Symmetric and asymmetric manual materials handling, part 2: biomechanics

Abstract

Earlier studies of the biomechanics of handle placement and angles on boxes in Manual Materials Handling have been limited to sagittally symmetric tasks. This study extends the results to a palletization/depalletization task with considerable asymmetric movement. Part 2 shows how body posture, hand/handle interface, and disc compressive force change in this asymmetric task. The results were not too different from the earlier studies of symmetric tasks, except that a 'traditional' handle position in the upper part of each lateral face (the 2/2 position) proved more effective than had been anticipated.