Evaluation of the Benefits of Litelift™ Ergonomic Bags

The main purpose of this collaborative evaluation was to determine the advantages of Litelift™ ergonomic bags compared to standard trash bags currently being used in a large not-for-profit health care organization. Litelift™ bags are specially designed with a handle on the bottom of the bag, and as the employees tie the top of the bag it becomes a second handle, which allows the employee to distribute the load evenly. During the course of the evaluation, we tested two of the four different types of ergonomic Litelift™ bags: large trash can liners and laundry linen bags.

• The research team employed the NIOSH Prevention through Design (PtD) techniques found in the ANSI/ASSE Z590.3-2011 standard. The results to date include:
• Employees who routinely collect trash/ linen considered the Litelift™ bags easier to lift and felt more comfortable and felt less physical strain with the redistribution of weight because of the handle.
• The risk of injury to the employees using the Litelift™ bag compared to the standard bag was reduced by 37%.
  

It was not expected that a reduction in the number of injuries would be reduced given the short study period. However, with a 37% reduction of risk, it is expected that the number of injuries will be reduced significantly. Per injury prevented, this company on average would realize a direct savings of over $36,000 in worker’s compensation costs.

Research Team
Georgi Popov, Ph.D. QEP
University of Central Missouri

Elyce Biddle, Ph.D.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
West Virginia University