable and task, and that provides full lower back support. The chair should allow workers to lean forward and backwards easily. The worker should have adequate leg room under the worktable so that he/she can change the position of the legs easily. The feet should be flat on the floor or the worker should be provided with a footrest this will eliminate pressure on the thighs and knees.

Sometimes even minor ergonomic changes in the design of equipment, workstations or job tasks, that cost very little, can make significant improvements in worker comfort, health, safety and productivity.

Due to the task and postural requirements of sewing operations, it is very difficult to maintain this recommended posture. Industrial sewing requires repetitive, co-ordinated use of the trunk and the upper and lower extremities. During sewing tasks, the trunk and upper extremities are used to manipulate fabric sections that may be large and/or heavy.

The operator's right foot manipulates a pedal to control the machine speed while the right knee manipulates a control to raise and lower the needle 'foot'. If the seat-pan is sloped at

too steep an angle, the operator will slide

down the seat-pan and/or the left leg becomes fatigued from resisting the sliding tendency

Due to these problems, the musculoskeletal stresses associated with the traditional sewing work chairs may result in increased rates of back pain and disability. In a recent study of female sewing machine operators, 25% of the work population reported persistent back pain. None of these workers performed heavy lifting or other activities usually associated with elevated rates of back disorders

Although it is very difficult to maintain a 135 trunk-thigh angle while sewing, seated postures with a trunk-thigh angle of greater than 90 are commonly observed even on a traditional sewing chair .The traditional work chair is similar to an office chair except its seat-pan is generally adjusted 1.0 to 20 cm higher. Although the chair is able to maintain the worker with a trunk-thigh angle of greater than 90 , it does not support the posture properly.

A frame which allows you to adjust the height of the sewing machine fulfills the requirements for an optimal sewing workstation and also allows you to change between sitting and standing thereby reducing one-sided and mainly static posture.

Frequent changes of position during a work task as well as varying your tasks, reduces stress and eliminates strains and activates different groups of muscles. Movements such as these reduce fatigue and tension and enable regeneration.

Electrically height adjustable, highest quality, sit-down/stand-up workstation, with sample set-up (power outlet strip, task light, tiltable surfaces, swing arm, footrest, etc.)

When setting up the sewing machine, the direction of view should be parallel to the front of the window and the ceiling light strips. The ambient lighting should provide sufficient brightness in the work area (e. g. ceiling lighting, 500 lux). Additional lighting or lighting on the workplace should be arranged in order to avoid high contrasts (differences in brightness).

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ARM SUPPORT During sewing, the upper arms should loosely hang at a forward angle plus, depending more or less on the sewing task, the shoulders should be braced (without force). The worker should be able to comfortably rest their forearms without pressure on a large working area (with well-rounded table edges). Newly developed, ergonomically designed sewing tables have adjustable arm supports where you can rest your forearm. This may be particularly useful for long and uniform sewing tasks and by high volume. Of course you may want to fix a self-made or a purchased kit to the top of the sewing table for arm support.

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When viewing of the sewing area is restricted by the head of the sewing machine, it can cause awkward and excessive stooping. New sewing tables can often be tilted to improve the visibility of the work area. To obtain a slight tilt to your existing table, you can install a wedge between the table top and the base

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You should take into account the viewing distance between the head and the needle (for small pieces and fine work approx. 30 cm and with larger pieces about 30 cm to 50 cm) in order to obtain the best possible sewing position. The head should be inclined forward at a max. 25.