Textile Manufacture

In the textile industry, two research studies were carried out using the RULA method and questionnaires. Approximately 380 workers participated. The results concluded that MSD was common. One of the studies found that the body areas suffering the greatest discomfort were the neck, knees and lumbar region [81,97]. Using the same ergonomic tools, Dianat et al. [87] also established that the neck and back were the body regions most affected in sewing machine workers. They also pointed to other areas such as the shoulders, wrists and hands.

Other authors also employed RULA in the textile industry along with the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, or an adaptation of it. They assessed 566 workers in one study and 283 in the other. Both studies concluded that high levels of risk were present in their results and therefore there was a need to take corrective actions, in some cases immediately. They agreed that the affected body areas included the torso, neck and arms, amongst others [108,113].

Other assessments were carried out in industries located in Indonesia and Cambodia. In the first of these, a virtual space with a human model was used and four tasks were analysed: cutting, sewing, putting on buttons and finishing. The Posture Evaluation Index (PEI) was used, which includes the LBA, OWAS and RULA scores. The second was performed using interviews and RULA. In both cases, workers could develop musculoskeletal disorders [83,114].

Analysis was also carried out on people working in rug-fixing workshops. They usually performed their tasks squatting. Using a survey, it was possible to deduce the most affected body regions, and then to design a new work posture from this information. This posture was subsequently assessed with RULA, demonstrating it to be less harmful [125].

Other authors found a way to organise clothing assembly tasks at particular workstations. To do this, they assessed both productivity and ergonomics; RULA was used for the latter [99].

Using the same ergonomic tools, Dianat et al. [80] concluded from the studies described above that there is a high onset rate of musculoskeletal disorders among sewing workers.

Finally, several ergonomic studies have also been carried out in the batik cap industry. One demonstrated the emergence of MSD among the workers, and the other two determined new work postures for specific tasks that were less harmful [82,88,98].
