The work practices and ergonomic problems experienced by garment workers in Ghana

Abstract Although the role of ergonomics in everyday occupations has generated increased attention in the last few years, poor working environments present a serious threat to the livelihood and career of small‐scale garment producers. This paper is one of the first to study dressmakers and tailors and their work environments in Ghana. The apparel industry holds a dominant share (40% out of a total of 24 133 establishments) in the country's manufacturing industry. However, to date, very little consideration has been given to the nature of this working environment. For example: do dressmakers and tailors perform their work under stressful conditions and do they attribute injuries to the tasks they perform in the workplace? Involving a sample of 100 individual garment producers as participants, a semi‐structured interview schedule was used to elicit information on dressmakers' and tailors' knowledge of workplace stressors. Their work environment was observed and assessed for stressors. A physical discomfort survey was employed to identify the injuries they attributed to the performance of tasks in their workplace. Findings revealed that stressors included noise, poor ventilation, unsuitable seat heights, widths and depths, and awkward postures. Encountered discomforts affected the performance of sewing tasks and resulted in occasional and frequent pains in the lower back, neck, upper back and shoulders. These working conditions are detrimental to the development of this sector and the study concludes that there is an important educational role for trade organizations to assist manufacturers to improve working conditions for their workers.