An Investigation of Workplace Design and the Worker’s Anthropometrics Influence on Work Pace during Manual Material Handling Tasks

In the design process of a new Manual Material Handling (MMH) workplace it is important to understand how the workplace design characteristics (e.g., workstation geometry, handled object mass) and the worker's anthropometrics influence the work pace (Dempsey & Mathiassen, 2006; Wells, Mathiassen, Medbo, & Winkel, 2007). One way of predicting the work pace is by using Predetermined Motion Time Systems (PMTS; Barnes, 1980). However, PMTS lack experimental validation, especially when heavy masses are handled in different planes of motion (Mital, Asfour & Aghazadeh, 1987; Genaidy, Mital, & Obeidat, 1989). Further, the PMTS assume independency between the different motions, yet this assumption was questioned in past studies for tasks that involve light handled masses (Hall Jr, 1956; Genaidy, Mital, & Obeidat, 1989). Therefore, in this study we investigate the influence of the workplace design (handled mass and lifting/lowering heights) and the worker's anthropometrics on the time required to complete MMH tasks and to develop a new time prediction model for MMH tasks. Further, we examine the independency assumption of PMTS for tasks which involve heavy masses.