The Effects of Size, Distance, Height and Frequency on Manual Handling Performance

Fifteen second shift male industrial workers from local industries performed 61 variations of lifting, pushing and pulling tasks to investigate the effects of task frequency, height, distance, and box size. A psychophysical methodology was employed whereby the test subject controlled the amount of weight or force being handled. Measurements of heart rate, oxygen consumption, and body size were also taken. The results indicated that size, distance, height and frequency are significant variables to consider when establishing guidelines for maximum acceptable weights.