ERGONOMIC WORK ANALYSIS IN A CLOTHING INDUSTRY: A STUDY OF SEAMSTRESSES' TASKS

Resumo

Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA) focuses on actual work, understanding the task within a specific context. The objective of this study was to conduct a workplace ergonomic analysis of workstations in a section of a garment factory, with the aim of identifying the structural elements that make up the processes at the workplace and assessing how these elements impact workers' health, safety, and productivity, in order to provide a foundation for proposing concrete organizational adjustments. The analysis covered both objective aspects, related to working conditions and work organization, and subjective aspects, integrating these dimensions with the workers’ experiences, knowledge, and limitations. The methodology followed classical EWA, using a qualitative approach. Information was obtained through interviews and direct observations, and the data were analyzed using Content Analysis. The results pointed to difficulties related to work organization, as well as stress-inducing factors, such as rework resulting from corrections to garments returned by the quality control department. This process directly impacts individual production targets, leading to overload and dissatisfaction. Based on the workers' reports and the diagnosis, the main recommendations include: revising productivity targets to reflect operational variability; introducing scheduled breaks and job rotation to reduce biomechanical strain; and improving the material supply flow to minimize work interruptions. Furthermore, to address the organizational issues that lie beyond the operators' immediate control – such as the disconnection between quality control demands and production reality – the study suggests the creation of a protected "Work Activity Debate Space." This forum would allow seamstresses to collectively analyze their difficulties, confront viewpoints, and formulate viable proposals for management, while also gaining greater autonomy to implement local adjustments in their daily routines, thereby valuing their know-how, health, and well-being.