title: Epidemiological and biomechanical evaluation of airline baggage handling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are prevalent among airline baggage handlers due to manual materials handling. In this study, the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ), the revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting equation, and the University of Michigan 3D Static Strength Prediction Program™ (3DSSPP) were used to analyze MSDs among baggage handlers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The NMQ was filled out by 209 baggage handlers and 46 arbitrarily selected baggage handlers were evaluated using the NIOSH method and 3DSSPP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obtained results showed that the most common MSDs occurred in the lower back region. The next risky regions included knees, neck, and upper back, respectively. The NIOSH results confirmed that the subjects lifted loads heavier than the permitted limit and their lifting postures were inappropriate. The results of the 3DSSPP also indicated that compression forces exceeded the NIOSH limit in these awkward postures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relying on this study, holding compulsory ergonomic lifting training courses could be proposed for workers and regulations adjusting an upper limit for maximum baggage weight must be also enacted in order to improve occupational health and prevent the prevalence of increasing MSDs.
authors.affiliation: a Sharif University of Technology , Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tafazzol
authors.affiliation: a Sharif University of Technology , Iran.
authors.forename: Samin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aref
authors.affiliation: a Sharif University of Technology , Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mardani
authors.affiliation: a Sharif University of Technology , Iran.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.affiliation: a Sharif University of Technology , Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parnianpour
mesh_terms: D000401:Aircraft; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. / Q000592:standards; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States
keywords: Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire; airline baggage handling; ergonomic risk factors; musculoskeletal disorders; revised NIOSH lifting equation; spinal load