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Ticket Counter
(Check-In Area)
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Ticket agents generally encounter
hazards while working at a computer workstation and while
transferring baggage. Agents often stand at a computer
workstation for long periods of time, which may result
in fatigue and awkward postures. They also retrieve, weigh,
and tag the passenger baggage as well as move it onto
a feeder conveyer. Lifting heavy or awkward baggage can
lead to various ergonomic hazards resulting in injuries.
However, these hazards may be avoided by implementing
simple controls in the following areas:
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Potential
Hazards
- Standing on hard floors or sitting
for long periods of time can fatigue the
back and leg muscles.
- Working while assuming awkward neck
and wrist postures can cause discomfort
and may lead to musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs). (Figure 1)
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Figure 1.
Awkward neck and wrist postures |
Possible
Solutions
- Perform stretching exercises that help
loosen and relax the muscles and joints.
- Wear comfortable and supportive shoes
(no higher than 1.5" heel height).
- Provide anti-fatigue mats for ticket
agents who must stand for extended periods
of time. (Figure 2)
- Provide footrests that are 4 - 6 inches
from the floor. This will allow the ticket
agent to alternate the leg that supports
the majority of his or her weight and
allows employee to frequently change
posture throughout shift.
- Provide sit/stand stools that allow
ticket agents to change postures while
working behind the counter.
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Figure 2.
Anti-fatigue mat |
Potential
Hazards
- Awkward neck and wrist postures from
using monitors (VDTs), keyboards, and
mouse devices that are placed too low
may create stress in the joints and muscles.
- Contact stress to wrists may result
from contact with counter edges.
- Extended or repetitive reaches across
the counter to retrieve items from passengers
(bag tags, boarding cards, etc.) or to
lift or tag baggage can cause back and
shoulder injuries. (Figure 3)
Possible Solutions
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Figure 3.
Extended reaches across the counter |
- Perform stretching exercises that help
loosen and relax the muscles and joints.
- Provide wrist rests or add padding to
counter edges to soften contact points between
the ticket agent and the workstation.
- Ensure the printer is placed at an appropriate
height and in front of the agent to reduce
bending and twisting motions.
- Modify the workstation to ensure monitor,
keyboard, and mouse are height adjustable,
allowing ticket agents to change their
working postures.
- This helps ticket agents of different
heights to maintain neutral body postures
while working at various ticket
counters.
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Potential
Hazards
- Bending over to tag or lift baggage.
(Figure 4)
- Lifting baggage by the handle with one
hand causes unequal distribution of the
load and may fatigue grip strength and
stress the back and shoulders.
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Figure 4.
Lifting while bent over |
- Twisting the torso while transferring
baggage to the main conveyor, often several
feet behind the counter. (Figure 5)
- Reaching with extended arms to lift
and carry baggage.
- Dangling baggage straps that may get
caught in the belts or on corners.
Possible
Solutions:
- Educate agents about proper body
mechanics to increase awareness of good
work practices.
- Perform stretching exercises that help
loosen and relax the muscles and joints.
- Tag baggage while it is in the bagwell
to avoid repeatedly lifting it to a temporary
position on the floor and then lifting
it again to the main conveyor.
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Figure 5.
Twisting the torso |
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- Tag excessively heavy baggage and get
help from another person or use a lifting
aid when handling baggage with heavy bag
tags. (Figure 6)
- Use a rotation scheme to rotate agents
out of a task that is particularly stressful.
This gives the body valuable rest and
recovery time.
- Raise the height of bagwells a couple
inches above the take-away belts to minimize
bending.
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Figure 6.
Heavy tag |
Potential
Hazards
- Lifting with arms fully extended.
- Lifting excessively heavy or oddly shaped
baggage. (Figure 7)
- Lifting bags from the ground while standing
in bagwell when assisting passengers.
Possible Solutions
- Ensure that the passenger places baggage
in the bagwell so the ticket agent does
not have to bend over the counter to retrieve
it.
- Use a "roller conveyor" or
a metal slide to reduce the forces associated
with lifting. Sliding an object is usually
preferable to lifting. (Figure 8)
- Use an automated conveyor system that
eliminates the need for lifting baggage
and reduces the number of hazards associated
with lifting. (Figure 9)
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Figure 7.
Excessively heavy or awkward baggage
Figure 8.
Roller extension belts
Figure 9.
Automated collection conveyor
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