Role of Ergonomic Factors Affecting Production of Leather Garment-Based SMEs of India: Implications for Social Sustainability

Abstract

This paper aims to identify, evaluate, and measure the ergonomic factors hampering the production of leather garment-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Ergonomic problems faced by the workers largely impact the health of individuals and also the productivity of a firm. Based on experts’ opinions and a literature survey, three emerging categories—namely, occupational disease, personal factors, and the industrial environment—with a total of twenty factors were identified to examine symmetrical impact in five leather garment companies. In this research work, Cronbach’s α was evaluated to check the validity of the ergonomic factors identified through the literature survey. Then, using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP), the identified ergonomic factors were evaluated. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to validate the robustness of the results obtained using the integrated approach. Outdated machinery, vibration, operational setup, fatigue, and poor ventilation and lighting are the top five factors inducing ergonomic-related problems and hampering the production of the leather garment companies in India. These top ergonomic factors are the result of a failure in the provision of an ambient working environment. Providing ergonomically designed working environments may lower the occurrence of ergonomic problems. The findings of this study will assist industrial managers to enhance production rate and to progress towards social sustainability in Indian SMEs. The proposed symmetrical assessment in this study could also be considered as a benchmark for other companies in which human–machine interaction is significant.

Buyer–Supplier Role in Improving Ergonomics in Garment Supplier Factories: Empirical Evidence from the Garment Industry of Bangladesh

“…The findings of this study are partially aligned with the previous studies of [4,6,11,12,[22][23][24][25]. However, no previous scientific research investigated the buyers' and suppliers' roles in ergonomics, particularly in cross-border buyer and supplier contexts.…”

“…It plays a significant role in identifying, formulating, and delivering standard work [3]. Therefore, ergonomics can be a viable strategic option for improving the working environment and worker wellbeing in garment supplier factories [4]. However, ergonomics initiatives are not optimal in garment supplier factories in Bangladesh [4,5].…”

“…Therefore, ergonomics can be a viable strategic option for improving the working environment and worker wellbeing in garment supplier factories [4]. However, ergonomics initiatives are not optimal in garment supplier factories in Bangladesh [4,5]. Due to poor ergonomic initiatives, different physical risk factors such as repetitive body movement, poor seating position, monotonous, repetitive work, poor workstation design, and different ergonomic risk factors such as fixed seating arrangement, awkward neck and back posture, repetitive elbow and wrist movement prevail in the garment industry of Bangladesh [6].…”

“…An extensive literature on ergonomics practices in the garment industry of developing countries has shown a relationship between ergonomics and the working environment [4,6,8,9]. Poor ergonomics practices such as lack of adjustable chairs, poor workstation design, and piecework system are responsible for poor working conditions with a high possibility of muscle pain for sewing machine operators [10].…”

“…Furthermore, musculoskeletal disorders occur in sewing lines due to repetitive movements and sitting postures [13]. Studies reported poor ergonomics and occupational health and safety (OHS) conditions in the garment industry of Bangladesh also [4][5][6]14]. Bangladesh's garment workers have been working under high ergonomics and musculoskeletal health risks [12].…”