Handling Paper Or Plastic Bags In The Chemical Industry

Workers of a Company manufacturing mixtures for soaps must handle plastic or paper bags weighing about 25 kg in very frequent and repetitive work cycles. Manual load handling without any lift assist device is not allowed as it can be harmful for the operator and would imply possible slowdown or stops of the work flow. It is also necessary to avoid that the powder contained in the bags come in contact with the workers’ hands to avoid skin irritation; powder is also present in small amounts also on the surface of the bags, therefore picking and holding the bags with bare hands is not allowed.

A hoist is not the right solution, due to its fixed speed for the up/down movements and the need for the operator to keep a button pressed all the time. Such features make this device a non-ergonomic nor productive solution.

A pneumatic manipulator is not the right solution as well, because it does allow to lift and position loads in a fast and smooth way as it is, instead, required for these repetitive handling work cycles. In fact the inertia forces typical of a pneumatic manipulator in the direction change, in speed increase/decrease of load displacement along the vertical axis, as well as in load positioning, adversely affect the level of ergonomics and safety for the operator.