Manual loading or unloading systems exist in
narrow-body and some wide-body aircraft. Typically, ramp agents transfer
baggage from a cart to a beltloader that automatically moves items
to the cargo compartment. Once inside the cargo compartment, ramp
agents must move and position baggage while working in cramped spaces.
Ramp agents may also manually reposition baggage carts.
Hazards and solutions can be grouped into the
following categories:
Baggage - Manual Handling |
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Figure 1. Bending
over to get baggage
Potential
Hazards
- Handling heavy, large, or oddly shaped baggage
requires use of excessive force and awkward
postures, increasing the risk of musculoskeletal
injury.
- Handling uneven loads, such as when grabbing
two bags of different weights or carrying a
single bag with one hand, can lead to uneven
muscle exertions and poor postures, making muscles,
ligaments, and discs more prone to injury.
- Repeatedly handling baggage can increase
the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
- Frequent lifting may not allow sufficient
recovery time and increase the risk of muscle
fatigue
- Lifting a bag by the handle
can result in awkward postures
and may cause injury if handles
break. (Figure 1)
- Baggage straps getting snagged or caught
on a beltloader may cause injury.
- Falling baggage can cause injury to unsuspecting
workers as well as those who try to stop or
catch the falling bags.
Figure 2. Examples of heavy luggage tags
Possible Solutions
- Educate agents about proper lifting techniques to increase awareness of good work practices.
- Perform stretching exercises that help loosen and relax the muscles and joints.
- Use heavy luggage tags to create
awareness of actual bag weights.
(Figure 2)
- Park carts within
three to five feet from the beltloaders to minimize
carrying distances.
- Use a hand truck or cart to move large and heavy
bags over long distances.
- Secure or remove baggage straps.
- Ensure that ramp agents do not throw baggage or
attempt to catch falling baggage.
- Forces due to acceleration may be two to three
times greater than the object's weight.
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Carts - Manual Handling |
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Figure 3. While
working alone, place the cart at an angle
to the belt loader to minimize twisting while
lifting
Potential Hazards
- Manually positioning baggage carts (sometimes
weighing over 1,000 pounds) may require extreme
pushing and pulling forces.
- Parking carts too close to the beltloader
can lead to repeated lifting while twisting.
Ramp agents may tend to lift and twist instead
of moving their feet when a cart is too close
to the beltloader.
- Parking carts too far from the beltloader
forces agents to repeatedly carry heavy bags
over extended distances. This can be especially
hazardous under wet or icy conditions.
Possible
Solutions
Figure 4.
When one person is working, park the cart
on an angle. If two or more are working, park
perpendicular to the beltloader
Figure 5. Install handles on carts for easier manual positioning
- Educate agents about proper
lifting techniques to increase
awareness of good work practices.
- Perform stretching exercises that
help loosen and relax the
muscles and joints.
- Position carts at least
three feet from beltloaders
to encourage agents to pick
up bags from carts and turn,
instead of twist, to take
bags to beltloaders.
- If one person is working,
the cart should be set
at an angle to the beltloader.
(Figure 4)
- If more than one person
is working, the cart should
be perpendicular to the
beltloader to provide
adequate access for both
workers. (Figure 4)
- Heavily loaded carts should
not be moved manually. If
carts must be moved manually:
- Avoid stepping over
the tongue or towbar,
- Unhook and move no more
than one cart at a time,
and
- Use enough people to
keep pushing forces within
recommended limits.
- Appropriately designed and
installed handles on carts
or tongue and towbar can facilitate
pushing and pulling tasks.
(Figure 5)
Potential
Hazards
- Bending at the waist and twisting to lift
bags from a lower shelf of the cart up to the
beltloader can cause injury due to awkward postures
while lifting and twisting.
- Reaching away from the
body to grab a bag at the
back of a cart can cause injury
to the low back and can strain
other muscle groups. (Figure
6)
- Elevated and extended reaching
above the shoulders to handle
a bag on a shelf can cause
injury. (Figure 7)
Figure 6. Reaching across cart
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Figure 7. Reaching above shoulder height
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Figure 8. Two-handed lift
Figure 9. Place heavy bags on the bottom shelf
Possible
Solutions
- Educate agents about proper
lifting techniques to increase
awareness of good work practices.
- Perform stretching exercises
that help loosen and relax
the muscles and joints.
- Use a two-handed lift,
regardless of handle location.
(Figure 8)
- Sort heavy and large baggage
to lower positions on the
cart. (Figure 9)
- Avoid stacking baggage above shoulder height.
- Reduce extended reaches to back of carts.
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Beltloaders |
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Figure 10. Position of beltloader
when unloading the carts
Figure 11.
Position of beltloader when loading the carts(between waist and chest height)
Potential Hazards
- Positioning the end (closest to the cart) of the
beltloader too low may cause agents to bend at the
waist when placing or removing baggage. This can lead
to unnecessary stresses on the body.
- Positioning the end of the beltloader too high may
cause agents to raise their shoulders or extend their
elbows away from their body when placing or removing
baggage.
Possible
Solutions
- Adjust the end of the beltloader to ensure optimum
lifting heights based on loading conditions and the
type of cart used. Place belt at a height that will
ensure good posture while lifting baggage to and from
the belt and baggage cart.
- When unloading the cart, the
vertical position of the beltloader
should be level with or just
below the cart bottom. (Figure
10)
- When taking bags from the
beltloader to the cart, raise
the belt to at least waist height.
This reduces bending and facilitates
loading by working with gravity
(moving from a higher location
to a lower location). (Figure
11)
Figure 12. Position of beltloader when loading the cargo bin
Figure 13. Position of beltloader when unloading the cargo bin
Potential
Hazards
- Positioning the end of the beltloader (near cargo
bin) too low forces agents to bend and lift bags up
to put them into the cargo
bin.
- Positioning the end of the beltloader too far away
from the cargo bin may require agents to reach and
pull bags into the compartment.
Possible
Solutions
- Position beltloader at the edge
of the cargo compartment opening
to minimize gaps so agents do not
have to reach to access items.
- Elevate and place beltloader inside
the cargo bin when loading so items
are deposited close to the agent.
This minimizes reaching, pulling,
and pushing. (Figure 12)
- Place beltloader at or below the
lip of the cargo bin when unloading
so items can be placed on the beltloader
using pushing and sliding motions
rather than lifting. (Figure 13)
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Cargo Bin |
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Figure 14. Large or heavy baggage
Figure 15. Avoid sitting on the edge of the cargo bin
Figure 16. When pulling or pushing bags, use this kneeling position
Potential Hazards
- Handling heavy, awkward, and large bags in a limited
space (Figure 14) places the handler in stressful
positions that can result in injury.
- Frequent lifting may lead to insufficient recovery
time and muscle fatigue.
- Performing extended reaches while working in limited
spaces can stress the neck and shoulders.
- Sitting on the edge of the cargo bin while lifting
or arranging baggage (Figure 15) causes the handler
to twist while lifting or sliding baggage.
Possible
Solutions
- Educate agents about proper lifting
techniques to increase awareness
of good work practices.
- Perform stretching exercises that
help loosen and relax the muscles
and joints.
- Alert loading and unloading crews
when heavy bags are coming.
- Slide baggage close to the body
before lifting.
- Minimize twisting by kneeling
at an angle to the belt in the
direction of loading.
- Kneel on both knees when pushing
bags or balance on one knee
and one foot. (Figure 16)
- Stack large or heavy bags on the
bottom.
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Loading
Bridge |
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Figure 19.
Loading bridge
Potential Hazards
- Taking gate-checked baggage by hand from the gate
to the cargo bin places stress on the worker's shoulders
and back, especially if the bags are large or heavy.
- Taking strollers, wheelchairs, or other oddly shaped
and heavy items up or down loading bridge stairs can
be dangerous, especially during wet or icy conditions.
Possible
Solutions
- Use a hand truck or small manual cart to move individual
items of baggage over long distances.
- Use chutes, slides, or mechanical lifting devices.
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