Implicit Cues Modify Manual Materials Handling Behaviour but Not Safe Handling Affordance

INTRODUCTION Observation-based occupational safety programs have long recognized the critical interaction of environment and behaviour in the workplace [1]. While the veracity of these programs is questioned [2], their foundation in behavioural psychology connects to various theory-based paradigms for changing manual materials handling (and musculoskeletal loading, or `consequences`) by manipulating the perceivable environment (or `antecedent`). Possible approaches include directional cueing, pop-out patterning, visual biofeedback, or optical illusions. The purpose of the current research was to examine both affordance and postural mechanics for manual materials handling in a simulated baggage handling task that was embedded with an implicit directional cue.