Trolley design principles - human factors
No objects should block the clear Trolley design fundamentals Trolley push effort
line of sight above 1400mm (4’7”)
A trolley should be: Occupational Health & Safety experts*
recommend the following safety suggestions:
Shoulder height: 1400mm (4’7”) Not too wide: Hand pushed trolleys should Push efforts for trolleys, beds and mobile
be at least 80mm (33/16”) narrower than the equipment
narrowest doorway. Towed trolleys should be
500mm (17/8”) narrower than the narrowest isle Initial force:
Elbow height: 1100mm (3’8”) or doorway, and more if towed in a train. • 167 - 216N (17 - 21kg) (37.5 - 46.2lb)
Not too long: Trolley length should be between Sustained force for infrequent, short distances
1.5 to 2 times the width, otherwise it will not track • 60 - 120N (6 - 12kg) (13.2 - 26.4lb)
smoothly around corners. If it must be long, you
Knuckle height: 800mm (2’8”) may need to experiment to find the best castor Spring scales are a simple, accurate way to
arrangement to suit your particular needs. measure push effort. They are very cheap to buy
and are available from most hardware stores.
Not too high: A maximum height of 1400mm Simply clip the hook of the scale and pull until
Knee height: 600mm (2’) (4’7”) is recommended (including the goods the trolley begins to move. If it takes less than
being carried) to enable a clear line of sight. 17kg (37.4lb) to get the trolley moving and less
than 6kg (13.2lb) to keep it moving, then the
Not too light: As a rough guide, the weight of trolley design and work load are best-practice.
the trolley is usually 15% to 20% of the load it is
to carry. For the castor to function properly, the Most trolleys actually measured in surveys
frame of the trolley must be strong enough to of hospitals* were only within these
hold the castor head truly vertical so it can swivel recommendations if lightly loaded and
freely (that is, the mounting plate must remain used on smooth, hard floors. Often, as the
Any shelves in the area less than 600mm horizontal, or the stem must remain vertical), and trolleys were more heavily loaded up to
(2’) should be infrequently used and the frame must not bend under the impacts that their design capacity, they exceeded these
for light obejcts (less than 10kg (22lb)). inevitably occur. The most common cause of recommendations, often doubling, and
Maximum shelf depth in this area should be castors not tracking properly is that the mounting sometimes needing six times the recommended
450mm (1’6”). has twisted off square. force. For example, simply moving from a hard,
smooth floor to a carpeted area could more
Any shelves in the area between 600 & Not too heavy: It is often safer, and more than double the force required.
800mm (2’ & 2’8”) should be infrequently efficient, to divide the heavy load over a number
used. Maximum shelf depth in this area of trolleys rather than concentrating it into one.
Trolleys which are too heavy to move commonly * Sources & acknowledgements
should be 450mm (1’6”) “Ergonomic Guidelines for Manually-Handled
remain unused, or people suffer back injuries.
Trolleys in the Health Industry” a research report
The area between 800 & 1100mm (2’8” (1994) sponsored by Central Sydney Health
& 3’8”) is the best area for people to Handle height & position
Service and supported by a grant from Work
frequently access heavier objects (more Safe Australia. Full acknowledgment is made
than 10kg (22lb)) - bending is minimised, Optimal handle height for ‘average’ females is
910mm (3’) Optimal handle height for ‘average’ to Judith Lawson (Chief Investigator) and Jules
and the lifting position is optimal. Maximum Potiki (Assistant Investigator) and Helen Watson
shelf depth in this area should be 800mm males is 990mm (3’)
A good compromise handle height for mixed (Research Assistant), and to CSHS and WSA.
(2’8”)
users is 950mm (3’11/2”). If a trolley is to be pulled This information consists of the recommendations
(and most are at some time), the handle should from that report, together with the commentary
Any shelves in the area between 1100 added by Fallshaw.
(3’8”) & 1400 (4’7”) should be infrequently be located far enough out from the trolley to
ensure feet do not hit the trolley (approx. 400mm While based on the health industry, the
used and for light objects (less than 10kg Recommendations and Commentary are
(22lb)). Maximum shelf depth in this area (1’3”)). This can be closer if the trolley has no
should be 300mm (1’) shelves or tubes below 350mm (1’33/4”) generally applicable.
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