International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 23 (1999) 149156

Survey of manual handling tasks

Vincent M. Ciriello*, Stover H. Snook
Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety and Health, 71 Frankland Rd., Hopkinton, MA 01748, USA Received 1 November 1996; received in revised form 18 January 1997

Abstract The purpose of this study was to tabulate and summarize the characteristics of typical manual handling tasks (lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying) performed at 2442 industrial locations in the United States. Analyses of manual handling tasks during a 13 yr period were collected and reviewed at the Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety and Health. The components of each manual handling task were summarized into median composite tasks. Most lifting, lowering, and carrying tasks were acceptable to a low percentage of the female population based on psychophysically determined criteria. The extreme ranges found in some tasks also present unacceptable loads for males. The NIOSH Lifting Indexes for the median lifting and lowering tasks were 1.9 and 1.8, respectively, also indicating a need for job redesign. Median pushing and pulling tasks were acceptable to a high percentage of the male and female industrial population. This survey may be used as a guide for scientists when developing research designs in the area of manual handling. Relevance to industry This is a comprehensive survey of manual handling tasks that represent a broad base of US industry. The results can be used to prioritize the research of task variables which are most prevalent and represent the highest risks. Industry can also use the survey as a gauge for their own operations. 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Lifting; Lowering; Pushing; Pulling; Carrying

1. Introduction Compensable low back pain continues to be the most costly injury in the industrial world (Webster and Snook, 1994). The relationship between this cost and manual handling tasks has always been

* Corresponding author.

present (Bigos et al., 1986; Snook et al., 1978; Leamon and Murphy, 1994) and may continue to escalate (Leamon and Murphy, 1994). Techniques for analyzing manual handling tasks take a variety of forms, i.e., biomechanical (Anderson et al., 1985; Schultz et al., 1982; Freivalds et al., 1984; Hsiang and Ayoub, 1994), psychophysical (Snook and Ciriello, 1991), physiological (Garg et al., 1978) and epidemiological (Winkel and Mathiassen, 1994). Some techniques use postural analyses to develop

0169-8141/99/$ see front matter 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 6 9 - 8 1 4 1 ( 9 7 ) 0 0 0 3 2 - 2

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ergonomic interventions (Derksen et al., 1994; Kant et al., 1990; Burdorf et al., 1991; Burdorf et al., 1992; Mattila et al., 1993; Kivi and Mattila, 1991; Genaidy et al., 1994; Kuorinka, 1994). Other techniques look at specic tasks in the eld and make recommendations based on physiological or subjective results (Kemper et al., 1990; Torner et al.,  1988;Vink, 1992, Ljungberg et al., 1989; Damlund et al., 1986; Stalhammar et al., 1986). Some investi gators have combined techniques of task analysis so that comparisons can be made between the multiple assessment approaches (Rohmert, 1985; Wagner, 1985; Waikar et al., 1991). At the Liberty Mutual Research Center, analyses of manual handling tasks has been principally based on psychophysically determined maximum acceptable weights (Snook and Ciriello, 1991; Ciriello et al., 1990; Ciriello et al., 1993; Ciriello and Snook, 1983). This approach has been used for over 30 yr to help reduce exposure to manual handling in our customers locations. For the last 13 yr, task components were analyzed at 2442 locations, and have been summarized and stored at the Research Center. This study reports on task components collected from 1981 to 1993. The purpose of the survey is to tabulate and summarize the characteristics of the major manual handling tasks, and to compare these tasks to existing guidelines.

indicates a positive skewness of the data (that is, mean greater than the median). Since we are concerned about the trends of the most frequent tasks, the median was used in the interpretation of the results. The median of medians for each component was entered into our manual handling task analysis computer program (CompuTask2+) in order to determine the percentage of the population that can be expected to perform this task without strain or without becoming tired weakened, overheated or out of breath (Snook and Ciriello, 1991). The median of median values of the lifting and lowering components were also analyzed using the NIOSH lifting equation to calculate the recommended weight limit (Waters et al., 1993). The lifting index (LI) was then established by dividing the median of median weights of lifting and lowering by the recommended weight limits (RWL) for lifting and lowering.

3. Results The year, number of tasks, means and medians of the task components for lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying are presented in Tables 15. The task components for lifting or lowering (Tables 1 and 2) are object weight, hand distance from the body, hand height at start of lift or lower, and cycle time of the task expressed as one task every ? min. The task components for pushing or pulling (Tables 3 and 4) include initial and sustained force, pushing or pulling distance, hand height during pushing or pulling, and cycle time. The force required to get the cart moving is the initial force. The sustained force is the force required to maintain cart movement. The components for carrying (Table 5) are object weight, carrying distance, hand height during carrying, and cycle time. The tables also contain the median of medians for the 13 yr period for each component. The bottom of each table lists the results of the CompuTask2+ task analysis program. The bottom of Tables 1 and 2 also list the results of the NIOSH equation (Waters et al., 1993). Table 6 summarizes both analyses for the median of median tasks (median composite tasks).

2. Method The Loss Prevention Department of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company has a service that involves analyzing manual handling tasks. This service is often prompted by: (1) a visit by our representative who views the task as a signicant risk for future injury, (2) a request from a customer for a task analysis, (3) losses that indicate a certain task represents a high risk, or (4) reevaluation after equipment or process change. Copies of the task analyses from around the country were sent to the Research Center, and the task components were entered into a computer and checked for accuracy. Heights, weights, distances and frequencies were collected for each type of task. Means and medians for each task variable were calculated annually. Inspection of most means and medians

V.M. Ciriello, S.H. Snook / International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 23 (1999) 149156 Table 1 Survey results of lifting components Object weight (kg)

151

Hand distance (cm) Distance of lift (cm) Hand height at start One task every? (cm) min Mean 23.1 23.1 24.6 26.9 24.4 23.6 27.2 29.7 23.4 25.9 31.5 27.9 Median 20.3 20.3 20.3 25.4 20.3 20.3 25.4 22.9 20.3 22.9 30.5 24.1 Mean 50.8 52.1 54.6 52.3 54.1 49.3 54.6 50.5 43.7 42.2 42.2 42.4 Median 46.5 48.3 48.3 45.7 50.8 43.2 48.3 45.7 38.1 30.5 30.5 30.5 Mean 62.5 61.2 54.9 56.4 57.4 61.7 56.6 61.5 62.0 67.1 66.8 70.1 Median 68.6 68.6 50.8 61.0 59.7 68.6 61.0 63.5 71.1 76.2 76.2 76.2 Mean 24.3 28.9 27.7 30.0 33.6 34.7 34.9 35.5 40.9 39.7 42.3 43.1 Median 2.4 3.0 3.5 2.6 2.5 4.0 4.0 2.0 3.8 3.0 1.9 2.7

Number of lifts 2581 1138 920 947 784 933 572 613 429 448 406 330 Median of medians

Year 8182 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

Mean 23.9 25.1 23.6 21.6 26.6 24.4 23.3 19.9 20.2 19.1 18.0 19.6

Median 21.3 22.7 21.8 18.6 22.7 22.7 22.7 18.1 18.1 16.3 16.8 18.1

20.0

21.6

45.7

68.6

2.85

Note: Results of Computask analysis using the above median of medians. Median lift acceptable to 81% of males and (10% of females. Results of NIOSH calculation using the median of medians. Recommended weight is 10.6 kg. Lifting index is 1.9. Hand distance was measured from the front of the body to where the object was held (For NIOSH calculations 15 cm were added to hand distance).

Table 2 Survey results of lowering components Object weight (kg) Hand distance (cm) Distance of lowering Hand height at start One task every? (cm) (cm) min

Number of Lowers 2450 735 564 617 510 510 414 476 285 294 332 274 Median of medians

Year 8182 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

Mean 22.3 24.8 21.9 21.2 24.7 23.3 24.1 18.6 19.8 20.0 17.2 19.0

Median 20.4 22.7 20.2 18.1 22.9 22.7 22.7 15.9 18.1 18.1 16.1 18.1

Mean 24.6 25.7 24.9 26.2 24.6 24.9 27.7 30.5 26.2 25.1 30.7 28.2

Median 20.3 20.3 20.3 25.4 20.3 20.3 25.4 22.9 25.4 20.3 30.5 25.4

Mean 55.6 55.4 50.0 50.8 55.4 49.0 56.1 51.6 39.1 45.0 46.5 46.5

Median 50.8 50.8 48.3 45.7 53.3 45.7 53.3 45.7 35.6 38.1 45.7 45.7

Mean 106.9 102.4 102.4 101.9 105.2 101.6 105.2 101.3 103.1 102.9 104.9 108.5

Median 101.6 94.0 91.4 96.5 96.5 96.5 91.4 90.2 99.1 96.5 96.5 101.6

Mean 18.6 25.4 16.6 20.3 32.2 30.5 24.2 32.2 28.8 32.8 36.8 47.7

Median 2.0 2.3 2.0 1.9 1.5 2.9 4.0 1.7 4.0 3.0 0.7 2.0

19.2

21.6

45.7

96.5

2.0

Note: Results of Computask analysis using the above median of medians. Median lower acceptable to 89% of males and 14% of females. Results of NIOSH calculation using the median of medians. Recommended weight limits 10.9 kg. Lifting index is 1.8. Hand distance was measured from the front of the body to where the object was held (for NIOSH calculations 15 cm were added to hand distance).

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Table 3 Survey results of pushing components Initial Force (N) Sustained Force (N) Push Distance (M) Hand Height (cm) One Task Every? min

Number of pushes 463 259 264 195 102 173 117 90 77 66 51 22 Median of medians

Year 8182 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

Mean 259 266 202 216 274 212 237 219 223 236 168 216

Median 214 222 177 177 231 156 187 144 169 173 133 187

Mean 131 151 110 117 150 134 149 119 155 117 106 99

Median 107 93 89 93 111 89 102 89 98 98 98 89

Mean 19.8 17.7 23.0 16.4 16.2 18.4 13.3 16.0 12.8 18.1 14.3 29.0

Median 10.1 9.1 12.2 10.4 9.1 10.4 9.1 12.2 3.0 7.6 3.0 25.2

Mean 103.4 116.1 100.1 98.8 103.6 98.3 101.6 102.6 100.6 109.0 99.1 98.0

Median 104.1 101.6 99.1 99.1 101.6 94.0 106.7 101.6 96.5 111.8 96.5 94.0

Mean 66.6 56.3 58.7 44.7 77.7 54.1 44.0 54.8 155.4 111.0 96.4 96.4

Median 30.0 24.0 30.0 20.0 37.5 30.0 20.0 35.0 40.2 25.0 10.0 49.0

177

95.5

9.6

100.35

30.0

Note: Results of Computask analysis using the above median of medians. Median task acceptable to '90% of males and 90% of females for the initial force and acceptable to '90% of the males and 85% of the females for the sustained force. Amount of force needed to get the cart moving (Newtons). Amount of force needed to maintain the cart movement (Newtons).

Table 4 Survey results of pulling components Initial force (N) Sustained force (N) Pull distance (M) Hand height (cm) One task every? min Mean 76.5 63.9 116.0 52.7 67.2 52.5 62.4 67.6 74.0 120.7 136.0 96.3 Median 30.0 29.9 45.0 15.0 20.0 20.0 11.0 30.0 20.0 30.0 25.0 13.5

Number of pulls Year 494 226 225 202 103 204 80 84 93 71 54 30 Median of medians 8182 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

Mean 250 257 257 276 296 238 325 246 299 222 195 167

Median 200 222 222 235 240 187 222 242 280 196 160 116

Mean 139 143 167 166 165 154 166 168 185 116 109 110

Median 114 111 124 133 133 114 107 133 156 102 98 89

Mean 11.7 17.6 15.2 9.2 12.4 13.9 12.5 19.0 9.7 11.7 23.4 14.1

Median 5.5 12.2 6.1 6.1 7.6 7.6 3.2 4.1 2.1 3.7 2.1 2.4

Mean 96.8 103.1 93.5 105.9 96.5 110.7 102.9 91.7 101.1 97.5 103.1 95.0

Median 96.5 92.7 91.4 97.8 94.0 106.7 90.2 88.9 94.0 99.1 101.6 95.3

222

114

4.8

94.65

22.5

Note: Results of Computask analysis using the above the median of medians. Median task acceptable to '90% of males and 81% of females for the initial force and acceptable to '90% of males and 86% of the female for the sustained force. Amount of force needed to get the cart moving (Newtons). Amount of force needed to maintain cart movement (Newtons).

V.M. Ciriello, S.H. Snook / International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 23 (1999) 149156 Table 5 Survey results of carrying components Object weight (kg) Number of carries Year 819 395 356 384 329 387 221 264 226 223 202 178 8182 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 Mean 23.6 24.8 23.0 21.4 24.7 23.4 23.5 21.0 21.0 20.0 18.4 19.3 Median 21.8 22.7 21.5 19.3 22.7 22.7 22.7 18.1 18.1 16.3 18.1 18.1 20.4 Carry distance (M) Mean 4.1 4.9 4.4 4.6 4.5 4.6 3.2 5.1 3.2 3.9 4.4 2.8 Median 2.4 2.4 2.7 2.1 3.0 2.4 2.1 2.4 2.1 2.1 1.8 1.8 2.25 Hand height (cm) Mean 93.2 90.4 92.5 97.5 93.7 90.9 93.0 98.3 89.2 93.0 96.5 95.5 Median 91.4 91.4 91.4 94.0 91.4 88.9 91.4 91.4 91.4 91.4 91.4 94.0 91.4

153

One task every? min Mean 12.3 18.5 18.8 18.2 15.5 30.9 25.6 30.2 33.5 24.6 36.8 31.5 Median 2.5 2.4 2.8 1.8 1.6 5.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 3.0 1.9 1.0 2.65

Medians of medians

Note: Results of Computask analysis using the above median of medians. Median Carry acceptable to 88% of males and 36% of females.

Table 6 Percentage acceptable to males and females for median tasks Male Lift Lower Carry 81% 89% 88% Initial force Push Pull '90% '90% Sustained force '90% '90% Female (10% 14% 36% Initial force 90% 81% Sustained force 85% 86% NIOSH RWL 10.6 Kg 10.9 Kg LI 1.9 1.8

4. Discussion Our survey reects a substantial eort by our Loss Prevention Department in attempting to control the most expensive category of compensable loss, manual handling. The tasks in the survey represented what our loss prevention consultants or our customers viewed as signicant risks to workers; risks that deserved proper analyses. All of the analyses were performed by our loss prevention consultants. Based on the above, the survey may be biased toward the higher risk manual handling

jobs. The 2442 locations included in the survey represent many diverse businesses with a large variety of occupations. Our survey, unfortunately, has no linkage to specic job categories such as SIC codes, which could be used to compare our sample to US industry. However, we do have indirect evidence that the survey reects US industry. Liberty Mutual insured approximately 11% of the US privately insured workforce for workmens compensation during the time of the survey; and Liberty Mutual injury surveys have consistantly indicated a strong resemblance to the Bureau of Labor

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Statistics surveys (Brogmus et al., 1996; Leamon and Murphy, 1995; Murphy et al., 1996). The survey illustrates the need for continued work in the area of ergonomic job design. The task analysis program indicated that median composite tasks were acceptable to at least 81% of the male population. However, the median composite lifting task was acceptable to less than 10% of the women; lowering task, 14%; and carrying task, 36%. Median composite pushing and pulling tasks were acceptable to 81% or more of the women (Table 6). Although median composite tasks for males were acceptable to a high percentage of the male population (Table 6), the ranges for each component were extreme. This could cause each task to become

acceptable to lower percentages of the population when one or more task components are high in value. An example of this is illustrated in Table 7. If we compute the percent of the population using weights and frequencies greater than the median values and keep the other components constant, the acceptable percentages decrease. For the median composite lifting and lowering tasks, the NIOSH recommended weight limits (RWL) were 10.9 and 10.6 kg respectively. The values were considerably less than the median of median values of 20 kg for the lifting and 19.2 kg for the lowering task. The calculated lifting indexes (LI) were 1.9 and 1.8 for lifting and lowering. The RWL is intended to protect 75% of the females and

Table 7 Percentage acceptable to males for lifting tasks with greater weights and frequencies than median Weight vs. other variables held constant Weight (kg) 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Male (%) 81 78 74 71 67 61 57 53 49 44 38 One lift every? sec vs. other variables held constant Frequency One lift every? sec 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 95 115 140 165 Male (%) 10 17 25 34 42 46 50 53 56 59 60 60 61 62 62 63 65 68 70 72 74 76 78 79 80 80 80 81

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99% of the males. Since 37% of Liberty Mutuals compensable injuries are still associated with manual handling (Leamon and Murphy, 1994), the above estimates of a typical task indicate the need for more task redesign. Median composite pushing and pulling tasks, on the other hand, were acceptable to a high percent of the population. Task redesign from lifting, lowering, and carrying to pushing and pulling would reduce the overall severity of manual handling. A recent study looked at handling other than boxes (Baril-Gingras and Lortie, 1995); another study looked at just box handling (Drury et al., 1982). Both studies have limited their surveys to specic tasks. This study reects all types of industrial jobs that were analyzed for the purpose of developing task redesign recommendations that could decrease musculoskeletal disorders. The psychophysical data base used to analyze these jobs was also able to indirectly quantify postural, biomechanical, physiological constraints of the task. The decline in the number of surveys sent to the center during the study years up to its conclusion in 1993 has been the obvious limitation of this survey. The decline is most likely due to administrative changes in the company, and not the result of a decreased need for task redesign in the workplace. The cost of compensable back injury has remained the same through the survey years (Webster and Snook, 1994; Leamon and Murphy, 1994).

research eorts in manual handling. By concentrating on the most prevalent task characteristics, the applicability of our data is enhanced.

References
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5. Conclusion It is concluded from the results of this survey that continued eort must be extended in the area of manual handling. A sample of median composite lifting and lowering tasks from industry exceed present guidelines put forth by NIOSH. These tasks also exceed the recommended capacities of females based on psychophysically determined loads, and the extreme ranges in some tasks also present unacceptable loads for males. Continued eorts should be made to redesign manual handling tasks in industry so that the risks for both male and female workers are minimized. The survey has been helpful in dening the future directions for our

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