Human Ergonomic Simulation to Support the Design of an Exoskeleton for Lashing/De-lashing operations of Containers Cargo

Lashing and de-lashing operations of containers cargo on board containerships are considered as quite strenuous activities in which operators are required to work continuously over a 6 or 8 hours shift with very limited break. This is mostly because containerships need to leave the port as soon as possible and containers loading and unloading operations must be executed with very high productivity (stay moored in a port is a totally unproductive time for a ship and a loss-making business for a shipping company). Operators performing lashing and de-lashing operations are subjected to intense ergonomic stress and uncomfortable working postures. To this end, the authors of this article are participating to a research project for the design of an exoskeleton that will help operators to reduce ergonomics and working posture problems while increasing, at the same time, the productivity. This paper presents the results of a human ergonomic simulation devoted to highlight major working postures and muscles strain problems that will be used, in turn, as input for the design of the exoskeleton.