Symmetric and asymmetric manual materials handling, Part 2: Biomechanics

Earlier studies of the biomechanics of handle placement and angles on boxes in Manual Materials Handling have been limited to sagittally symmetric tasks. This study extends the results to a palletization/depalletization task with considerable asymmetric movement. Part 2 shows how body posture, hand/handle interface, and disc compressive force change in this asymmetric task. The results were not too different from the earlier studies of symmetric tasks, except that a 'traditional' handle position in the upper part of each lateral face (the 2/2 position) proved more effective than had been anticipated.