Practicum Module

Human-Integrated Systems (ISYE6059)

MODULE 4
BIOMECHANICS AND DESIGN OF MANUAL HANDLING

I. Objectives
The objectives of this practicum are:
1. To understand the importance of manual handling issues in a workplace.
2. To understand various causes of injury in a workplace and how to prevent it.
3. To be able to differentiate the right lifting method and the wrong lifting
method which can cause injury.
4. To be able to calculate NIOSH Lifting Equation.
5. To be able to calculate the effect of compressive force and shear force in the
process of lifting of the load.
6. To analyze NIOSH lifting equation, compressive force and shear force.

II. Literature Review

According to Freivalds, A. (2011) biomechanics is the science that deals
with the internal and external forces acting on the human body and the effects
produced by these forces. The human body has limitations that can determine its
capacity in performing different tasks from various aspects. So it is important to
consider the ratio of the weight of the actual load to the Recommended Weight
Limit (RWL) (Badiru & Racz, 2015).
The object of interest in occupational ergonomics is a quantitative
assessment of mechanical loading occurring within the musculoskeletal system.
The goal of such an assessment is to quantitatively describe the musculoskeletal
loading that occurs during work so that one can derive an appreciation for the
degree of risk associated with work-related tasks (Salvendy, 2012).

Some factors that impact to the movement of material as follows:

1. Comparison between load and operator’s weight.
2. Horizontal distance from relative weight to the operator.
3. Size of load that must be lifted.
4. Height of load that must be lifted and the distance of load movement.
5. The twisting load on the operator’s body during the lifting activity.
6. Prediction to the lifting load.
7. Lifting load’s stability.
8. Simplicity to be reached by workers or operators.
9. Obstacles and limitation of body posture in a workplace.
10. Working conditions that consist of lighting, temperature, noise, and the
slippery floor.
11. Right lifting frequency and method.
12. No coordination in a lifting team.
13. Load lifting in a period.

Some organizations like OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health

Administration) and NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health) were founded in order to increase awareness regarding safety and health
issues in a workplace. According to Goetsch (2015), lists parts of a body that
frequently injured in a workplace:
1. Back
2. Legs and fingers
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3. Arms and multiple parts of the body
4. Trunks
5. Hands
6. Eyes, head, and feet
7. Necks, toes, and body systems

Musculoskeletal disorders become one of the most often issue in

industrial workplace. Impact of musculoskeletal disorders can directly
influence the productivity of the company. There are some methods that used
to evaluate risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders as follows:
1. Job Strain Index (JSI)
This method quantifies exposure to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD)
risk factors for the hands and wrists.
2. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment Method (RULA)
This method provides an overall score that takes into account postural
loading on the whole body with particular attention to the neck, trunk,
shoulders, arms, and wrists. The overall score also takes into account the time
the posture is held, the force used and the repetitiveness of the movement.
3. Rapid Entire Body Assessment Method (REBA)
This method provides an overall score that takes into account postural
loading on the whole body with particular attention to the neck, trunk, legs,
shoulders, arms, and wrists. The overall score takes into consideration the
same additional factors as RULA as well as the quality of the hand coupling.
It divides the body into sections to be coded independently, according to
movement planes and offers a scoring system for muscle activity throughout
the entire body, stagnantly, dynamically, fast changing or in an unsteady way
and where manual handling may happen which is referred to as a coupling
score as it is significant in the loads handling but may not always be using
the hands (Madani & Dababneh, 2016).
4. Occupational Repetitive Actions (OCRA)
This method was developed to analyze workers’ exposure to task
featuring various upper-limb injury risk factors (repetitiveness, force,
awkward postures and movements, lack of recovery periods, and others,
defind as “additionals”).
5. The Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA)
This method was designed to quickly quantify risks associated Alt
computer work and to establish an action level for change based on reports
of worker discomfort. The risk factors incorporated into the tool are
organized into several subsections like chair, monitor and telephone,
and mouse and keyboard. These subsections emphasize the risk factors of
each component of the office workplace and weigh risk scores. The scores
verified in each subsection are then combined to achieve a ROSA final
score, indicative of the overall risk of musculoskeletal discomfort, as a
result of the office organization (Matos & Arezes, 2015).

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Table 4.1 Comparison of Manual Handling Method
Method Indicator Purpose
The resulting score indicates Assessment of risk for upper
the risk of developing a distal extremity disorders,
upper extremity disorder. It particularly focused on
should also be noted that this repetitive tasks Method
method has a degree of description and worksheets:
subjectivity, as not all the http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/
JSI factors can be explicitly ahJSI.html
measured. This method does
not consider tasks involving
vibrations or contact stress,
which will obviously have a
significant impact on the
worker over time.
In a RULA analysis, the Upper body & limb
positions of six different body assessment, screening of
regions are considered: upper postures. Intoduction, paper
arm, forearm, wrists, neck, and spreadsheet-based
trunk and legs. Based on the worksheets:
deviations of each body part, http://ergo.human.cornell.e
the weight of any loads, and du/ahRULA.html
RULA
the nature of movements an
overall score is calculated.
This final score between 1–7
corresponds to a ranking,
which indicates to the analyst
whether the posture presents
an injury rial
Points are added for Whole-body posture analysis,
conditions that worsen the screening of postures
nature of the posture, and Introduction, paper- and
points can also be subtracted spreadsheet-based worksheets:
if something contributes http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/
REBA towards lessening the loading ahREBA.html
impact of the posture (such as
gravity-assisted postures).
The final score between 1–15
is calculated using the REBA
assessment form
Source: (Berlin & Adams, 2017)

In order to avoid the injuries and stress in a work place, company must
have the proper safety rules and regulations. The safety rules can be summarized
as follow:
1. Employers must set rules that ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
2. Employers must ensure that all employees are knowledgeable about the rules.
3. Employers must ensure that safety rules are enforced objectively and
consistently.

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III. Tables and Pictures

Source: (Freivalds & Niebel, 2013)

Figure 4.1 Decision Tree for Coupling Quality

Table 4.2 Frequency Multiplier

Work Duration
Frequency ≤1 hour >1 but ≤ 2 hours >2 but ≤ 8 hours
Lift/min V<30 V≥30 V<30 V≥30 V<30 V≥30
(F) inches inches inches inches inches inches
≤0.2 1 1 0.95 0.95 0.85 0.85
0.5 0.97 0.97 0.92 0.92 0.81 0.81
1 0.94 0.94 0.88 0.88 0.75 0.75
2 0.91 0.91 0.84 0.84 0.65 0.65
3 0.88 0.88 0.79 0.79 0.55 0.55
4 0.84 0.84 0.72 0.72 0.45 0.45
5 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.35 0.35
6 0.75 0.75 0.5 0.5 0.27 0.27
7 0.7 0.7 0.42 0.42 0.22 0.22
8 0.6 0.6 0.35 0.35 0.18 0.18
9 0.52 0.52 0.26 0.26 0 0.15
10 0.45 0.45 0 0.23 0 0.13
11 0.41 0.41 0 0.21 0 0
12 0.37 0.37 0 0 0 0
13 0 0.34 0 0 0 0
14 0 0.31 0 0 0 0
15 0 0.28 0 0 0 0
>15 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: (Freivalds & Niebel, 2013)

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Table 4.3 Coupling Multiplier
Coupling Coupling Multiplier
Type V< 30 inches V ≥ 30 inches
(75 cm) (75 cm)
Good 1 1
Fair 0.95 1
Poor 0.9 0.9
Source: (Freivalds & Niebel, 2013)

Figure 4.2 Ergofellow Tutorial for REBA

Figure 4.2 Ergofellow Tutorial for REBA (Continued)

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Figure 4.2 Ergofellow Tutorial for REBA (Continued)

Figure 4.2 Ergofellow Tutorial for REBA (Continued)

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Figure 4.2 Ergofellow Tutorial for REBA (Continued)

Figure 4.2 Ergofellow Tutorial for REBA (Continued)

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Figure 4.3 Example of REBA Calculation Result

Figure 4.4 Example of ROSA Calculation

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IV. Formulas
The formula is as following:
RWL = LC x HM x VM x DM x AM x FM x CM
HM = 10/H (for inch)
HM = 25/H (for cm)
VM = 1 – (0.0075 |V-30|) (for inch)
VM = 1 – (0.003 |V-75|) (for cm)
DM = 0.82 + (1.8/D) (for inch)
DM = 0.82 + (4.5/D) (for cm)
AM = 1 – (0.0032 x A)
D = | Vawal – Vakhir |
𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
𝐿𝐼 =
𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐿𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡
Where:
1. RWL = Recommended Weight Limit. Represents the weight that can be lifted
by almost all healthy workers for approximately eight hours without
increasing the risk of injury.
2. LC = Load Constant. This load constant’s value is 51 lbs (23 kg). This value
represents the maximum load that is recommended for standard lifting.
3. HM = Horizontal Multiplier. Horizontal multiplier determined by horizontal
distances from the center of ankle and the point of the center of hand to floor.
4. VM = Vertical Multiplier. Vertical multiplier determined by vertical
distances from the floor to the center of the handgrip.
5. DM = Distance Multiplier. Distance multiplier’s factor is determined by the
vertical movement of both hands, from the starting point to the destination of
the lifting.
6. AM = Asymmetric Multiplier. Asymmetric multiplier measures if the body
must twist or turn during the lifting. This measurement is done in degrees
(with 360o being one complete circle).
7. FM = Frequency Multiplier. Frequency multiplier’s factor is determined
based on the amount of lifting per minute, the duration of the lifting, and the
lifting’s vertical distance.
8. CM = Coupling Multiplier. The NIOSH equation divides the coupling based
on the quality of the handle and the vertical position of the load. The good
coupling means the container’s handle is very easy to grip. The fair coupling
means the container’s handle is easy to grip. Lastly the poor coupling means
the container is pretty big, hard to handle, or has sharp corners.
9. If LI > 1, then the work (lifting) can be categorized as dangerous.

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Source: (Chaffin, Anderson, & Martin, 2006)

Figure 4.5 Free-body Diagram of The Lifting Load Activity

The appointment is static, then the magnitude of the moment is 0 and in

this case the magnitude of the internal moment is equal to the external moment.
Where external moment is affected by the load is lifted and body mass by an
operator (Iridiastadi & Yassierli, 2014).

The formula is as following (Houglum & Bertoti, 2012):

∑ =0
Mexternal + Minternal = 0
Mexternal = - Minternal

Where:
Mexternal = Mupperbody + Mload
= (-Fupperbody × Lbody ) + (-Fload × Lload )
= [-(68,8% × mbody × g ) ( Lbody )] + [-( mload × g)( Lload )]
Minternal = Fmuscle × d

Muscular work results in the presence of compressive force and shear

forces on the external moment. The calculations of both forces are as follow:
Fcompression =0
= Fbodysin𝜃+ Floadsin𝜃 + Fmuscle
= mbody × g × sinθ + mload × g × sinθ + Fmuscle
Fshear =0
= Fbodycos𝜃+ Floadcos𝜃
= mbody × g × cosθ + mload × g × cosθ

If Fcompression > 3400 N and Fshear > 500 N then the work can be categorized
as dangerous.
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V. References
1. Badiru, A. B., & Racz, L. (2015). Handbook of Measurements: Benchmarks
for Systems Accuracy and Precision. London: CRC Press.
2. Berlin, C., & Adams, C. (2017). Production Ergonomics: Designing Work
Systems to Support Optimal Human Performance. London: Ubiquity press.
3. Chaffin, D., Anderson, G. B., & Martin, B. J. (2006). Occupational
Biomechanics. New Jersey: Wiley-Interscience.
4. Freivalds, A. (2011). Biomechanics of the Upper Limbs: Mechanics,
Modeling and Musculoskeletal Injuries. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
5. Freivalds, A., & Niebel, B. (2013). Niebel's Methods, Standards, and Work
Design (12th ed.). USA: McGraw Hill International Edition.
6. Goetsch, D. L. (2015). Occupational Safety and Health for Technologist,
Engineers, and Managers (8th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.
7. Houglum, P. A., & Bertoti, D. B. (2012). Brunnstrom's Clinical
Kinesiology. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company.
8. Iridiastadi, H., & Yassierli. (2014). Ergonomi Suatu Pengantar. Bandung:
PT Remaja Rosdakarya Offset.
9. Madani, D. A., & Dababneh, A. (2016). Rapid Entire Body Assessment: A
Literature Review. American Journal of Engineering and Applied
Sciences, 2.
10. Matos, M., & Arezes, P. M. (2015). Ergonomic evaluation of office
workplaces with Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA). Elsevier,

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