Baggage handling postures and the design of conveyors

The main purpose of this study was to determine the height, angle and velocity of conveyors for baggage handling at Schiphol Airport. These variables have a great influence on the postures and workload of baggage handlers. One hundred and seven healthy male baggage handlers participated in a test, during which a regular baggage handling task was simulated with a mock-up. Eighteen combinations of heights, angles and velocities were tested. Data on postures were collected with the aid of task recording and analysis on computer (TRAC). The minimal volume of open space under the conveyor was determined with light cells that scored the positions of legs and feet of the subjects. In addition, opinions from the baggage handlers were gathered with a questionnaire, immediately after the test. Finally the number of selection errors made and the number of bags that fell off the conveyor were noted, to make sure that ergonomics improvements did not reduce the quality of baggage handling. On the basis of these three information sources, alternative conveyor dimensions were recommended, which are expected to improve the working conditions of the baggage handlers, without any reduction in the quality of work.