ASTM D6804-02(2011)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Hand Hole Design in Corrugated Boxes
Standard Guide for Hand Hole Design in Corrugated Boxes
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
It may be desirable at times to provide hand holes in corrugated boxes. Package designers use hand holes to solve ergonomic and handling problems associated with large or awkward containers. This guide provides an aid for proper hand hole design and use.
Ergonomics:
In studying and applying ergonomic principles, of primary concern is the need to provide a safe work environment for material handlers who may be required to lift or transport packages. A safe work environment is difficult to define and varies with the package in question. Several ergonomic safety issues involve repetitive motions and spine loading in the lifting process. Other issues involve finger and foot protection.
In distribution centers or warehouses, low back disorders have been identified as areas of elevated risk. Low back problems continue to represent the most common and costly musculoskeletal disorders in the work place.
One method used to reduce the concern of distance of lift (spinal loading) is to bring the reach of the material handler's hands closer to the body. With large or awkward boxes, placing hand holes in a more advantageous position can solve this problem.
NIOSH:
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published Work Practices Guide for Manual Lifting. This document may be of assistance in developing proper hand holes and their placement for a specific package.
Improper Use of Hand Holes:
Because of past lawsuits involving the use and misuse of hand holes, the corrugated box industry prefers the term access hole instead of hand hole on specifications. This terminology may have to be agreed upon between supplier and user.Fig. 1
Since all end use conditions and requirements cannot be foreseen and since designing for worst case scenario for all applications is prohibitively expensive, designers should follow best practices. The prudent designer will consider product and package weight when deciding the proper use of a hand h...
SCOPE
1.1 This standard provides guidelines for designing pre-cut apertures intended for use as hand holes in corrugated boxes during manual handling of boxed cargo.
1.2 Limitations—This standard offers guidance for package development and for subsequent testing of boxes to measure performance. It is not intended to provide specific information on the design of hand holes.
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The SI units are for information only.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory requirements prior to use.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D6804 − 02(Reapproved 2011)
Standard Guide for
Hand Hole Design in Corrugated Boxes
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6804; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a
Lot or Process
1.1 This standard provides guidelines for designing pre-cut
apertures intended for use as hand holes in corrugated boxes
3. Terminology
during manual handling of boxed cargo.
3.1 Definitions—General definitions for packaging and dis-
1.2 Limitations—This standard offers guidance for package
tribution environments are found in Terminology D996.
development and for subsequent testing of boxes to measure
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
performance. It is not intended to provide specific information
3.2.1 hand holes—apertures, pre-cut in corrugated boxes by
on the design of hand holes.
box manufacturers, as requested by box purchasers. These
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
apertures facilitate manual handling during distribution and
as the standard. The SI units are for information only.
improve grip during handling.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4. Significance and Use
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
4.1 It may be desirable at times to provide hand holes in
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
corrugated boxes. Package designers use hand holes to solve
bility of regulatory requirements prior to use.
ergonomic and handling problems associated with large or
awkward containers. This guide provides an aid for proper
2. Referenced Documents
hand hole design and use.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
4.2 Ergonomics:
D585Practice for Sampling and Accepting a Single Lot of
4.2.1 In studying and applying ergonomic principles, of
Paper, Paperboard, Fiberboard, and Related Product
primary concern is the need to provide a safe work environ-
(Withdrawn 2010)
ment for material handlers who may be required to lift or
D996Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environ-
transport packages. A safe work environment is difficult to
ments
define and varies with the package in question. Several
D1974Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, and Rein-
ergonomic safety issues involve repetitive motions and spine
forcing Fiberboard Boxes
loading in the lifting process. Other issues involve finger and
D4332Practice for Conditioning Containers, Packages, or
foot protection.
Packaging Components for Testing
4.2.2 In distribution centers or warehouses, low back disor-
D5276Test Method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by
ders have been identified as areas of elevated risk. Low back
Free Fall
problems continue to represent the most common and costly
E4Practices for Force Verification of Testing Machines
musculoskeletal disorders in the work place.
E122PracticeforCalculatingSampleSizetoEstimate,With
4.2.3 One method used to reduce the concern of distance of
lift (spinal loading) is to bring the reach of the material
handler’s hands closer to the body. With large or awkward
ThisguideisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD10onPackagingand
boxes,placinghandholesinamoreadvantageouspositioncan
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.27 on Paper and Paperboard
solve this problem.
Products.
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2011. Published November 2011. Originally
4.3 NIOSH:
approved in 2002. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as D6804–02 (2007).
4.3.1 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and
DOI: 10.1520/D6804-02R11.
2 Health (NIOSH) has published Work Practices Guide for
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. “EffectsofBoxFeaturesonSpineLoadingduringWarehouseOrderSelecting,”
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on Marras, Granata, Davis,Allread, and Jorgensen,The Institute for Ergonomics, Ohio
www.astm.org. State University.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D6804 − 02 (2011)
Manual Lifting. This document may be of assistance in 4.4.2 Since all end use conditions and requirements cannot
developingproperhandholesandtheirplacementforaspecific be foreseen and since designing for worst case scenario for all
package. applications is prohibitively expensive, designers should fol-
low best practices. The prudent designer will consider product
4.4 Improper Use of Hand Holes:
and package weight when deciding the proper use of a hand
4.4.1 Because of past lawsuits involving the use and misuse
hole.
of hand holes, the corrugated box industry prefers the term
access hole instead of hand hole on specifications. This
5. General Design Considerations
terminology may have to be agreed upon between supplier and
user.Fig. 1
5.1 Hand holes can take many forms (see Fig. 1).They can:
5.1.1 Be a simple hole in a box,
5.1.2 Be a complex molded handle with a reinforcement
mounted at the attaching point,
5.1.3 Incorporate rope handles, and
NIOSH Technical Report No. 81-122 from the US Department of Health and
Human Sevices.
FIG. 1 Common Hand Hole Types
D6804 − 02 (2011)
5.1.4 Be reinforced by the box maker with reinforcing tape
applied above them.
5.2 If possible, position hand holes so that product and
internal cushioning material can add support for carrying (see
Fig.2).Iftheboxmustbearalltheweight,itisbesttoposition
the hand holes at least two (2) in. below the horizontal score
line of end panels to distribute the compressive forces and
avoid failure. When placing hand holes, consider product
balance and box closure method.
5.3 Some closure methods, such as taping, can affect hand
hole placement. When a hand hole is to be used with a box
style such as an RSC, which is to have a tape closure (see
Practice D1974), it is best to allow enough room (2 to 2 ⁄2-in.)
for the end-leg of the tape (see Fig. 3). For a Bliss style box,
hand holes should be placed just below the top flange (see Fig.
4).
5.4 Several methods are used to reinforce a box above the
hand hole. For example, pressure sensitive, heat activated, and
adhesive based products can be used. Some have fiberglass or
polyester yarn reinforcement, some are tensilized, and some
are made of heavy kraft paper (see Fig. 5).
FIG. 3 RSC Style Box with Tape Closure, showing location of
Hand Hole 2.5 in. below top edge of box
5.5 When possible, use curved type hand holes: they will
not tear as easily as the straight top design (see Fig. 4). The
curved design eliminates a sharp edge at the corners, resulting
6. Evaluation
in a more evenly distributed lifting force across the surface.
Note that a different type of grasping device will be required 6.1 The test methods in Appendix X1 are not ASTM
whentestingcurvedhandholesasopposedtostraightones(see standards, but are evaluation methods to assist in determining
X1.3, Apparatus). the relative performance of hand holes during handling in the
FIG. 2 Box with Internal Cushioning Material, showing location above Hand Hole to provide Added Support for Carrying
D6804 − 02 (2011)
FIG. 4 Bliss Style Box showing Curved Hand Hole located just below the Top Flange
FIG. 5 RSC Style Box showing placement of Reinforcement Material around perimeter of box, just above Hand Hole
distribution environment. The methods, in experimental trials, 7. Keywords
were shown to have high variability between laboratories;
7.1 corrugated boxes; distribution environment; hand holes;
however, within laboratories the methods were useful in
manual handling
determining relative performance.
D6804 − 02 (2011)
APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE OF HAND HOLES IN CORRUGATED BOXES
X1.1 Summary of Methods X1.3.2 Method A, Jerk Test (see Fig. X1.2):
X1.3.2.1 Drop Test Apparatus, with a platform or other
X1.1.1 Method A, Jerk Test—Uses free-fall drop test appa-
featurewhichsupportsacorrugatedbox,suchthattheboxmay
ratus in conjunction with a support apparatus and grasping
be released for free-fall from a specified height. Support
device(s), imparting a sudden sharp arrested motion (jerk) to
apparatusforthegraspingdevicemustsuspendtheboxatleast
the hand hole area of a corrugated box. A grasping device
6 in. (150 mm) above the floor or test apparatus base. The
similar to that shown in Fig. X1.1 provides contact with the
support apparatus must secure the grasping device(s) so
hand hole.
essentially no yielding or elastic stretch occurs when the box
X1.1.1.1 Thismethodisapplicablefortestingbothone-and
falls and its motion is arrested by the device(s). A chain or
two-hand lifting of boxes. It is not intended for horizontal
flexible steel cable suspended from a rigid support or overhead
pulling of the box (see Method B, Tensile Test).
hoist may be used for this purpose.
X1.1.2 Method B, Tensile Test—Uses tensile testing ma-
X1.3.2.2 Anelasticcordmaybeusedtotakeuptheslackin
chines having a constant free-running crosshead speed or
the chain or cable to make sure the grasping device(s) stays in
constant extension rate to determine the maximum load carry-
the hand hole(s). The cord shall be stiff en
...
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