| dc.description.abstract | The exponential growth of the footwear manufacturing industry has raised
concerns about worker health, safety, and productivity. The purpose of this study is to
address the ergonomic challenges encountered in footwear production using the case
study of Nam Cuong Company in Vietnam. The labor-intensive manufacturing process
includes repetitive motions, non-neutral postures, material handling, and inadequate
workflow design, all leading to musculoskeletal disorders and poor performance.
The study takes a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. Current conditions
at four key workstations are assessed using ergonomic assessment tools RULA, REBA,
and MTM-1, which reveal numerous high-risk factors. Targeted solutions are proposed,
such as equipment redesign, procedure modifications, and supplementary aids. The
solutions have been piloted, and a comparison of pre- and post-analysis results shows
significant improvements, with RULA and REBA risk reductions of 2 to 8 points, and
make the total TMU needed for each workstation reduce significantly. The study
emphasizes the advantages of incorporating ergonomics into manufacturing, with
simple improvements significantly reducing injury risks and increasing productivity.
This provides a framework for addressing common ergonomic challenges in footwear
production using structured evaluation and participatory, human-centered design. | en_US |
