Strength Demands of Line Handlers on the Panama Canal

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gallagher S ; Unger, Richard L.
• Description:
  Vessels transiting the Panama Canal are guided through the locks using locomotives attached by means of towlines (made of wire rope), which are fastened to bitts on the deck by line handlers. The latter activity requires high pulling strength demands and is thought to be a cause of the high incidence of low back disorders in these workers. At the invitation of the Panama Canal Commission, NIOSH researchers evaluated the strength demands of line handlers and the strength capabilities of a line-handling crew. Strength demands measured during a transit indicated high pulling force demands for attaching ropes to the bow and stern bitts (<1,000 N), but lower force requirements for midships bitts (<400 N). Tests of pulling strength capabilities of a line-handling crew suggest that at least four to five line handlers are needed to perform the most demanding tasks. When pulling upwards or downwards on a rope in a team effort, ordering the crew according to stature seems important. Simulation of slippery deck conditions resulted in a 13% decrease in team pulling strength. Although the short duration of the study prevented an extensive evaluation, the data obtained provides insight into the design aspects of occupations where team-pulling activities are required. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cumulative Trauma Disorders Ergonomics Musculoskeletal Diseases Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Ergonomics Back-injuries Cumulative-trauma Cumulative-trauma-disorders Injuries Musculoskeletal-system-disorders Musculoskeletal Disorders Traumatic-injuries
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  1359-9364
• Publisher:
  IOS Press
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PRL - Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  173-184
• Volume:
  3
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20023889
• Citation:
  Occup Ergon 2003 Oct; 3(3):173-184
• Contact Point Address:
  NIOSH, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 18070, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2004
• NORA Priority Area:
  Research Tools and Approaches: Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational Ergonomics
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:62e5e0b3b6bbd9528b640b7d08f7480b51c76034141922f131d83029d828ae89d120009af88acd64bdba74831653a9a0361adf5ce490e4d50ee21a0a15966eb8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/220738/cdc_220738_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.39 MB ]