A recent survey by the Health and Safety Executive has revealed that the 32 kg luggage limit in flights is taking its toll on baggage handlers. They are facing a lot of musculoskeletal problems due to lifting close to nine tonnes of weight every day.

Most of the people think that the system for carrying luggage is a machine-operated system. However, the truth is that luggage has to be manually handled quite often, as Steve Turner from Union Unite stated. As a result, the handlers suffer from health-related issues.

In fact, HSE found that 73% of the baggage handlers have had some lower back related problems in last three months. Further, in the same quarter, half of them had knee related problems and close to 45% had pain in shoulders. The ratio of such disorders is much more than in any profession.

Union Unite has thus started a campaign called ‘Lighten up’ in order to ask the people to carry less baggage. In addition to this, it is asking airlines to put a lower ceiling of 23kg on baggage weight. While Holiday charter company Thompsons has already gone ahead with the move, other airlines have said that they will do it only if others also agree to make similar moves.

Another way to reduce luggage weight it to ask HSE to make rules for the same, and Union Unite is working in that direction as well.

HSE Aviation Industry Committee and the International Air Transport Association have already shown their support for this campaign.

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