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This material was produced under grant SH-19505-09-60-F-6 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U. S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U. S. Government.

Ergonomic Training for

Garment Workers

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• Why you get injured at your job • Some ways you can reduce injuries• The right kind of equipment to use to

prevent injury

Today we will discuss:

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Neck 33%

At Our Clinic, We Discovered That Garment At Our Clinic, We Discovered That Garment Workers Have Many Work-related InjuriesWorkers Have Many Work-related Injuries

Shoulder 23%

Elbow 15%

Wrist 16% Hand 18%

Back 48%

Knee 9%

Other 22%

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INJURIES ARE CAUSED BY:   DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAINWORKING IN AN AWKWARD POSITIONWORKING TOO HARD OR TOO LONG 

 

WHY ARE YOU

GETTING INJURED?

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When you use your muscles

too much, They get

little tears...

How does this injure you?

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This makes your muscle swell and feel

…

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SITTING OR STANDINGSITTING OR STANDING IN THE SAME IN THE SAME

POSITION POSITION FOR A LONG TIME!FOR A LONG TIME!   

     

What else causes injuries

to garment workers?

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•SITTING TOO LONG STOPS THE BLOOD

FROM GOING TO YOUR

ARMS AND LEGS        

•BLOOD BRINGS FOOD TO YOUR MUSCLES•WITHOUT BLOOD YOUR MUSCLES GET TIGHT AND TIRED

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Warning! These are the warning signs of

injury…

Pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, swelling, heat

If you feel any of these symptoms, it’s time to take action!

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Causes Working safely

Neck, Upper Back and Shoulder Injuries

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What’s wrong with

this picture?

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Awkward neck, and back position

because of improper chair

and table height or position.

Ouch!

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WHICH PICTURE SHOWS THE RIGHT WAY TO SIT?

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Question: How much do you think your head weighs?

ANSWER: 10-12 pounds. That’s how

much weight your neck

must support!

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This is the Best Way to Sit

Back Straight

Head only slightly

bentArms

parallel to work

surface

Hips and knees at

90 degrees

Feet level

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And remember… Sitting in the

same position for a long time,

results in sore backs and necks.

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Take Your Breaks!

You’re entitled to two 10 minute PAID breaks a day plus a 30

minute unpaid lunch break.

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What’s wrong with this

picture?

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Ouch!

Awkward shoulder

and elbow posture

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How will the worker in these pictures injure

herself?

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Bending and twisting to

pick up fabric can hurt your back and shoulders. Ouc

h!

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What is wrong with this picture?

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Keep all tools within this zone

The fabric pieces and your tools should all be at the same height and within easy reach to prevent injury

Close is

best

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Causes Working safely

Arm, Hand and Finger Injuries

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You hurt your wrists when you bend them like

this

Wrong

Keeping your wrist and hand in a

straight line will prevent injury

Right

NEUTRAL POSITION

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What is wrong with

this picture?

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Wrong

Bending your wrist and

fingers like this will cause

injuries!

Right

Keeping your wrist in neutral

position will help prevent

injuries.

NEUTRAL POSITION

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Causes Working safely

Lower Back Injuries

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What’s wrong

with this picture?

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•This chair This chair doesn’t support doesn’t support the back the back •Seat is tilted Seat is tilted backward backward • Chair edge Chair edge presses against presses against thighthigh

Ouch!

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Causes Working safely

Knee, Leg, and Foot Knee, Leg, and Foot InjuriesInjuries

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What’s wrong with this

picture?

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Hard Surface stops blood circulation, pinches nerves, and injures knee

You need enough room to move your legs freely

Ouch!

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What’s wrong

with this picture?

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Ouch!

Using only one foot on pedal is unbalanced. This can cause back and leg problemsAwkward ankle positionSturdier shoes can provide better foot support

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What’s wrong

with this picture?

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Straining to see your work hurts your neck, back and shoulders Garment

workers need:Good lightingNo glareEye exams and glasses if you have trouble seeing

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The Right Equipment Can Make a Big Difference in Your Health

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What Kind of Chair Do You Have?

Bad seating injures us!

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Many workers try to fix these problems

Height adjustment

Sloped seat

Back support

Padded seat support

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•Garment workers and researchers from the University set up a testing lab in Oakland.

•We used special equipment to measure work postures and to find the best equipment to prevent injuries.

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Adjust for proper height and comfortRotate so you don’t have to twist to reach bundlesHave a forward slope and “waterfall” edge Provide good back supportHave padded seat to distribute weight evenlyFlat casters to prevent sliding

A Good Chair Should…

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The tilted seat pan will help you keep your back straight

The “water fall” edge prevents

pressure on your thighs

when you sit all day

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They allow you to turn

easily to get bundles and

pieces.

Swivel Chairs Are Best For Your Back

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•It is inexpensive to make It is inexpensive to make and keeps both feet leveland keeps both feet level

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It supports the fabric so you don’t have to twist and lift as much.

•Notice the hinge. The extension can be lowered when not in use.

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•Tilting the table a few degrees improves the line of vision. You can sit straighter when you work.

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•All it takes to do this is a small piece of board under both front legs of the table.•But it may take you a few days to get used to the new way of sitting

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•Inexpensive non-skid shelf liner keeps material and tools from slipping when the table is tilted.

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These storage boxes help you keep the items you use in easy reaching distance.

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These knee pads are easy to make. They use foam inside a simple

covering that ties over the knee pedal.

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USE THE RIGHTSEAM FOLDERS

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If you work in a factory that is not well-lit, you may need a better light source.

•Make sure bulbs are replaced

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$175 Chair 45 Table Extension 25 Footrest 5 Knee pad 2 No-slip Fabric 2 Table tilt 1 Storage Box

$235 TOTAL$235 TOTAL(+$35 Light if needed)

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Questions?

? ? ?

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Thank You! This project was specially designed for

you by:

Asian Immigrant Women Advocates University of California San Francisco California Department of Health

Services