Eric Martin 21074137

SYDE 162 S24 – Participation Activity 3

Individual Activity, Due – Friday July 19 th at 11:59 PM
Important: This participation activity contains a mandatory activity (NIOSH Lifting Equation
Problem) and an optional activity (Biomechanics Problem). You only need to complete the NIOSH
Lifting Equation problem to receive full marks. The biomechanics problem can be completed at
your own discretion. Feedback will be provided, if the problem is completed.

Mandatory: NIOSH Lifting Equation Problem.

A student working at POETS must lift and stack cases of beverages. Each case currently holds 24
beverages and weighs 13 kg. The student works for no more than 2 hours. The handles on the cases
are fair. The student must hold the cases at 30 cm from the body (measured from the midpoint
between the ankles). The vertical distance at the start of the lift is 78 cm. The vertical distance of
the student’s hands from the floor at the destination is 165 cm. The student rotates 45 degrees
during the lift. The student is expected to move 100 cases during the work shift.
PART A: Use the NIOSH Lifting Equation to calculate whether or not this is a safe lift for
the student. Use the template below to complete your calculations.
PART B: If you were to redesign this lifting task, pick one feature that would be the easiest
to change?

PART A:
RWL = LC  HM  VM  DM  AM  FM  CM
LI = Weight of tote RWL
Calculate load constant (LC): 23 kg
Hint: See Table 13.1. Available on the last page of this assignment or in the Lee textbook.

Calculate Horizontal Multiplier (HM):

HM=25/H HM = =
H is horizontal distance between hands lifting load and midpoint between ankles (cm)
of
assume
V Is distance from start
Calculate Vertical Multiplier (VM): ~ floor
Hint: Consider the beginning and the end of the lift!
VM=1-0.003|V-75| um = 1 -
0 .

003/178 75) -
= 0 991
.

V is the vertical distance of the hands from the floor (cm)

Calculate the Distance Multiplier (DM):

DM=0.82 + 4.5/D 0 82 +18 70 0 8717
=
DM = .
.

D is the vertical travel distance between the origin and the destination of the lift (cm)
Calculate the Asymmetry Multiplier (AM): = 0 856
AM = 1-0.0032A AM 1 0 0032(4S
.

= - .

A is the angle of torso twisting involved in the lift (in degrees)

Calculate the Frequency Multiplier (FM): 0

80
.

Hint: See Table 13.2, Round up. Available on the last page of this assignment or in the Lee
textbook.
Lift mi
0 85 -z :
=

Calculate the Coupling Multiplier (CM): 1. 00

Hint: See Table 13.3. Available on the last page of this assignment or in the Lee textbook.

Calculate the overall RWL:

Hint: Consider the beginning and the end of the lift!
RWL = LC  HM  VM  DM  AM  FM  CM
0 856x0 88x1 12 4722
* kg
=
Rw = 23 x X 0 991x0 8717
. .
x
.
.
.

Calculate Lift Index (LI):

Hint: Consider the beginning and the end of the lift!
LI = Weight of tote RWL 13kg =
23
= 1 04.

. 4722 ks
12
Interpret Lift Index (LI): (This is the answer to Part A)
LI ≤ 1.0: Lift is safe
C
LI > 1.0: Will pose an increased risk to some workers
LI > 3.0: Will pose a high risk of low-back pain and injury to most workers

PART B:
For this lifting task, what would be the easiest element to change?
see below ↓
-------
Optional: Biomechanics.
A person is carrying their recycling to the curb. They are carrying it with both hands such that their
arms are fully extended and rotated 45 degrees down from horizontal. The recycling bin weighs
10 kg. The entire arm weighs 4.4 kg and is 65 cm long (from shoulder to hands). The entire arm
can be considered to be one rigid body/segment. The center of mass of the arm is 44% of the total
arm distance measured from the shoulder joint to the hand.

Calculate the reaction force and moment at the shoulder to maintain a static position.
Part B :

First, frequency would be easy to change by simply having the student

move less cases, or to work for a longer duration of time. Next, the
student can re-orient their body or work station to minimize the twisting
or rotation angle which would render the lift safer.
Table 13.1. NIOSH Lifting Equation Components and Related Equations (Lee et al., p.
433)
Component Metric System US System
Load Constant (LC) 23 kg 51 lb
Horizontal Multiplier (HM) 25/H 10/H
Vertical Multiplier (VM) 1 - 0.003|V-75| 1 - 0.0075|V-30|
Distance Multiplier (DM) 0.82 + 4.5/D 0.82 + 1.8/D
Asymmetric Multiplier (AM) 1 - 0.0032A 1 - 0.0032A
Frequency Multiplier (FM) See Table 2 See Table 2
Coupling Multiplier (CM) See Table 3 See Table 3
V= -g
Table 13.2. Frequency Multiplier (FM) Values (75 cm = 30 in) (Lee et al., p. 433)
Work Duration
≤ 1 hr ≤ 2 hr ≤ 8 hr
Frequency V < 75 cm V ≥ 75 cm V < 75 cm V ≥ 75 cm V < 75 cm V ≥ 75 cm
(lifts/min)
0.2 1.00 1.00 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 C
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 0.80 0.80 0.60 0.60 0.35 0.35
6 0.75 0.75 0.50 0.50 0.27 0.27
7 0.70 0.70 0.42 0.42 0.22 0.22
8 0.60 0.60 0.35 0.35 0.18 0.18
9 0.52 0.52 0.30 0.30 0 0.15
10 0.45 0.45 0.26 0.26 0 0.13
11 0.41 0.41 0 0.23 0 0
12 0.37 0.37 0 0.21 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

Table 13.3. Coupling Multiplier (CM) Values (75 cm = 30 in) (Lee et al., p. 434)
Coupling Multipliers (CM)
Coupling V < 75 cm V ≥ 75 cm

Good 1.00 1.00

O
Fair 0.95 C
1.00
Poor 0.90 0.90