"Increasingly in the recent years, passengers' services are extended into the ascent and descent flight phases on short distance flights. Trolleys containing the required meal and beverage items are used for these service operations and pushed or pulled along the aisles of the aircraft. Flight attendants reported about increased musculo-skeletal disorders and had been complaining about high physical workload from handling trolleys. In order to ensure acceptable load levels for pushing or pulling operations of trolleys, the physical capabilities of the collective “flight attendants” had been investigated by means of force measurements at maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) level and associated relevant anthropometrical and biometrical data. CEN and ISO standards as well as international and national German methods were used to derive recommended force limits for pushing/pulling operations with respect to the physical capabilities of the target group “flight attendants”. Comparing these recommended limits with the force requirements per shift under various conditions of trolley handlings (inclination of the floor, type and weight of trolley, mode of handling, frequency of operation) showed that especially for higher floor inclinations and trolley weights, flight attendants work (substantially) above recommended limits. It became also apparent that the handling of half-size trolleys is unexpectedly high demanding due to high vertical force components, caused by the unfavorable location of their center of gravity."

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