Design Principles for Carrying Tasks* to help avoid Back Pain and other MSD's

Back pain and MSD's can be avoided when we spend time designing the need and way we carry goods.

Here are some design principles to help prevent back pain and MSD's;

1. Eliminate the need to carry by rearranging the workplace to eliminate unnecessary materials movement and using the following mechanical handling aids, when applicable:

— Conveyors (all kinds)

— Lift trucks and hand trucks

— Tables or slides between workstations

— Four-wheel carts or dollies

— Air or gravity press ejection systems

2. Reduce the weight that is carried by

— reducing the weight of the object,

— reducing the weight of the container,

— reducing the load in the container, and

— reducing the quantity per container to suppliers.

3. Reduce the bulk of the materials that are carried by

— reducing the size or shape of the object or container,

— providing handles or hand-grips that allow materials to be held close to the body, and

— assigning the job to two or more persons.

4. Reduce the carrying distance by

— moving receiving, storage, or shipping areas closer to production areas, and

— using powered and non powered conveyors.

5. Convert carry to push or pull by

— using non powered conveyors, and

— using hand trucks and push carts.

*Adapted from design checklists developed by Dave Ridyard, CPE, CIH, CSP. Applied Ergonomics Technology, 270 Mather Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046–3129.

A Height Adjustable Desk can lift  goods from a lower height to a workable height.

An EU report entitled ' Fit to Work '  found that the direct cost of MSDs at work in Ireland is estimated to be at least €750million.

Time spent designing manual handling tasks will pay dividends by preventing back pain and other MSD's.