Powered lift makes moving servers weightless Published Sept. 12, 2008 By Holly Birchfield 78 ABW/PA Robins Air Force Base, GA -- Workers in the 878th Communications Squadron were literally in over their heads with moving computer servers in the Robins Data Center. Squadron workers were tasked with manually lifting the heavy equipment to racks often well over their heads. Terry Stewart, Hosting Services Flight chief for the Robins Data Center, said it was a problem weighing heavily on people. "In our data center, our racks are typically 6 feet high and we buy computer servers that we mount in these racks," he said. "Those servers will range from 20 to 30 pounds to as much as 50 to 60 pounds. Of course, putting them in a 6-foot high rack requires lifting over your head, which is typically a three-man affair." After some discussion and a few phone calls, Mr. Stewart recently connected with the Robins Ergonomics Program and was able to find a safer way for the job to get done. Beth Sloane, Robins Ergonomics Program manager in the 78th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight, said she was able to find a powered lift that would alleviate a lot of their load. "I've been in the field for many years and I know about these lifts," she said. "I investigated alternative lifts that could be used in a tight space. Also, I needed to find a lift that would lift up to 6 feet, and a lot of lifts won't go that high." After some research, Ms. Sloane was able to find what the squadron needed. "I think it's a real addition to preventing overhead lifting," she said. "You don't want to lift more than 15 pounds overhead and you don't want to do it on a frequent basis." Ms. Sloane said the powered lift technology that has been used in areas on Robins flightline is just as effective in areas, like the Robins Data Center, where lifting is a daily chore. Luke Sarazine, a server administrator in the 878th CS, said the new powered lift's light-weight aluminum frame with a weight capacity of up to 140 pounds does all the lifting for workers. "It makes it so much easier to relocate servers from another building or for moving a server from one rack to another," he said. Mr. Stewart said the lift has increased his work center's abilities to get more done. "It's actually a significant improvement in that we're able to do more with less now," he said. "With the machine, you can get things done quicker because you don't have to get three people to do something that you can do with one." For more information on ergonomics issues, call Ms. Sloane at 327-7546.