Handle positions and angles in a dynamic lifting task. Part 1. Biomechanical considerations.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Deeb JM ; Drury CG
• Description:
  Biomechanical measurements were taken during a study of manual lifting and lowering of boxes employing a lifting task over three distances and using boxes with hand hold cut outs in four handle positions (three asymmetric and one symmetric). A group of 15 men and 15 women manual materials handling employees participated in the study. The square boxes were made of plywood, 400 millimeters on a side, and weighed 11 kilograms. The handle positions on each side of the box were numbered from 1 to 9 in a three by three array, left to right, starting at the top. Handle angles were fixed at either 70 or 35 degrees to the horizontal. Box, wrist deviation, slippage, and elbow angles were measured at each of five stages of lifting or lowering between floor and shoulder heights. Biomechanical measures showed few gender or trial effects. The study concluded that two of the asymmetrical box handle positions were optimum for most lifts, while the symmetrical handle position was useful for heavy boxes at floor level. The authors conclude that these findings are likely to be valid across a wide range of workers, box sizes, and box weights. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomechanical Phenomena Ergonomics Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Biomechanical-engineering Biomechanics Human-factors-engineering Humans Materials-handling-equipment Musculoskeletal-system NIOSH-Author
• ISSN:
  0014-0139
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  29
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00163843
• Citation:
  Ergonomics 1986 Jun; 29(6):743-768
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1986
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Upper Extremities
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Ergonomics
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cfc952849dc4c88201393aa93adc449b26854000c0fa212731fc1a42c92da04737ce8aafe3714fa485b039cddde73a3914971064e7a7d1ee1615567445bdd599
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185012/cdc_185012_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 8.24 MB ]