SAFE PATIENT HANDLING AND MOVEMENT Ergonomic Tool #7. Pushing, Pulling, and Moving Equipment on Wheels
be used for assessment. This force can then be com- pared to the maximum recommended push force values. For example, if the force required to push a cart was measured to be 60 lb, this task would not be acceptable for one caregiver for any distance but would be acceptable for two caregivers (assuming each pushed 26 lb) for a distance of up to 25 ft. A powered transport device would be recommended if one caregiver is performing the task.64
6.10.1
Perioperative team members should push wheeled equipment.64,277-279
[Recommendation] In a quasi-experimental study, Kao et al277
measured electromyographic data of four mus- cle groups of 10 participants performing 108 experimental trials each while pushing and pull- ing a cart. The results showed that muscle activ- ity was lower in the pushing task than in the pulling task.
Liberty Mutual’s psychophysical limits for push forces are based on the work of Snook
928
and Ciriello.216
Garg et al280
performed a liter-
ature review of psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces. They concluded that the recommen- dations of Snook and Ciriello216
for pushing
and pulling forces are still valid and provide reasonable recommendations for ergonomics practitioners. In addition, they concluded that it is unclear whether pushing or pulling should be favored. The researchers con- cluded that epidemiological studies are needed to determine relationships between psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces and risk of musculoskeletal injuries (eg, lower back and shoulders).
6.10.2
When pushing an OR bed or an occupied standard hospital bed, a minimum of two perioperative team members should partici- pate in the transport task or one team
