ABSTRACT
Probably since pushing and pulling is physically less demanding than lifting and carrying, there is a lack of risk assessment methods on a quantitative basis by means of a formula. It is the aim of ISO 11228-2 to bridge that gap. Several approaches exist for the evaluation of pushing and pulling tasks in a worldwide overview. In Europe, pushing and pulling, as two types of manual materials handling, are regulated by the Council Directive 90/269/EEC “on the minimum health and safety requirements for the manual handling of loads where there is a risk particularly of back injury to workers.” Next to this directive, manual materials handling is addressed by the European Union (EU) machinery directive (98/37/EC)—EN 1005, a set of harmonized CEN standards that supports this directive. The next chapters offer additional information about the dual European system of health and safety at work and the manual handling directive.
