London, May 04: A new weight limit will be enforced for luggage at London`s Heathrow Airport in an attempt to reduce injuries among baggage handlers, officials said. From June 1, no piece of luggage may weigh more than 70 pounds (32 kg), airport operator BAA PLC said.

The new weight limit does not affect passengers` overall baggage allowance or excess baggage charges, which are set by individual airlines.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

"We are committed to implementing safe working practices airport-wide which is why we want to make sure that all our airlines adhere to the same guidelines to help lessen manual handling injuries among airport staff," said Mick Temple, managing director of BAA Heathrow.
An average bag weighs around 44 pounds (20 kg), but some handlers have had to deal with items weighing as much as 155 pounds (70 kg), the company said.


Passengers who exceed the weight limit after June 1 will be asked to repack their luggage into smaller units.
BAA will place scales inside each terminal so that passengers can verify the weight of their luggage before they get to check-in. Bags will also be available for passengers who need to repack at excess baggage desks in each terminal. Christine Barringer, government`s health and safety executive said manual handling injuries account for around 40 per cent of all injuries at airports.
Bureau Report