B Factor and its Importance to HFE Practitioners - Applying NIOSH's 1991 Revised Lifting Equation and its Derivatives

摘要

Weight of materials is an essential component of National Institute of OccupationalSafety and Health's (NIOSH) 1991 Revised Lifting Equations, its European (BSEN)/International (ISO) derivatives and other published extensions/modifications.Weighing materials is often difficult at construction work sites. NIOSH's LiftingEquation and its variations might be used more frequently and effectively by HumanFactors/Ergonomic (HFE) Practitioners if the weight of materials could bedetermined more easily at work sites. The Borchardt Factor (B Factor) conceptwould enable HFE Practitioners to "calculate" the weight of large, bulky orirregularly shaped materials at work sites. The B Factor is defined as: Weight (lbs orkg) per "easy to measure" unit of measurement.