The document summarizes an ergonomic study conducted on the work postures of sewing machine operators in a lean manufacturing textile industry in Sri Lanka. The study found high occurrences of musculoskeletal symptoms among operators, particularly in the lower body. An assessment using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) tool found the operators' postures presented medium risk levels for the trunk, neck, legs, upper arms, lower arms, and wrists. The study recommended solutions like adjusting sewing machine heights, providing inclined work tables, anti-fatigue mats, job rotation, and exercises to address the ergonomic issues identified.

1. BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY
ETHIOPIAN INSTIUTE OF TEXTILE AND FASHION TECHNOLOGY
(EITEX)
Review by : KIBROM G/HER
1st year MSc fashion technology
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
May 20, 2019
Summery title :Ergonomic Study on Work Postures of Sewing Machine
Operators in Government Industry: A Case in Lean Environment
Garment Industry
Autor's T. Sakthi Nagaraj and R. Jeyapau

2. Contents
Introduction
Different literature review
Objective of the study
REBA analysis
Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION
• Several studies globally have highlighted
musculoskeletal risk factors associated with the
garment making jobs because of highly repetitive
work in awkward work postures
• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) “are injures or pain
in human Musculoskeletal system including the joints ,
ligaments , muscles , nerves ,tendons and structure
that support limbs neck and back”

4. • Labor turnover,
• Absenteeism
• Poor quality
• Reduced productivity
Ergonomics
Effect
Improper work
posture sewing
Repeated task

5. Sewing
Machine
Operators
(SMO)
• sewing machine operators, this is an
occupational group that may experience a high
occurrence of MSDs
• The poor working postures comes from the
repetitive hand and arm movements.
• The sewing machine operators use both hands
to handle workpieces, or feel objects, and tools;
control by leg; sit and repeat the same motions
for working periods of time
• a high occurrence of musculoskeletal
symptoms of neck, shoulder, back,
hand/fingers, and lower extremities have been
found in studies of female SMOs

6. high occurrence of
musculoskeletal
symptoms

7. Case study
overview
• This ergonomic study was conducted in a textile
industry that manufactures children wear, and
which is in Sri Lanka.
• The industries adopt lean manufacturing system
• The industry started to follow the standing
MSP(Modular Sewing Production) system
• U-shaped layout
• Multi-skilled operators
• standing operations machines and single
piece flow
• 32 modules and 14 operators for each shift

8. Modular Sewing
Production
• U-shaped vs traditional
straight-line layouts
Labor productivity,
Quality of the product,
Traceability
Reduced WIP
Reduced lead time
Changeover time.

9. Ergonomically issue
• standing at workstations can cause muscle fatigue and
mental stress.
• Furthermore, an insufficient rest period during the
standing time coupled with improper footwear can lead
to discomfort and fatigue in the lower extremities,
causing occupational injuries in the long term.

10. leans forward at an angle of
25°–30° and head around 35°
moves her hands backward and
forward and to the left and right
(Average 150 times per hour) to
perform the sewing process.
not using footwear on the
floor while sewing.
The sewing process carried out by flexed left and right side, standing by the left leg
and operating the machine pedal with right leg throughout the shift

11. Objective of
the study
• The objective of the study was to identify
possible ergonomic deficiencies in the standing
modular workstation of sewing machine
operators in a lean environment garment
industry.
• To determine MSD prevalence among the
SMOs working in the lean environment by
using Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort
Questionnaire.
• To examine the level of ergonomic
workplace risk factors by using the rapid
entire body assessment.
• To develop the productivity by eliminating
the ergonomic risks in lean environment

12. • Demographic And Job Characteristics Among
The Sample operator (N = 557) Working
• The operators (n-336), who were all felt
discomfort demo- graphic and job
characteristic survey,
• to further discomfort survey CMDQ and posture
analysis REBA

13. Demographic and Job Characteristics
• age, weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), education, marital status, daily walking
distance, SMO experience, job satisfaction, job stress, and finally the discomfort of the
SMOs
• The age (in years) considered as a factor and BMI, based on the height and body weight,
the BMI (kg/m2) was calculated.
• The result of the demographic and job characteristics survey presented that the factors
like age, education, marital status, and experience in MSP were not significantly
affected with the operator's discomfort. But , the factors like BMI, daily walking
distance to boarding place or company, job satisfaction, and job stress were
significantly influenced with operators’ discomfort.

17. Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort
Questionnaire (CMDQ)
The CMDQ consists of three sectional parts and each consists of a different scoring part
During the last work week how often
did you experience ache ,pain
,discomfort in
If you experienced ache , pain
discomfort , how uncomfortable was
this
If you experienced ache pain ,
discomfort did this interface with
your ability to work
all who felt discomfort in the previous study, for further discomfort survey and REBA
analysis.

19. Neck Shoulde Upper back Upper Arm Lower back Forearm Wrist
Hip/buttock
s
Thigh Knee Lower leg Foot
Column1 2.42 4.17 5.85 0.01
left 4.49 3.1 1.65 1.23 7 8.81 7.72 10.7
Right 5.53 3.72 2.38 1.53 6.28 7.625 6.59
2.42
4.17
5.85
0.01
4.49
3.1
1.65
1.23
7
8.81
7.72
10.7
5.53
3.72
2.38
1.53
6.28
7.625
6.59
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
AXISTITLE
AXIS TITLE
discomfort score (%)
Column1 left Right

20. Cont.
A maximum number of operators have felt more discomfort in their foot, knee,
lower leg, thigh, lower back, and shoulder than upper back, upper arm, neck,
forearm, wrist and hip/buttocks.
Comparatively, the operators’ discomfort was more in left than right in the
body parts
In the present study in the lower body more discomfort was felt than upper
body. But in the sitting sewing operation, upper body gets more strain than
lower body.

21. Rapid Entire
Body
Assessment
(REBA)
The REBA was used to evaluate the SMOs full body
working postures at their workstations.
The body parts were grouped into two categories
• Group A” included the trunk, neck and legs
• Group B” included upper arms, lower arms, and wrists.
.Each body part was evaluated depending on the
angle of parts and load/force.
REBA Reliability homogeneity or consistency in the
REBA score
using Cronbach’s Alpha was found to be ‘good’ (0.9 >
a 0.8) (with Cronbach’s Alpha 0.86 for REBA scores).

23. REBA analysis
The mean score A of 5.4 indicates that the operators’ trunk, neck, and leg
were in medium risk level and need to change soon. The risk scores of the legs
and neck were determined to be within normal limits. But, due to standing
operation the leg has to bear the stress created by the upper body.
The score B found to be 3.8 (4) indicates that the operators’ upper arms, lower
arms, and wrists were in medium risk level and need to change soon.

24. Solution
• The ergonomic solutions like fixing the
• proper height of sewing machine
• inclined work table
• providing anti –fatigue mats
• job rotation
• stretching exercises
• short -break approach is suggested

25. Reference
• Summery title: Ergonomic Study on Work Postures of Sewing Machine
Operators in Government Industry: A Case in Lean Environment Garment
Industry
• Publisher Ergonomic Design of Products and Work systems—21st Century
Perspectives of Asia ISBN 978-981-10-5457-0 Springer Nature Singapore Pte
Ltd. 2018

26. Thank you Question