Chapter 13: Manual Handling

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Islamic University of Gaza - Palestine

Chapter 13: Manual Handling


Learning Outcomes:

1. Define the term manual handling,2. Know the activities involve manual handling,3. Know types of injuries caused by manual handling,4. Know the risk factors of manual handling that can lead to

injuries,5. Be aware of manual handling as an important

occupational health and safety issue,

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Learning Outcomes (cont.):

6. Outline ways of minimizing manual handling risk,

7. Identify the hazards and explain the precautions andprocedures to ensure safety in the use of lifting andmoving equipment with specific reference to fork-lifttrucks, manually operated load-moving equipment (sacktrucks, pallet trucks), lifts, hoists, conveyors and cranes.


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Wrong way! I’m using my back instead of my legs

Using a trolley is the way to

go!

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Manual Handling

Manual handling tasks are any activity at the work place that require the use of force by a person.

Primarily lifting but includes pushing, pulling, grasping, throwing, striking, restraining, lowering, holding etc.

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Manual Handling

Manual Materials Handling (MMH): The use of human power to move loads by lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, and/or carrying.

•Dynamic Effort: The muscle acts as a local pump in the circulatory system. Compression squeezes blood out of the muscle and the subsequent relaxation releases a fresh flow of blood into it several times greater than normal. In fact, the muscle may receive between 10 and 20 times as much blood as when it is resting.

( A muscle performing dynamic work is therefore constantly flushed out with blood and returns the energy-rich sugar and oxygen balance contained in it, while at the same time waste products are removed. )


Manual Handling

•Static Effort: During static effort the muscle is not allowed to extend, but remains in a state of heightened tension, with force exerted over an extended period. ( During static effort the blood vessels are compressed by the internal pressure of the muscle tissue, so that blood no longer flows through the muscle. )

* Waste Product Accumulation: A muscle that is performing heavy static work is receiving virtually no sugar or oxygen from the blood and must depend upon its own reserves.Moreover - and this is by far the most serious disadvantage - waste products are not being excreted. Quite the reverse, the waste products are accumulating and produce the acutepain of muscular fatigue.

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Is the job repetitive

Are the loads handled heavy at times

Are awkward postures used

Do you feel tired at the end of the shift

Manual handling checklist


Risk factors in manual handling

− Individual physical factors, e.g.,l Weightl Physiquel Gender

− Task demand factors, e.g.,l Horizontal distance to loadl Posturel Repetition

− Environmental factors, e.g.,l Workplace designl Slippery floors

− Psychological factors, e.g.,l Depressionl Anxiety

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• Prolonged poor posture

• Repeated heavy lifting

• Manual handling in a poor posture,

• Sudden unexpected movements

• Work on unstable or slippery surfaces

Common causes of injury


Types of injuries

Fractures to limbs, ribs, hands, arms caused by slips, falls and dropped objects,

Torn or over- stretched muscles, ligaments, tendons due to unnatural movement,

Injuries to the discs due to bending, twisting,

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Example Statistics on Manual Handling

Manual handling is associated with:• 27% of all industrial injuries• 670,000 injuries/year in the United States• 60% of all money spent on industrial injuries• 93,000,000 lost workdays/year


MH Criteria Categories

• BiomechanicalEmphasizes the forces and torques of manual handling and

their effects on the body. (the back is the weakest link)

• PhysiologicalEmphasizes the energy requirements of the task and the

effects on the cardiovascular system.

• Psychosocial – combines biomechanical and physiological

Under controlled conditions, individuals perform tasks to determine ‘real’ rates for workers.

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Manual Handling Variables

l Individual

l Technique− People are not machines− People forget− People make mistakes− People fail to learn

l Task− Permanent change by task modification


Manual Handling Variables (cont.)l Individual

− What can be done so a small person can do the job?− Stronger usually better− But don’t exclude too many!

l Technique− Posture− Hand orientation− Foot position− Lift training

l Task− Object height− Ease of handling (shape, handles, etc.)− Initial/final height− Lift symmetry

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Pushing and Pulling Strength Factors

• Handles (Switches, Grips)• One hand vs. two hands• Body posture• Application height• Direction


Push/Pull Summary

• Two hands are usually better than one.• Force capability goes down as it is exerted more often.• Initial force capability is higher than sustained

capability.• Pushing capability is higher than pulling.• Push at waist level; pull at thigh level.

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Push/Pull Summary (cont.)

l Application height− Push at waist (between elbow and hip)

− Pull at thigh (between hip and knee)

l Direction− Generally, | to the shoulders is best

− || to shoulders → 50% - 60% of Table values

•Overall, pushing & pulling is better than lifting & lowering; generally pushing is better than pulling.


Task Modifications

• Measure the force required to move all wheeled equipment; periodically check the forces.

• Install vertical push/pull bars on carts.• Push rather than pull loads.• Avoid muscle-powered pushing and pulling for ramps, long

distances, and frequent moves.• Use mechanical aids and momentum.• Reduce force by reducing friction.

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Holding

• Problems– Holding gives a static load combining body weight and

object weight.– Low-back pain arises from spine biomechanics.

• Solutions– Reduce the magnitude and duration of the torque.– Use balancers.– Limit high loads to short durations.


Carrying Guidelines

• Replace carrying with pushing or pulling.

• Minimize the moment arm of the load relative to the spine.

• Consider carrying large loads occasionally rather than light loads often.

• (You should sometimes carry heavy boxes instead of carrying light loads often)

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Carrying Guidelines (cont.)

• Use teamwork.

• Consider using balancers, manipulators, conveyors, or robots.

• Reduce lifting by raising the initial location.

• Avoid carrying objects up and down stairs.

• Students often carry back bags, 10% of the body weight is a recommended maximum (especially for children).

• (A convenient locker can reduce the load carried)


Lifting Guidelines

• 51 lbs is the maximum that can be lifted or lowered (load constant).

• Recommended weight limit (RWL) is load constant multiplied by various factors.

• Lifting index = load weight × RWL

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Lifting Guidelines



• Lifting index =load weight / RWL


NIOSH lifting example• At initiation,

– Horizontal location, H1 = 10 in.

– Vertical location, V1 = 40 in.


– Angle of asymmetry, A = 0

– Frequency, F = 12 /min.

– Load = 14 lbs.

– Duration = 2 hr.

• What is the RWL?

• What is the Lifting Index, LI?

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Basic NIOSH Lifting Formula

RWL = LC × HM × VM × DM × FM × AM × CM• LC = Load constant• HM = Horizontal multiplier• VM = Vertical multiplier• DM = Distance multiplier• FM = Frequency multiplier• AM = Asymmetry multiplier• CM = Coupling multiplier

• The RWL protects about 85% of women and 95% of men.(Recommended Weight Limit: RWL)


Multiplier Formulas

Horizontal multiplierHM = BIL / H• BIL = Body interference limit• H = Horizontal location

(BIL = 10 inches = 25 cm)HM = BIL / H = 10 / 10 = 1)

Vertical multiplierVM = 1 – VC × | V – KH |• VC = Vertical constant

= 0.0075 for inches, 0.003 for cm.

• V = Vertical location• KH = Knuckle height (assume 30 in.)

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Multiplier Formulas (cont.)

Distance multiplierDM = .82 + DC ÷ D• DC = Distance constant• D = Vertical travel distance

Asymmetry multiplierAM = 1 – .0032 × A• A = Angle of symmetry

(D = V2 – V1 = 51 – 40 = 11DM = 0.82 + (1.8/11) = 0.9836)


Force Limits

FL = A × F × DIST– A = Age factor– F = Frequency factor– DIST = Distance factor

• Differences between force limits and NIOSH guidelines.– Different factors– Different criteria– FL permissible load ~1.8 times that of NIOSH

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Frequency multiplier(See Table 13.9)

Frequency multiplier

• Lifting frequency = mean number of lifts in a 15-minute period• Lifting duration /session in hours may be:

– Short = .001 h to ≤ 1 h • with recovery time of ≥ 1.2 × duration

– Moderate = >1 h ≤ 2 h • with recovery time of ≥ .3 × duration

– Long = >2 h but ≤ 8 h– (F = 12/min à > 1 but < 2 hrs (in this case, 2 hrs.) à V> 30 in. à FM = 0.21)



Coupling multiplier(See Table 13.10)

• Depends on:– Height of initial and final hand–container coupling– Whether coupling is good, fair, or poor

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Guidelines for Manual Handling

• Select strong people based on tests.

• Bend the knees.• Don’t slip or jerk.• Don’t twist during the

move.• Use machines.• Move small weights

often.

• Get a good grip.• Put a compact load in a

convenient container.• Keep the load close to

the body.• Work at knuckle height.


Guidelines for Manual Handling (cont.)

• Three categories:– Select individual

1. Select strong people based on tests.

– Teach technique2. Bend the knees.3. Don’t slip or jerk.4. Don’t twist during the move.

– Design the job5. Use machines.6. Move small weights often.7. Get a good grip.8. Put a compact load in a convenient container.9. Keep the load close to the body.10. Work at knuckle height.

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Examples to discuss


Resources

• Manual Handing Guide (Mital et al.)• Biomechanical software• 2D Static Strength Prediction Program• 3D Static Strength Prediction Program

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End of Chapter 13


Example

• Cartons weighing 30 lbs are to be picked up from the floor and placed on a roller conveyor 24" above floor level. Hand holds are located 18" above the floor and 12" forward of the midpoint of the worker's ankles. The average frequency of lifting is .2 lifts per minute and the task duration is more than an hour.

Note: The table value for Fmax for this task is 12.

• AL (lb) = 90(6/H)(1-.01|V-30|)(.7+3/D)(1-/Fmax)• MPL (lb) = 3(AL)(AL: Action Limit, MPL: Maximum Permissible Limit)

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• Discuss with class … CM = 1, 0.95, 0.9 ? (looking at fig 13.13, I estimate “fair”, so since V=40 in., CM = 1)

• Then • RWL = LC × HM × VM × DM × FM × AM × CM• = 51*1*0.925*0.9836*0.21*1*1 = 9.7443

• LI = LW / RWL = 14/ 9.7443 = 1.44


Example

• AL (lb) = 90(6/H)(1-.01|V-30|)(.7+3/D)(1-F/Fmax)• H Factor = (6/H) = (6/12) = .50• V Factor = (1-.01|V-30|) = (1-.01|18-30|) =.88• D Factor = (.7+3/D) = (.7+3/24) = .825• F Factor = (1-F/Fmax) = (1-.2/12) = .983• AL = 90(.50)(.88)(.825)(.983) = 32 lbs• MPL = 3(AL) = 3(32) = 96 lbs

• Conclusion:• The weight lifted is below the AL. This task represents an

acceptable risk for most workers.

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Chapter 13: Manual Handling


Learning Outcomes:

1. Define the term manual handling,2. Know the activities involve manual handling,3. Know types of injuries caused by manual handling,4. Know the risk factors of manual handling that can lead to

injuries,5. Be aware of manual handling as an important

occupational health and safety issue,