Ergonomic Principles for Organizing Garment-Making Work Environment in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

The study focused on ergonomic principles for organizing garment-making work environment in South Eastern Nigeria. Specifically, it determined: important ergonomic principles for organizing garment-making work environment; ergonomic principles that are being practiced by garment workers, ergonomic principles that are needed by garment workers in their work environment, and work station design guidelines of the garment workers. Descriptive survey research design was used. The population was made up of 267 garment workers drawn from 19 registered garment companies in the area of the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, improvement need index and percentages. Findings include 19 important ergonomic principles for organizing garment work environment. These include; use of task lighting to distribute light evenly over the working

surface to minimize shadow (̅X = 3.61), maintaining adequate ventilation and good temperature in workplace to minimize fatigue (̅X = 3.66), among others.

Four (4) out of the 19 important ergonomic principles were being practiced include: alternating standing and sitting jobs to reduce fatigue (̅X = 3.13), among others. Fifteen (15) ergonomic principles are needed by garment workers for organizing their work environment which include; use of task lighting on work surfaces to minimize shadow (̅X = 3.06), maintaining adequate ventilation and good temperature to minimize fatigue (̅X = 2.07), and others. Further findings are nine areas of work station design guidelines that are not practiced. These include: work surface height, designing of work to reduce static loading of muscles, among others. It was recommended among others that the ergonomic principles should be packaged in a training manual for training of garment workers by relevant bodies.