Galkin Header
 
Employees encounter several risk factors at sewing workstations, such as awkward arm, neck, trunk, and leg postures. This section explains potential hazards encountered at the workstation and a general description of a proper workstation design.

  • CHAIRS: Potential Hazards: Workers often maintain awkward shoulder, elbow, and wrist postures while sewing because of improper chair height or position.

  • Employees must sit or stand for long periods in the same position, resulting in soreness of the back and neck, and/or buttocks, and reduced circulation to the legs.

  • Possible Solutions:
  • Use easily adjustable chairs to minimize awkward postures, and provide training on how to properly use them.
  • Chairs should have easily adjustable height, seat tilt, and backrest position; padded back rest with rounded edges that supports worker's lower back
  • No wheels, or wheels that lock
  • A gently sloped or "waterfall" front edge to help prevent the chair's edge from pressing into the back of the legs
  • A cushioned/contoured seat, which distributes the worker's weight so no body part gets all the pressure.


    • Chairs should be placed at an appropriate distance from the workstation, so workers can perform tasks without pulling their elbows away from the body. Motor placement should not interfere with proper chair distance.

    Chair height is correct when the work surface is at elbow height. Ideally, in this posture, the entire sole of the foot should rest on the floor, and the back of the knee should be slightly higher than the seat of the chair Also having an adjustable table is critically important. The seat may be slightly lower when the worker uses a treadle or pedal.

    Provide sit/stand workstations, which encourage changing posture

    Provide anti-fatigue mats for workers who are standing for prolonged periods. Anti-fatigue mats promote better circulation and reduce fatigue in the lower extremities.

    Workers maintain awkward shoulder, elbow, and wrist postures while sewing because of improper table height. Employees resting forearms or wrists on sharp edges may cut off blood circulation, pinch nerves, and cause injury to the arms or hands.

    Possible Solutions: Provide both height- and tilt-adjustable tables, which can help employees access their work without using awkward postures.

    Tables should be adjusted so the work is at elbow height and wrists are kept straight. If the table is too low, workers will hunch forward, putting strain on the back, neck, and shoulders. If a table is too high, workers will raise their shoulders to get their arms high enough to work. This posture tires the neck, shoulder, and upper back muscles and may result in muscle pain.

    For sit-down work, the table should also be high enough to allow room underneath for the worker's legs (Fig. 5). The table top should not press on the worker's thighs. Workers who use a treadle need more room than those who don't so they can move their legs more easily.

    Tables may be tilted slightly toward workers, to enable them to see the work more easily and to reduce awkward wrist postures. When sewing heavy fabric, the table may be tilted away from the worker, which helps pull the fabric through the machine and lessen manual force applied by workers.

    Potential Hazards: Employees operating a treadle for prolonged periods must maintain unbalanced postures. Employees required to apply a constant treadle force must maintain static lower extremities.

    Solutions: Design treadle to float, and require less force, allowing the use of a sit/stand workstation.

    For full article: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/sewing/sewingstationdesign.html

    See also:
  • PRODUCTS/ERGONOMIC WORK AIDS
  • PRODUCTS/MATTRESS/ERGONOMIC EQUIPMENT
    • G A L K I N    A U T O M A T E D    P R O D U C T S
    97 Otis Street  *  West Babylon
    NY 11704  *  U.S.A.

    Phone: 6 3 1 - 6 4 3 - 5 4 3 2    Fax: 6 3 1 - 6 4 3 - 1 4 7 2    Toll Free Parts Fax: 1 - 8 7 7 - G A L K I N - 3