An ergonomic assessment of the airline baggage handler

2had a good understanding of what the baggage-handling job entailed. Other jobs thatprimarily focus on material handling and lifting deal in handling uniform type weights(i.e. boxes versus some types of baggage which can hold materials in loose structuredshapes). Unlike other jobs that have a primary focus on material handling, the materialsthat the baggage handlers deal with are not typically uniform. The baggage handler dealsmostly in commercial baggage and postal freight (mail bags). Commercial baggage isbaggage of passengers that will be flying on the aircraft.Handling passenger baggage is one of the things that make the baggage handler'sjob very different from other material handling type jobs. One major reason for this isbecause passenger baggage design is highly variable from one bag design/style to theother. Baggage comes in all different shapes, sizes and dimensions making it challengingfor the handler to be able to get accustom to a general baggage type. Baggage handlershave to lift and handle odd size bags with centers of mass asymmetrical to the baggage,making it difficult to handle heavier bags, with awkward centers of mass, which lead touneven weight distributions. Heavier bags with asymmetrical mass centers ofdistribution are more difficult to gage, thus making it more difficult to lift and manage thebags. This makes it difficult to develop a consistent lifting rhythm and technique addingto the difficulty of the job. Add in the time factor where in many cases during themorning and afternoon shifts baggage handlers have to make a timeline to keep flightsgoing out on time, or in the case where flights have been delayed they must worked evenfaster to compensate for the lost time. For the baggage handlers this makes their jobmore difficult and thus more hazardous than the other manual lifting jobs.