An ergonomic assessment of the airline baggage handler

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635.2.1 Workstation RedesignThe workstation of the baggage handler is a dynamic one usually rotating inside andoutside various parts of the airport, and aircraft. Research has shown that the mosthazardous place for baggage handlers to perform their tasks is inside the cargo bin of anarrow body plane (Dell, 1997). Although the advancement of aircraft material handlingtechnology has made it so that baggage handlers no longer have to manually load thecargo holds of wide bodied aircraft, the loading and unloading of narrow bodied aircraftstill require that baggage handlers bear the brunt of this task. Baggage handlers have tokneel inside the narrow body aircraft stacking baggage and materials from the walls tothe door of the cargo bin. Unfortunately, these unfavorable ergonomic working postures(kneeling and crouching in cargo bin) are not easily controllable without theimplementation of engineering controls. Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), such asback support aids, etc., in this case would only mask the problem(s) instead of eliminatedthem. This is why the redesigning of narrow body aircrafts, or implementing mechanicalaids, would be the best solution. Some narrow body aircrafts are designed with stackingmechanisms. A great example of this is The System, a luggage stacking mechanismcreated by a Scandinavian (aircraft) Belly Loading Company. Thus, far the reviews onthis device are very favorable, with reports of 25% reduction in sick leave for baggagehandlers, 3% reduction in workers needed for the operation, and 50% reduction in theoccurrence of damage luggage and the lining of the cargo bin (Johansen, 1995). Industryreports states that for the 17 aircraft fitted with this mechanism, the savings costs overthree years is two million dollars (Johansen, 1995). However, these aircrafts are in a verysmall minority (Dell, 1997). To add automated stacking mechanisms, such as the
64Scandinavian Belly Loading Company, Sliding Carpet Loading System, to the existingfleets of narrow bodies would be extremely costly (Dell, 1997). The ideal scenario wouldbe to factor these conditions into newly designs aircrafts, making it a standardized part ofengineering design and control. Unfortunately, the aircraft manufactures main concernswhile designing aircrafts are fuel consumption, payload (maximizing cabin space), range(traveling distance), and low operating cost. Until more research can be done to quantifythe dollars spent on back injury claims by baggage and aircraft material handlers,manufactures are reluctant to change designs that have been the staple of their businessfor many years, so only factors essential for the airline's operation is considered.Another important factor to be considered is the maintenance of the lifting andstacking mechanisms, or baggage transfer systems, used in wide body aircraft. Reportsshow that when these lifting mechanisms break down the baggage handler is left havingto compensate by doing the work of these machines. Surveyed responses from baggagehandlers and safety professionals reveal that baggage handlers doing the work meant forthese machines lead to high rates of back and bodily injury (Dell, 1997). Airlinecompanies must make the immediate repair of broken lifting and stacking mechanismstop priority, as they do for any other mechanical deficiency of the aircraft needing repair.The redesign of conveyor belts should be strongly considered for the insidefacilities of the airport. Surveyed responses by baggage handlers revealed that almosthalf of them felt that the conveyor belts in use were not optimally laid out (Dell, 1997).Experiments done on redesigning of conveyor belts considered four factors for optimaldesign: height, angle, velocity, and clearance underneath the belt. Some reports showthat airports with two tier conveyor belt system put workers at a higher risk for lumbar
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AN ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENTOF THE AIRLI
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHAuthor: Stephen
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTI would like to expre
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TABLE OF CONTENTS(Continued)Chapter
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CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION1.1 Baggage Ha
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31.2.2 Author's PreparationMany tim
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5way in and out of the work area. T
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71.3.4.4 Evidence of No Effect of W
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Figure 2.1 Principle muscle groups
Page 25 and 26: 12vertebrae are aligned, their cent
Page 27 and 28: 14which obesity, poor conditioning,
Page 29 and 30: Figure 2.4 Musculature of the Later
Page 31 and 32: Figure 2.5 Anatomy of the Shoulder
Page 33 and 34: CHAPTER 3LITERATURE REVIEWS3.1 Summ
Page 35 and 36: 22loading and unloading of narrow-b
Page 37 and 38: 24When the safety professionals wer
Page 39 and 40: 26exceeded 70lbs (32kg). However, 1
Page 41: 28slowing changing along the landsc
Page 44 and 45: 31aircraft on the tarmac, the bagga
Page 46 and 47: 33baggage handlers with 111 (71%) p
Page 48 and 49: 35In response to the training quest
Page 50 and 51: 37question about loading the wide b
Page 52 and 53: 39combinations were calculated. Eac
Page 54 and 55: 41participants from the Royal Dutch
Page 56 and 57: 43The heights, angles, and velociti
Page 58 and 59: 45placed on various joints on the b
Page 60 and 61: 47The purpose of introducing the pi
Page 62 and 63: 493.6 Back Belt LiteratureThe notio
Page 64 and 65: 51It was out of this necessity for
Page 66 and 67: 53The fleet service clerks, or bagg
Page 68 and 69: 55increase in TAP can increase the
Page 70 and 71: 57A concern for this study is the m
Page 72 and 73: 59A body chart diagram to assess wo
Page 74 and 75: 615.2 The Future of Baggage Handlin
Page 78 and 79: 65injury because the top and lower
Page 80 and 81: 67baggage handlers as well as aviat
Page 82 and 83: APPENDIXMODEL FOR FUTURE BAGGAGE HA
Page 85 and 86: INSTRUCTION: PLEASE CIRCLE WHICH BO
Page 87 and 88: 74[12] Harman, E A, Rosenstein, RM,
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An ergonomic assessment of the airline baggage handler

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