An ergonomic assessment of the airline baggage handler
An ergonomic assessment of the airline baggage handler An ergonomic assessment of the airline baggage handler
CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION1.1 Baggage HandlingBaggage handling is a very physically demanding task. Like other professions thatrequire intense physical labor, baggage handlers are required to lift and handle heavybags and materials. Unlike some of the other material handling jobs baggage handlershave to work in rotating workstations (i.e. baggage room, cargo hold, baggage sortingarea with conveyor belts) and in various types of weather.In addition to customer baggage, airline material handlers must deal with freightand postal materials as well. Baggage, freight and parcels come in all different sizesmaking it difficult to develop fully or semi automated systems that can handle the diverseworkloads of the airline baggage handlers. It is this diversity in work environment aswell as in the materials handled that makes the airline material handler's job unique.The Baggage handler's job can also be extremely repetitive with recurring lifting,pulling, and reaching for bags, and materials. Handlers load and unload aircrafts,transports materials to and from aircraft to collection and storage areas, and work inconfined quarters loading and unloading materials.1.2 Background Information1.2.1 ObjectiveThe author was interested in studying the baggage handlers' job because a large part ofthe job requires heavy to moderate physical labor. Having seen baggage handlers atwork, and having a good idea of what types of materials primarily handled, the author1
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.
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- Page 8 and 9: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHAuthor: Stephen
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- Page 35 and 36: 22loading and unloading of narrow-b
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CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION1.1 Baggage HandlingBaggage handling is a very physically demanding task. Like o<strong>the</strong>r pr<strong>of</strong>essions thatrequire intense physical labor, <strong>baggage</strong> <strong>handler</strong>s are required to lift and handle heavybags and materials. Unlike some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r material handling jobs <strong>baggage</strong> <strong>handler</strong>shave to work in rotating workstations (i.e. <strong>baggage</strong> room, cargo hold, <strong>baggage</strong> sortingarea with conveyor belts) and in various types <strong>of</strong> wea<strong>the</strong>r.In addition to customer <strong>baggage</strong>, <strong>airline</strong> material <strong>handler</strong>s must deal with freightand postal materials as well. Baggage, freight and parcels come in all different sizesmaking it difficult to develop fully or semi automated systems that can handle <strong>the</strong> diverseworkloads <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>airline</strong> <strong>baggage</strong> <strong>handler</strong>s. It is this diversity in work environment aswell as in <strong>the</strong> materials handled that makes <strong>the</strong> <strong>airline</strong> material <strong>handler</strong>'s job unique.The Baggage <strong>handler</strong>'s job can also be extremely repetitive with recurring lifting,pulling, and reaching for bags, and materials. Handlers load and unload aircrafts,transports materials to and from aircraft to collection and storage areas, and work inconfined quarters loading and unloading materials.1.2 Background Information1.2.1 ObjectiveThe author was interested in studying <strong>the</strong> <strong>baggage</strong> <strong>handler</strong>s' job because a large part <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> job requires heavy to moderate physical labor. Having seen <strong>baggage</strong> <strong>handler</strong>s atwork, and having a good idea <strong>of</strong> what types <strong>of</strong> materials primarily handled, <strong>the</strong> author1
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