Pushing, pulling and manoeuvring an industrial cart: a psychophysiological study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Biomechanics
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Manual cart pushing and pulling are common occupational tasks.
• Existing research on associated health risks is inconclusive due to task complexity.
• Occupational tasks involve physical, social, and cognitive elements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the biomechanical and physiological effects of a real-world cart pushing and pulling task in a manufacturing setting.
• To analyze the impact of different loading conditions on the task using electrophysiology.

Main Methods:

• Case study of a manufacturing company's cart handling task.
• Risk assessment according to ISO 11228-2:2007.
• Electrophysiological measurements during three pushing and pulling modalities with 14 participants.
• Post-experiment questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The task was initially assessed as low risk based on ISO 11228-2:2007.
• Electrophysiological data showed significant differences in muscle activation across the three modalities.
• A notable difference in muscle activity was observed between unloaded and fully loaded conditions with a full range of motion.

Conclusions:

• Electrophysiology provides valuable insights into the physiological demands of manual cart handling.
• Loading conditions and range of motion significantly influence the biomechanical stress of pushing and pulling tasks.
• Further investigation is warranted to fully understand and mitigate occupational risks associated with these tasks.