UL team backs heavy lifting project

Researchers at the University of Limerick have joined in an EU effort to fight the scourge of back trouble for workers whose routine involves constant lifting.

The UL team has been awarded €480,000 to carry out part of a huge study of manual handling in the workplace to minimise the risk of lower back injury, with the aim of designing a robot.

Dr Leonard O’Sullivan, lead researcher said: “About 44 million EU workers are affected by work related musculoskeletal disorders every year, with an annual cost in excess of €240bn to the European economy.