Redesigning Double Basket Shopping Carts
Grocery
shopping can be a tedious process. There are many varieties to choose from,
from fresh produce to packed goods, perishable goods and non-perishable goods.
Shopping cart was invented in order to aid the in the process of grocery
shopping. It helps transport the items from the shelf to the cashier/check-out.
The double basket shopping cart is like a mini shopping cart with two baskets,
one at the top and one at the bottom of the cart. Grocery shoppers use the
double basket shopping carts to transfer the goods that they will buy to the
cashier or counter. The grocery shoppers transfer each good to the counter for
barcode scanning. After checking out of the counter, the grocery shoppers use
the double basket shopping carts to transfer the goods into their cars or in
any mode of transportation. On the other hand, the job of grocery clerks is to
stack the merchandise to the shelves of grocery stores. This merchandise is
carried by the shopping cart and also by the double basket shopping cart.
Another job of the grocery clerks is to stack the double basket shopping carts
together for compact storage. When the grocery shoppers tend to buy more goods
from the grocery, their cart will be fully loaded and it will be hard for the
grocery shoppers to push and maneuver the cart. Turning a fully loaded cart can
also be hard for the grocery shoppers to maneuver due to the rigidity of the
cart [1,2]. The main function of double basket shopping cart is to ease the
transfer of the variety of goods that the grocery shoppers buy from the grocery
store to the counter or cashier. It eliminates unnecessary handling of goods by
hand which is not a practical way for the grocery shoppers. However, risks of
having WMSD may arise due to the current design of double basket shopping cart
[3,4]. Weight of the goods can be one of the factors that can give discomfort
or pain to grocery shoppers and clerks especially when the double basket
shopping cart is fully loaded [5,6,7]. A recent study shows that tasks
regarding with pushing and pulling can also have risks of shoulder complaints
rather than low back complaints. Grocery shoppers and clerks can acquire
musculoskeletal disorders from repetitive motions, work postures and movements,
and excessive force. Maneuverability is dependent on the weight of the load; it
gets hard for the grocery shoppers and clerks to push and maneuver the double basket
shopping cart when it is loaded [8-11]. The main objective of the study was to
design an ergonomic double basket shopping cart that will reduce the risk of
accumulating WMSD for grocery shoppers and clerks. WMSD-related risk factors in
the current design will also be identified. This is done to help the
researchers identify which characteristics of the cart needs improvement. The
researchers’ proposed design of double basket shopping cart reduced the
WMSD-related risk factors. The study was limited on the physicality and
functionality of the cart and not the whole grocery system. The researchers
used surveying methods like Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), Modified
Nordic Questionnaire, NIOSH Lifting equation, and Surveys that helped them
determine what risks might come with the use of double basket shopping cart.
These methods helped the researchers propose a design of the double basket
shopping cart. The sample of the researchers was limited on ages 20 to 65 years
old.
No comments:
Post a Comment