The psychophysical approach to manual materials handling task design

For approximately three decades, researchers have utilized psychophysics to develop guidelines (weights, forces and frequencies) for manual materials handling tasks. Early work by Stover Snook and his colleagues provided the foundations of the experimental methodologies that would be used by other r esearchers as well as design data that would be used by practitioners. Curr ently, there are extensive psychophysical data for designing a variety of m aterials handling tasks. The current state of psychophysical data will be e xamined, and the psychophysical approach will be compared to the biomechani cal and physiological approaches to setting limits for materials handling t asks. The advantages and disadvantages of the psychophysical approach will be discussed, as will the research needs required to address the current li mitations of the psychophysical approach.