Liverpool John Lennon Airport identified a manual handling problem to do with towable aircraft steps. The steps are towed up to the side of aircraft for passengers to get on and off. The procedure was that the baggage trucks towed the steps to within 3 or 4 meters of the aircraft. They were then uncoupled and two and sometimes three staff would manually pushed the steps the final distance. When the force required to move the steps was measured it was found to be in excess of 700 Newtons which considerably exceeds the Manual Handling Operations Regulations guideline figures of 200N.
There was no ready-made solution to this problem, however, there are motorised electric tugs used for moving large caravans around parks and on display sites; one of these was purchased and adapted for use on the smaller sets of steps. The cost of buying and adapting the motor was minimal.
The converted motors have since been attached to two small sets of steps and work successfully. The batteries are charged overnight without being removed from the stairways so can be steered to electricity sockets.
