The objective was to verify whether the methods were safer and more efficient when used by expert handlers than by novice handlers. Altogether, 15 expert and 15 novice handlers were recruited. Their task was to transfer four boxes from a conveyor to a hand trolley. Different characteristics of the load and lifting heights were modified to achieve a larger variety of methods by the participants....

This study was conducted in a warehouse at a vaccine production centre where improvement to existing storage and working conditions were sought through the construction of a new refrigerated store section (2-8C°). Warehousing tasks were videotaped and ergonomics analysis tools were used to assess the risk of developing MSDs. Specifically, these tools were the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)...

During the last five years, several research review studies have revealed insufficient or even no proof that courses in manual material handling (MMH) are effective at preventing musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). These revelations are placing the current daily practice of MMH trainers under scrutiny. This study analyses how the MMH courses are organised in practice. A web-based questionnaire was...

BACKGROUND Manual material handling is one of the major health and safety hazards in industry. This study aims to assess the lifting tasks, before and after intervention using NIOSH lifting equation and Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC). METHODS This interventional study was performed in 2011 in a tile manufacturing industry in Hamadan, located in the West of Iran. The prevalence of mus...

The objectives of this study were: 1) to develop an efficient multi-criteria approach for choosing the optimal alternative for “manuable” material handling, and 2) to apply the multi-criteria approach to a case study. In this paper, the authors use the single-word term “manuable” to refer to the definition “can be performed manually”. The case study results indicated that the use of the manipul...

Meat processing is a labor-intensive industry dealing with manual handling of heavy loads of meat at high frequency. Meat processing workers are under pressure to maintain high rates of work, performing arduous repetitive motions while keeping awkward postures. Ergonomic risk assessments reveal that manual material handling and repetitive tasks expose meat-processing workers to high physical ri...

Manual handling injuries represented both the highest costs and largest proportion of workers compensation claims for the South Australian Department of Human Services from 1995 to 1999 (Risk Management Services 2000). There is evidence to suggest the manutention method of manual handling training can reduce workplace injuries. A retrospective audit of injuries was conducted at Metropolitan Dom...