Overview

Manual material handling (MMH) work contributes to a large percentage of the over half a million cases of musculoskeletal disorders reported annually in the United States. Musculoskeletal disorders often involve strains and sprains to the lower back, shoulders, and upper limbs. They can result in protracted pain, disability, medical treatment, and financial stress for those afflicted with them, and employers often find themselves paying the bill, either directly or through workers’ compensation insurance, at the same time they must cope with the loss of the full capacity of their workers.

Scientific evidence shows that effective ergonomic interventions can lower the physical demands of MMH work tasks, thereby lowering the incidence and severity of the musculoskeletal injuries they can cause. Their potential for reducing injury related costs alone make ergonomic interventions a useful tool for improving a company’s productivity, product quality, and overall business competitiveness. But very often productivity gets an additional and solid shot in the arm when managers and workers take a fresh look at how best to use energy, equipment, and exertion to get the job done in the most efficient, effective, and effortless way possible. Planning that applies these principles can result in big wins for all concerned.

Content:

About This Booklet
Improving Manual Material Handling in Your Workplace
What Manual Material Handling Is
Why Improve Your Workplace
What to Look for
Types of Ergonomic Improvements
Training
A Proactive Action Plan
Improvement Options
Easier Ways to Manually Lift, Lower, Fill, or Empty Containers
     Safe Lifting Tips (Images)
Easier Ways to Manually Carry Containers
     Safe Carrying Tips (Images)
Alternatives to Manual Handling of Individual Containers
     Safe Handling Tips (Images)
Resources
Appendix A. Administrative Improvements
Appendix B. Assessment “Tools”
Appendix C. Analysis Methods
Appendix D. Improvement Evaluation “Tools”
Appendix E. Organizations
Acknowledgements
Consultation Programs

About this Booklet

This booklet is written for managers and supervisors in industries that involve the manual handling of containers. It offers suggestions to improve the handling of rectangular, square, and cylindrical containers, sacks, and bags.

"Improving Manual Material Handling in Your Workplace" lists the benefits of improving your work tasks. It also contains information on risk factors, types of ergonomic improvements, and effective training and sets out a four-step proactive action plan. The plan helps you identify problems, set priorities, make changes, and follow up.

Sections 1 and 2 of "Improvement Options" provide ways to improve lifting, lowering, filling, emptying, or carrying tasks by changing work practices and/or the use of equipment. Guidelines for safer work practices are also included.

Section 3 of "Improvement Options" provides ideas for using equipment instead of manually handling individual containers. Guidelines for safer equipment use are also included.

For more help the "Resources" section contains additional information on administrative improvements, work assessment tools and comprehensive analysis methods. This section also includes an improvement evaluation tool and a list of professional and trade organizations related to material handling.

Improving Manual Material Handling in your Workplace

What Manual Material Handling Is

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, handling is defined as: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with the hand or hands. Fingers are involved only to the extent that they are an extension of the hand, such as to turn a switch or to shift automobile gears.

In this publication, handling means that the worker’s hands move individual containers manually by lifting, lowering, filling, emptying, or carrying them.

Why Improve Your Workplace

Manual handling of containers may expose workers to physical conditions (e.g., force, awkward postures, and repetitive motions) that can lead to injuries, wasted energy, and wasted time. To avoid these problems, your organization can directly benefit from improving the fit between the demands of work tasks and the capabilities of your workers. Remember that workers’ abilities to perform work tasks may vary because of differences in age, physical condition, strength, gender, stature, and other factors. In short, changing your workplace by improving the fit can benefit your workplace by:

• Reducing or preventing injuries
• Reducing workers’ efforts by decreasing forces in lifting, handling, pushing and pulling materials
• Reducing risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., awkward postures from reaching into containers)
• Increasing productivity, product and service quality, and worker morale
• Lowering costs by reducing or eliminating production bottlenecks, error rates or rejects, use of medical services because of musculoskeletal disorders, workers’ compensation claims, excessive worker turnover, absenteeism, and retraining

What to Look For

Manual material handling tasks may expose workers to physical risk factors. If these tasks are performed repeatedly or over long periods of time, they can lead to fatigue and injury. The main risk factors, or conditions, associated with the development of injuries in manual material handling tasks include:

• Awkward postures (e.g., bending, twisting)
• Repetitive motions (e.g., frequent reaching, lifting, carrying)
• Forceful exertions (e.g., carrying or lifting heavy loads)
• Pressure points (e.g., grasping [or contact from] loads, leaning against parts or surfaces that are hard or have sharp edges)
• Static postures (e.g., maintaining fixed positions for a long time)

Repeated or continual exposure to one or more of these factors initially may lead to fatigue and discomfort. Over time, injury to the back, shoulders, hands, wrists, or other parts of the body may occur. Injuries may include damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels. Injuries of this type are known as musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs.

In addition, poor environmental conditions, such as extreme heat, cold, noise, and poor lighting, may increase workers’ chances of developing other types of problems.

Table of Contents

Types of Ergonomic Improvements

In general, ergonomic improvements are changes made to improve the fit between the demands of work tasks and the capabilities of your workers. There are usually many options for improving a particular manual handling task. It is up to you to make informed choices about which improvements will work best for particular tasks.

There are two types of ergonomic improvements:

1. Engineering Improvements

These include rearranging, modifying, redesigning, providing or replacing tools, equipment, workstations, packaging, parts, processes, products, or materials (see “Improvement Options”).

2. Administrative Improvements

Observe how different workers perform the same tasks to get ideas for improving work practices or organizing the work. Then consider the following improvements:

• Alternate heavy tasks with light tasks.
• Provide variety in jobs to eliminate or reduce repetition (i.e., overuse of the same muscle groups).
• Adjust work schedules, work pace, or work practices.
• Provide recovery time (e.g., short rest breaks).
• Modify work practices so that workers perform work within their power zone (i.e., above the knees, below the shoulders, and close to the body).
• Rotate workers through jobs that use different muscles, body parts, or postures.

Administrative improvements, such as job rotation, can help reduce workers’ exposures to risk factors by limiting the amount of time workers spend on “problem jobs.” However, these measures may still expose workers to risk factors that can lead to injuries. For these reasons, the most effective way to eliminate “problem jobs” is to change them. This can be done by putting into place the appropriate engineering improvements and modifying work practices accordingly.

Training

Training alone is not an ergonomic improvement. Instead, it should be used together with any workplace changes made. Workers need training and hands-on practice with new tools, equipment, or work practices to make sure they have the skills necessary to work safely. Training is most effective when it is interactive and fully involves workers. Below are some suggestions for training based on adult learning principles:

• Provide hands-on practice when new tools, equipment, or procedures are introduced to the workforce.
• Use several types of visual aids (e.g., pictures, charts, videos) of actual tasks in your workplace.
• Hold small-group discussions and problem-solving sessions.
• Give workers ample opportunity for questions.

A Proactive Action Plan

Manual material handling jobs require movement and physical activity. But how do you find out:

• Why workplace problems are occurring?
• Which work tasks may be causing injuries or production bottlenecks or decreasing product and service quality?
• What to do about problems once you find them?
• How to reduce your workers’ compensation costs?

One way to answer these questions is to be proactive in your problem solving. Being proactive simply means finding the problems first by looking thoroughly around the workplace rather than waiting for problems to occur. Then improve the fit between the work and the worker by putting the appropriate changes into place.

The process includes involving workers, observing jobs, making decisions on effective options, and then taking action. It is important to involve workers, managers, and supervisors throughout the process.

There are four steps to a proactive action plan:

1. Look for clues.
2. Prioritize jobs for improvements.
3. Make improvements.
4. Follow up.

Step 1: Look for Clues

a. Review written records (e.g., OSHA Log 300, past worker reports or complaints, and workers’ compensation reports). Your workers’ compensation insurance carrier may offer risk-management services that can provide workplace assessment surveys.

b. Observe work activities. Talk to workers, supervisors, and managers about where problems exist. Look for warning signs, such as:

• Risk factors in work tasks (e.g., awkward postures, repetitive motions, forceful exertions, pressure points, staying in the same position for a long time)
• Worker fatigue, discomfort, or reports of related problems
• Workers exhibiting “pain behaviors” (e.g., not moving body parts, self-restricting their movements, or massaging hands, arms, legs, necks, or backs)
• Workers modifying tools, equipment, or workstations on their own
• Increase in absenteeism, worker turnover rates, or customer complaints
• Decrease in product or service quality or employee morale
• Increase in error rates, rejects, or wasted materials
• Production bottlenecks
• Malfunctioning equipment
• Missed deadlines
• Unnecessary handling and duplication of material and product movement

Make sure to talk to your workers about their ideas for altering work processes, operations, tools, or equipment. Ask them how they would make their jobs less physically demanding and more efficient.

c. Use assessment tools - To determine where problems may arise in work tasks, you may want to use some of the following simple “tools” (see Appendix B):

• NIOSH Manual Material Handling Checklist
• NIOSH Hazard Evaluation Checklist for Lifting, Pushing, or Pulling
• The Awareness Worksheet: Looking for Clues
• Ergonomics Checklist - Material Handling

If the problems are complex, more sophisticated methods may be needed for addressing your workplace MSDs. More detailed assessment tools for specific problems include the following (see Appendix C):

• NIOSH Lifting Equation
• American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold
• Limit Values (TLVs) for Manual Lifting
• University of Michigan 3D Static Strength Prediction Program
• Ohio State University Lumbar Motion Monitor
• Snook’s Psychophysical Tables

Step 2: Prioritize Jobs for Improvements

After detecting the problems, decide which tasks to improve and then set priorities. Consider:

• The frequency and severity of the risk factors you have identified that may lead to injuries
• The frequency and severity of complaints, symptoms, and/or injuries
• Technical and financial resources at your disposal
• Ideas of workers for making improvements
• Difficulty in implementing various improvements
• Timeframe for making improvements

Step 3: Make Improvements

The goal of making changes is to improve the fit between the demands of work tasks and the capabilities of your workers. Combine operations and processes whenever possible to reduce or eliminate unnecessary manual handling of materials and products. Depending on the characteristics of the work and the workers, there may be some changes that will improve a particular task.

For suggestions on how to improve your work tasks, see "Improvement Options."

Appendix D contains a tool to help evaluate the improvements you are considering.

If you need additional help with improvements, consider the following:

• Talk to various employees .Brainstorming with engineers, maintenance personnel, managers, and production workers is a great way to generate ideas.
• Contact others in your industry. They may have solutions that could also apply to your problem, saving you time, money, and effort.
• Look through equipment catalogs. Focus on equipment dealing with the types of problems you are trying to solve.
• Talk to equipment vendors. They may be able to share ideas from operations similar to yours.
Consult with an expert in ergonomics. An expert can provide insights into available improvements, the cost, and the potential value.
• Call Cal/OSHA Consultation Service (only for businesses located in California). It provides free on-site consultation and advice on occupational safety and health.
• Search the Internet (e.g., Material Handling Industry of America, Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association). See Appendix E for a list of resources on handling materials.

Step 4: Follow Up

It is important to follow up in order to evaluate if your improvements have worked. After a reasonable adjustment period, set a date to follow up on the changes made. Make sure to evaluate each improvement separately for effectiveness. The following questions may be helpful:

Has each improvement:

• Reduced or eliminated fatigue, discomfort, symptoms, and/or injuries?
• Been accepted by workers?
• Reduced or eliminated most or all of the risk factors?
• Caused any new risk factors, hazards, or other problems?
• Caused a decrease in productivity and efficiency?
• Caused a decrease in product and service quality?
• Been supported with the training needed to make it effective?

If you determine that your improvements have not worked, modify them or try something different until the risk factors have been reduced or eliminated.

Improvement Options

Easier Ways to Manually Lift, Lower, Fill, or Empty Containers

Consider the following options that will:

• Reduce reaching and bending.
• Reduce the stress on your back and shoulders.
• Reduce the effort and force needed to perform work tasks.

NIOSH Lifting Equation

The Revised National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation (1994) provides guidelines for evaluating two-handed manual lifting tasks. It defines a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) as the weight of the load that nearly all healthy workers can lift over a substantial period of time (e.g., eight hours) without an increased risk of developing lower back pain. The maximum weight to be lifted with two hands, under ideal conditions, is 51 pounds. The RWL is based on six variables that reduce the maximum weight to be lifted to less than 51 pounds.

Consult the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (1994) for information to help assess complex lifting tasks (see Appendix C).

Note: The lifting guidelines suggested by the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation are not Cal/OSHA regulatory requirements and are not part of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations.

Management Guidelines for Safer Lifting

• Plan the workflow to eliminate unnecessary lifts.
• Organize the work so that the physical demands and work pace increase gradually.
• Minimize the distances loads are lifted and lowered.
• Position pallet loads of materials at a height that allows workers to lift and lower within their power zone.
• Avoid manually lifting or lowering loads to or from the floor.
  • Store materials and/or products off the floor.
  • Arrange materials to arrive on pallets, and keep materials on pallets during storage.
  • Use a forklift to lift or lower the entire pallet of material, rather than lifting or lowering the material individually.
  • Arrange to have material off-loaded directly onto storage shelves. Store only lightweight or infrequently lifted items on the floor.
  • Use mechanical devices (e.g., lifts, hoists ) whenever possible.
  • Avoid designing jobs that require workers to lift or lower materials to or from floor level.
• For loads that are unstable and/or heavy:
  • Tag the load to alert workers.
  • Test the load for stability and weight before carrying the load.
  • Use mechanical devices or equipment to lift the load.
  • Reduce the weight of the load by:
    • Putting fewer items in the container.
    • Using a smaller and/or lighter-weight container.
    • Repack containers so contents will not shift and the weight is balanced.
    • Use team lifting as a temporary measure for heavy or bulky objects.
• Reduce the frequency of lifting and the amount of time employees perform lifting tasks by:
  • Rotating workers in lifting tasks with other workers in non-lifting tasks.
  • Having workers alternate lifting tasks with non-lifting tasks.
• Clear spaces to improve access to materials or products being handled. Easy access allows workers to get closer and reduces reaching, bending, and twisting.

Employee Guidelines for Safer Lifting

• The use of stretching is appropriate as part of a comprehensive ergonomic program.
• Stretching must not be used in place of engineering and/or administrative improvements.
• Check for tags on loads.
• Before lifting, always test the load for stability and weight.
• For loads that are unstable and/or heavy, follow management guidelines for:
  • Equipment use
  • Reducing the weight of the load
  • Repacking containers to increase stability
• Plan the lift:
  • Wear appropriate shoes to avoid slips, trips, or falls.
  • If you wear gloves, choose the size that fits properly. Depending on the material the gloves are made of and the number of pairs worn at once, more force may be needed to grasp and hold objects. For example, wearing a single pair of heat-resistant gloves can reduce your grip strength up to 40 percent. Wearing two or more pairs of gloves at once can reduce your grip strength up to 60 percent.
  • Lift only as much as you can safely handle by yourself.
  • Keep the lifts in your power zone (i.e., above the knees, below the shoulders, and close to the body), if possible.
  • Use extra caution when lifting loads that may be unstable.
• When lifting:
  • Get a secure grip.
  • Use both hands whenever possible.
  • Avoid jerking by using smooth, even motions.
  • Keep the load as close to the body as possible.
  • To the extent feasible use your legs to push up and lift the load, not the upper body or back.
  • Do not twist your body. Step to one side or the other to turn.
  • Alternate heavy lifting or forceful exertion tasks with less physically demanding tasks.
  • Take rest breaks.

Safe Lifting Tips (Images)

Table of Contents

Easier Ways to Manually Carry Containers

Consider the following options that will:

• Improve your grip
• Reduce stress on your back and shoulders
• Reduce contact pressure on your shoulders and hands
• Reduce the effort and force needed to perform work task

Management guidelines for safer carrying

• Plan the work to eliminate unnecessary carrying.
• Slide, push, or roll instead of carrying, when appropriate.
• Organize the work so that the physical demands and work pace increase gradually.
• Reduce the distances that loads are moved to a minimum. If long trips are required, use equipment.
• For loads that are unstable and/or heavy:
  • Tag the load to alert workers.
  • Test the load for stability and weight before carrying the load.
  • Use mechanical devices or equipment to carry or move the load.
• Reduce the weight of the load by:
  • Putting fewer things in the container.
  • Using smaller and/or lighter weight containers.
  • Dividing the load between two containers and carrying one in each hand.
  • Repack the containers so contents will not shift and the weight is balanced
  • Use team carrying as a temporary measure for heavy or bulky objects
• Reduce the frequency and amount of time workers carry materials by:
  • Rotating workers in carrying tasks with other workers in non-carrying tasks
  • Having workers alternate carrying tasks with non-carrying tasks

Employee Guidelines for Safer Carrying

• The use of stretching is appropriate as part of a comprehensive ergonomic program. Stretching must not be used in place of engineering and/or administrative improvements
• Check for tags on loads.
• Before carrying, always test the load for stability and weight.
• For long trips or loads that are unstable and/or heavy, follow management guidelines for:
• Equipment use.
• Reducing the weight of the load.
• Repacking containers to increase stability.
• Plan before carrying:
  • Wear appropriate shoes to avoid slips, trips or falls.
  • If you wear gloves choose the size that fits properly. Depending on the material the gloves are made of and the number of pairs worn at once, more force may be needed to grasp and hold objects. For example, wearing a single pair of heat resistant gloves can reduce your grip strength up to 40 percent. Wearing two or more pairs of gloves at once can reduce your grip strength up to 60 percent.
  • Avoid carrying large or bulky loads that limit or obstruct your vision
  • Slide, push, or roll instead of carrying when appropriate
  • When there is a choice, push instead of pull
  • Carry only as much as you can safely handle by yourself
  • Try to avoid slopes, stairs, or other obstacles that make carrying materials more difficult
  • Beware of and try to avoid slippery floors (e.g., liquids, ice, oil, and powders)
  • Use extra caution when moving loads that may be unstable
• When carrying:
  • Keep loads close to your body.
  • Make sure you have a clear view of the path.
  • When carrying containers with one hand, alternate hands.
  • Whenever appropriate, use two hands to carry containers.
  • Alternate heavy or forceful exertion tasks with less physically demanding tasks.
  • Take rest breaks.

Safe Carrying Tips (Images)

Table of Contents

Alternatives to Manual Handling of Individual Containers

• Change the container.
• Use a Tool.
• Use Non-powered equipment.
• Use powered equipment.

Guidelines for Equipment Use

• Know your load and buy equipment of appropriate capacity. Remember, lighter-weight equipment is easier to move.
• Choose equipment appropriate for the material(s) being handled, the layout and design of your workplace, and the work tasks being performed (see Appendix B).
• Consider using powered equipment —rather than non-powered— when pushing and pulling forces are excessive (see Appendix C, Snook's Psychophysical Tables).
• Choose wheeled equipment which minimizes start forces (inertia) and reduces rolling resistance.
• The amount of force required to move loads with wheeled equipment depends on a number of factors including the:
  • Weight and shape of the load
  • Type and condition of the flfloor surface (e.g., smoothness, density, and other factors)
  • Route taken (e.g., slopes, obstacles, and other factors)
  • Type of wheels (i.e., the materials they are made of) -Size of wheels (larger wheels a minimum of 6 inches in diameter move more easily over holes, bumps, and/or irregularities)
  • Maintenance of wheels; it is important to clean, lubricate, and/or replace wheels on a regular basis.
• Ground all electrically operated equipment.
• Make sure equipment alarms and warning devices are audible and working properly.
• Inspect and maintain equipment according to manufacturers' recommendations.
• Follow all manufacturers' recommendations for proper equipment use.

Work Environment

• Clear the aisles and doorways for safe passage and maneuvering of equipment.
• Set barriers that prevent employees from coming close to or beneath supported or moving loads.
• In tight spaces, use equipment with four swivel casters or wheels. Loads are easier to turn and control.

Work Practices

• Train employees on proper equipment use and appropriate work practices.
• Push and pull equipment with the entire body instead of with just the arms and shoulders.
• When pushing or pulling use both hands when feasible.
• To move heavy loads over long distances, either reduce the load or use powered equipment.
• Inspect pallets before loading or moving them.

Safe Handling Tips (Images)

Table of Contents

Resources

Appendix A. Administrative Improvements

Administrative improvements include changing work practices or the way work is organized. Administrative improvements require continual monitoring by management and employee feedback to make sure the improvements are effective.

Provide variety in jobs

There are a couple of ways to increase variety in jobs. Job rotation means rotating employees through different jobs. Job enlargement means increasing the variety by combining two or more jobs or adding tasks to a particular job. To be effective, both improvements rely on changing jobs and tasks so that they differ in the:

• Muscles or body parts used
• Working postures
• Amount of repetition
• Pace of work
• Amount of physical exertion required
• Visual and mental demands
• Environmental conditions

Adjust work schedules and work pace

New workers who are not used to the physical demands of the job or those returning from long absences should be gradually introduced to a normal work pace and workload like an athlete in spring training.

Provide recovery time

Recovery periods (i.e., muscle relaxation periods) can help prevent fatigue and injury to muscles. Several short breaks can reduce the frequency and duration of physically demanding activities. Ask employees for their ideas for the best rotation or break schedules to reduce the physical demands of their jobs. Their suggestions can help you integrate the physical demands of jobs with the environmental and organizational demands of the workplace.

Modify work practices

Pay close attention to how the work is being performed. Employees should be encouraged to be comfortable, change positions, and stretch during work periods. The human body is stronger, more efficient and less prone to injury when work is performed in midrange postures and within the power zone.

Midrange postures mean postures in which the joints of the neck, back, legs, arms, and wrists are not bent in extreme positions. The power zone is above the knees, below the shoulders, and close to the body. The principle of the power zone is that in this area workers have the greatest power to perform heavier work tasks with less bending, stooping, or reaching.

Table of Contents

Appendix B. Assessment “Tools”

NIOSH Manual Material Handling (MMH) Checklist

This checklist is not designed to be a comprehensive risk assessment technique but rather as a tool to quickly identify potential problem jobs. Additional risk factors may exist that are not accounted for in this checklist. It is common practice to follow up checklist observations with more precise techniques to confirm problem risk factors. "No" responses indicate potential problem areas that should be investigated further.

Hazard Evaluation Checklist for Lifting, Carrying, Pushing, or Pulling

This checklist is not designed to be a comprehensive risk assessment technique but rather as a tool to quickly identify potential problem jobs. Additional risk factors may exist that are not accounted for in this checklist. It is common practice to follow up checklist observations with more precise techniques to confirm problem risk factors.

"Yes" responses are indicative of conditions that pose a risk of developing low back pain. The larger the percentage of “Yes” responses that are noted, the greater the possible risk.

Source: T. R. Waters, “Manual Materials Handling”, in: Physical and Biological Hazards of the Workplace (Second edition). Edited by P. Wald and G. Stave. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2002.

Ergonomics Awareness Worksheet

The purpose of the worksheet is to increase basic awareness of potential problems associated with jobs and tasks. This awareness can help provide clues on how to make effective improvements.

Job Title:
Job Location:
Name of Employee:
Name of Observer: Date

adapted from EasyErgonomics: A Practical Approach for Improving the Workplace .Sacramento California Department of Industrial Relations, Cal/OSHA Consultation Service, Research and Education Unit, 1999.

Ergonomics Checklist — Material Handling

The checklist presented below is from the book Kodak's Ergonomic Design for People at Work (adapted from material developed by the Chemical Manufacturers Association). It helps users to identify any job risk factors that may be present in the job. This checklist is applicable to jobs requiring the routine handling of objects of 10 pounds or more.

Job/Task: __________________________________
Dept: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Analyst: ___________________________________

Before After (Controls Implemented)

Directions: Review each condition for the job/task of interest and for each condition that frequently occurs, place an X in the “Concern” column as appropriate. Add comments as appropriate.

Table of Contents

Appendix C. Analysis Methods

The following methods are comprehensive tools designed to provide a detailed analysis of various types of manual material handling tasks. They can be used to evaluate lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, and other activities.

NIOSH Lifting Equation

The NIOSH Lifting Equation is a tool used to evaluate manual lifting tasks. This equation allows the user to insert the exact conditions of the lift (e.g., height, distance lifted, weight, position of weight relative to body, etc.). This equation accounts for asymmetrical lifts and objects that are difficult to grasp.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/94-110.html

ACGIH Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Lifting

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends guidelines for safe lifting. The Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for lifting recommend upper and lower limits based upon frequency, duration, and other risk factors associated with lifting. The following ACGIH Publications may be helpful: TLVs and BEIs (#0106) Lifting: TLV Physical Agents (7th Edition) Documentation (#7DOC-734) To purchase publications, go to www.acgih.org/store or call (513) 742-2020.

University of Michigan 3D Static Strength Prediction Program

3D Static Strength Prediction Program software predicts static strength requirements for tasks such as lifts, presses, pushes, and pulls. The program provides an approximate job simulation that includes posture data, force parameters, and male/ female anthropometry. The results include the percentage of men and women who have the strength to perform the described job, spinal compression forces, and data comparisons to NIOSH guidelines. The user can analyze torso twists and bends and make complex hand force entries. Analysis is aided by an automatic posture generation feature and three-dimensional human graphic illustrations.

http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/ioe/3DSSPP/

Ohio State Lumbar Motion Monitor

Traditionally, most workplace ergonomic assessments have focused on joint loading in static postures. However, epidemiologic studies have shown that three-dimensional dynamic motion is associated with an increased risk of occupational injury and illness. The Bio dynamicsLab has developed a unique research program that focuses on the study of occupational joint loading under realistic dynamic motion conditions. The program's goal is to obtain a better understanding of how much exposure to realistic risk factors is too much.

http://biodynamics.osu.edu/research.html

Snook's Psychophysical Tables

These tables are based on psychophysical data and provide the maximum acceptable weights and forces for various common tasks including lifting and lowering weights, pulling and pushing forces, and carrying objects. Values are given for different lift heights, number of lifts per minute, and percentiles of male and female populations capable of the task.

S. H. Snook, and V. M. Ciriello. “The Design of Manual Handling Tasks: Revised Tables of Maximum Acceptable Weights and Forces.” Ergonomics 34(9): 1197–1213 (1991).

NIOSH Publications on Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

NIOSH offers many types of publications including:
General ergonomics manuals
Industry or operation-specific manuals
Ergonomics texts
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics/

Table of Contents

Appendix D. Improvement Evaluation “Tools”

As you evaluate possible improvement options, keep in mind the requirements that are most important in your particular workplace. Then, ask the following general questions for each improvement option under consideration:

Will this improvement:

• Reduce or eliminate most or all of the identified risk factors?
• Add any new risk factors that have not been previously identified?
• Be affordable for our organization (e.g., is there a simpler, less expensive alternative that could be equally effective)?
• Affect productivity or efficiency?
• Affect product or service quality?
• Provide a temporary or permanent "x"?
• Be accepted by employees?
• Affect employee morale?
• Be able to be fully implemented (including training) in a reasonable amount of time?
• Affect the rate of pay or any collective bargaining agreements?
• If you are thinking about new equipment for handling material, additional questions need to be answered. An evaluation will help to ensure that you choose the most appropriate piece of equipment to improve the "t" between the task and the worker. For each improvement option under consideration, ask yourself if this particular piece of equipment will:
• Reach far enough to cover the work area?
• Handle the weight and shape of the product?
• Re-orient the load as needed for production (e.g., to empty or pour contents)?
• Be easy to load or unload?
• Require much force or energy to push it, steer it around corners, or stop it at the destination?
• Be heavy or large?
• Handle the load in a safe and controlled manner? Is the load held securely and is it well balanced? Will cables or chains allow too much movement compared with rigid links?
• Allow an adequate field of view for the operator?
• Slow workers down too much to meet production requirements?
• Interface with existing equipment and structures? Will weight-bearing columns, shelving, or other structures block the movement of the equipment?
• Need an additional power supply beyond what is currently in place?

Table of Contents

Appendix E. Organizations

The following organizations may provide additional information on material handling equipment and work practices.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

ANSI coordinates the U.S. voluntary consensus standards system, approves American National Standards, and is the sole U.S. representative and dues-paying member of the International Organization for Standardization and the IEC.

www.ansi.org

American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)

APICS — The Educational Society for Resource Management is a not-for-profit international educational organization that offers education and professional certification programs.

www.apics.org

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

ASME membership includes opportunities to share new concepts, spearhead solutions, and advance the science and practice of mechanical engineering through the programs of its 36 technical divisions and four institutes. ASME International is a nonprofit educational and technical organization serving a worldwide membership of 125,000.

www.asme.org

Association of Professional Material Handling Consultants (APMHC)

APMHC is a professional society composed of individual consultants in the material-handling field.

www.mhia.org/PS/PS_APMHC_WhatIsAPMHC.cfm

The Automated Material Handling Systems Association

For over 27 years, the Automated Materials Handling Systems Association (formerly Automated Storage Retrieval Systems/Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems Users' Association) has promoted the sharing of knowledge and experience among its members, both users and vendors, to provide proven solutions to common warehousing/automation problems.

www.amhsa.co.uk

College-Industry Council on Materials Handling Education (CICMHE)

The council provides information, teaching materials, and various events in support of education and research on material handling.

www.mhia.org/et/ET_MHI_CICMHE_Home.cfm

Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA)

CEMA's purpose is to promote voluntary standardization of conveyor design, manufacture, and application.

www.cemanet.org

Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)

Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals seeks to enhance the development of the logistics profession by providing information and educational opportunities.

www.cscmp.org

Darcor and Ergoweb ® Ergonomic White Paper

The Ergonomics of Manual Material Handling - Pushing and Pulling Tasks

www.darcor.com/library_wp.htm

Fédération Européenne de la Manutention (FEM)

FEM is the European manufacturers association of materials handling and lifting and storage equipment. It represents the technical, economic, and political interests of the industry. FEM serves technical progress and improves safety at work through the establishment of guidelines and business codes.

www.fem-eur.com

Industrial Truck Association (ITA)

ITA's site includes directory of members' products by truck class, information on vendor-sponsored operator training programs, data on standards for trucks and parts, events of the lift-truck industry, annual statistics on U.S. shipments of industrial trucks, and more.

www.indtrk.org

Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE)

The IIE is a professional society dedicated to advancing the technical and managerial excellence of those concerned with improving the productivity of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment, and energy. The IIE serves the professional needs of industrial engineers and all individuals involved with improving quality and productivity.

www.iienet.org

International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA)

The IWLA is the unified voice of the global logistics outsourcing industry, representing third-party warehousing, transportation, and logistics service providers.

www.iwla.com

Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA)

The Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) is the only trade association dedicated solely to improving the proficiency of the independent material-handling equipment distributor.

www.mheda.org

Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA)

The MHIA is the nonprofit umbrella organization overseeing its two membership divisions: The Material Handling Institute (MHI) and the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA). This vendor association's site includes a directory of MHIA members and its products as well as information on available literature.

The Material Handling Institute is the educational wing of the MHIA.

www.mhia.org

The following are product sections or councils within the MHIA: Automated Storage/Retrieval Systems (AS/RS)

www.mhia.org/ASRS

Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS)

www.mhia.org/AGVS

Conveyor Product Section (CPS)

www.mhia.org/CPS

Crane Manufacturers Association of America, Inc. (CMAA)

www.mhia.org/CMAA

Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment(EASE)

www.mhia.org/EASE

Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI)

www.mhia.org/HMI

Institute of Caster Manufacturers (ICWM)

www.mhia.org/ICWM

Integrated Systems & Controls Council (ICS)

www.mhia.org/ICS

Lift Manufacturers Product Section (LMPS)

www.mhia.org/LMPS

Loading Dock Equipment Manufacturers (LODEM)

www.mhia.org/LODEM

Monorail Manufacturers Association, Inc. (MMA)

www.mhia.org/MMA

Order Fulfillment Council (OFC)

www.mhia.org/OFC

Reusable Plastic Container and Pallet Association (RPCPA)

www.mhia.org/RPCPA

Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SMA)

www.mhia.org/SMA

Materials Handling & Management Society (MHMS)

The MHMS is an individual membership organization for the materials-handling practitioner and the materials-handling community.

www.mhia.org/PS/PS_MHMS_Home.cfm

National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)

The NAM is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states.

www.nam.org

National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA)

The NWPCA is dedicated to the success of its members by helping them create cost-effective, environmentally responsible solutions to meet their customers' changing unit load handling needs.

www.nwpca.com

Packaging Machinery Manufacturing Institute (PMMI)

The PMMI is a resource for packaging. PMMI's mission states that it is committed to improving, leading, and unifying all segments of the packaging industry worldwide.

www.pmmi.org

Robotics Industries Association (RIA)

The RIA is North America's only trade association focused exclusively on robotics. More than 250 member companies represent leading robot manufacturers, system integrators, end users, and researchers.

www.robotics.org

Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is a nonprofit, professional society dedicated to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the field of manufacturing engineering. SME is a professional society serving the manufacturing industries. SME has some 60,000 members in 70 countries and supports a network of hundreds of chapters worldwide.

www.sme.org

Supply-Chain Council (SCC)

The Supply-Chain Council's membership is primarily practitioners representing a broad cross-section of industries, including manufacturers, services, distributors, and retailers.

www.supply-chain.org

University of California Agricultural Ergonomics Research Center, UC Davis

This center's mission is to understand and apply ergonomic approaches to the development and evaluation of equipment designs and work practices that prevent musculoskeletal disorders in agricultural work<.

The "pot lifter" was developed to lift and carry pots and other cylindrical containers. For detailed information on this device, go to http://ag-ergo.ucdavis.edu
Click on:

• Help for Industry
• Other resources for industry
• Tip Sheet 001:Nursery Lifting Tool (English and Spanish)

Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC)

The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) is the professional association for those in warehousing and distribution. WERC is a not-for-profit organization with more than 4,000 individual members

Acknowledgements

Writers and Editors

Zin Cheung, MS, CIE - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Sacramento, CA Mario Feletto, MS, MPH - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Sacramento, CA Jim Galante - EASE Council - Charlotte, NC Tom Waters, PhD, CPE - NIOSH - Cincinnati, OH

Page Layout and Design

Jitan Patel - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Sacramento, CA

Photographers and Image Editors

Zin Cheung, MS, CIE - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Sacramento, CA Rick Hight - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Sacramento, CA Ken Jackson - Link One LLC - Sacramento, CA Jitan Patel - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Sacramento, CA Fran Wagner, MS, CIE - Link One LLC - Sacramento, CA

Editor

Faye Ong - CDE Press, California Department of Education - Sacramento, CA

Ergonomics Consultants

Suzanne H. Rodgers, PhD - Consultant in Ergonomics - Rochester, NY Fran Wagner, MS, CIE - Link One LLC - Sacramento, CA

Editorial and Technical Reviewers

Dave C. Bare, CIH - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Sacramento, CA David Brodie, MS, CPE - Atlas Ergonomics - Grand Haven, MI Paul R. Burnett - Santa Clara Valley Water District - San Jose, CA Fadi Fathallah, PhD - University of California - Davis, CA Sean Gallagher, PhD, CPE - NIOSH - Pittsburgh, PA Daniel J. Habes, MSE, CPE - NIOSH - Cincinnati, OH John Howard, MD, MPH, JD, LL.M - NIOSH - Washington, DC Ira Janowitz, PT, CPE - University of California - Berkeley, CA Brian Roberts, C.S.P., CIE - CNA Insurance - Chicago, IL Kristy Schultz, MS, CIE - State Compensation Insurance Fund - Sacramento, CA Steve Smith, CIH - Division of Occupational Safety & Health - Sacramento, CA Len Welsh, MS, JD - Division of Occupational Safety & Health - Sacramento, CA

Contributors

We thank the following people and organizations for their support and assistance in the development of this publication:

Denny Albrecht - BMH Equipment, Inc. - Sacramento, CA Jim Borman - Signode Western Operations - Pittsburg, CA Delia Deas - Tropicana - City of Industry, CA Linda Donavon - Eagle Group - Clayton, DE Ken Fletcher - Blue Diamond Growers - Sacramento, CA Herman Jett - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service - Santa Fe Springs, CA Mike Kelly - Calgene - Davis, CA Ken King - SPC Industrial - Holly, MI Rory Manley - General Pool and Spa - Rancho Cordova, CA Etta Mason - Southern California Edison -Westminster, CA Brad McCroskey - Triple A Containers - Cerritos, CA Edward D. Page - Office of State Publishing - Sacramento, CA Iraj Pourmehraban - Cal/OSHA Consultation Service, VPP - Oakland, CA Fred Sibley - Natural Stone - Sacramento, CA

We thank the following companies for contributing to the development of this publication:

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