ABSTRACT
The assessment of operability of levers with respect to their manageability is currently measured by reference to the length of the connection, with no consideration given to weight of pull. This does not appear to follow recognised health and safety thinking and guidelines (such as those for manual handling) but the lever systems have been around long before current guidance was developed. Early investigations highlighted that there are many variants of frame and lever types, along with the different release types (triggers and stirrups). The connectivity between lever and the object to be moved gives some clue as to the differences in lever pull weights. However, Rail Group and Line standards give very little insight into appropriate design methods or design criteria for lever based systems.
