Integrated LUBA and OWAS Assessment Identifies High-Risk Warehouse Picking Postures

General Background: Manual handling in warehouse picking involves repetitive activities and non-ergonomic postures that can place physical burdens on workers and potentially cause Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). Specific Background: Picking activities include retrieving goods from storage shelves, moving goods to pallets, carrying hand pallets to the staging area, and repacking, with repeated bending, reaching, and squatting postures. Knowledge Gap: Previous studies have generally applied the Loading on the Upper Body Assessment (LUBA) and Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) separately, while studies combining both methods for warehouse picking with frequent manual handling remain limited. Aims: This study analyzes work postures using LUBA and OWAS and formulates ergonomic recommendations for manual handling activities. Results: LUBA scores were 13 for retrieving goods from shelves, 12 for moving goods to pallets, 9 for carrying a hand pallet to the staging area, and 11 for repacking. The first, second, and fourth activities were classified as Level III, while hand-pallet movement was Level II. OWAS classified shelf retrieval and hand-pallet movement as action category 2, whereas pallet movement and repacking were action category 3. Nordic Body Map results also showed that eight of 16 workers were in the moderate-risk category and eight were in the high-risk category. Novelty: The study combines LUBA and OWAS to examine upper-body postural loading and overall working posture within warehouse picking activities. Implications: The findings support prioritizing ergonomic corrective actions for activities with higher postural risk and developing recommendations based on LUBA, OWAS, and worker complaints. Highlights: Three manual-handling activities reached LUBA Level III. Pallet movement and repacking reached OWAS action category 3. Eight workers recorded moderate musculoskeletal risk and eight recorded high risk. Keywords: LUBA, Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), OWAS, Warehouse, Work Posture.