Incorrect or careless lifting of heavy objects can result in injury and long-term damage to your body. Whilst there are no legal maximum weights to lift at work, there are guidelines in place that recommend the safe maximum weight for lifting at work.
The guidelines for lifting weights should be used in conjunction with manual handling training which helps to ensure that best practices are performed; reducing the likelihood of injuries being caused as a direct result of incorrect lifting.
What is manual handling?
Manual handling is defined by the HSE as,
Any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force.
In 2019, 20% of all reportable workplace accidents were related to a manual handling injury, with 4.7 million days being lost a year through non-fatal workplace injuries including manual handling.
To protect the Health and Safety of workers, employers must put measures in place to avoid injuries to their workforce. Repetitive movements of arms, legs and back when conducting manual labour and lifting heavy objects can increase the risk of injury.
Guidelines for maximum weights to lift
There is no legal maximum or minimum weight a person can be asked to carry, however it is thought that the average man can lift 25kg at waist height with the load close to the body. The average weight a woman can lift is thought to be 16kg at waist height with the load close to the body.
However, all of these are just guidelines and it should be noted that there is no legal maximum or minimum weight a person or gender can be asked to manually handle.
The amount of weight a person can manually handle is entirely dependent on the capability of the individual. Employers should consider disabilities, fitness, injuries, pregnancy and so on.
Techniques
Before manually handling an object, you should:
- Plan the Route
- Assess the load
- Correct the position of your feet
- Straighten your back
- Correct your grip
- Lift smoothly
Always ensure that you have good vision and relax where possible. Try to change your position regularly and avoid overreaching or stretching. Finally, try to adjust work surface heights and where possible use mechanical aids to avoid handling the load.
Get in contact with us for a free trial of our manual handling online training. We also offer gender neutral training.
