Investigating the Work Practices of Assembly Line Workers with Visual Impairments

Assembly lines provide a streamlined method for the mass-production of goods. Due to the visual-centric nature of tasks when assembling a product, challenges can be faced by workers with visual impairments. In this paper, we describe a study investigating the interactions on a garment construction assembly line, operated by a mixture of workers with and without visual impairments. We highlight experiences from workers, along with strategies and workarounds which have been developed to support workflow. More specifically, we focus on the importance of low-tech design to support workflow, and blind-perspective training in assembly line environments.