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Manual handling weight limits

Jodie Johnson
3rd November 2022

‘Manual handling’ is a term that covers many actions, including lifting, carrying, pushing, lowering, and pulling. If these actions are performed incorrectly and without health and safety considerations, they can lead to short and long-term injuries. According to HSE, over a third of workplace accidents are caused by improper manual handling. It is important, therefore, for employers to ensure that there are manual handling health and safety policies and guidelines in place and that they are being followed, as per the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.

What the law says for employers

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states that all employers, regardless of industry, have a duty to protect the “health, safety, and welfare” of their employees and anyone else on the premises, including visitors and members of the public.

A primary way for employers to abide by the Act is to conduct risk assessments. It is recommended that these are carried out at least once a year and when new procedures or equipment are introduced. Besides risk assessments, employers must provide easily accessible information about any workplace risks to health and safety, consult employees on health and safety policies, provide adequate training such as a manual handling course, and have a risk-reporting system in place.

Our IOSH-approved manual handling health and safety course aims to provide employers with the skills needed to meet the Manual Handling Operations Regulations and maintain these safety standards.

Safe manual handling weight limits

How much weight is safe for employees to lift depends on several factors:

  • The physicality of the lifter – are they strong? Do they have any disabilities that would make lifting or carrying difficult?
  • The weight of the object – is it light or heavy?
  • The dimensions of the object – is it easy to hold, like a box?
  • How far the object needs to be carried – is it just a few feet or across an office floor?
  • The environment around the lifter – is the floor flat or bumpy? Is there an incline or decline? Are there any potential obstacles?
  • How the object is being carried – is it being held close to the chest or at arm’s length? Is it being carried on the back or shoulders?

While there are no legal manual handling weight limits for what employees can carry, the CPD’s suggested safe maximum weight limits for men and women – 25kg and 16kg, respectively. However, this manual handling weight limit can change depending on the height the object is lifted to and how it is carried.

For men, the HSE’s suggested manual handling weight limits are:

Height object is lifted

Maximum weight held close to body

Maximum weight at arm’s length

Head height

Shoulder height

Elbow height

Knuckle height

Mid-lower leg height

10kg

20kg

25kg

20kg

10kg

5kg

10kg

15kg

10kg

5kg

For women, the suggested manual handling weight limits are slightly different:

Height object is lifted

Maximum weight held close to body

Maximum weight at arm’s length

Head height

Shoulder height

Elbow height

Knuckle height

Mid-lower leg height

7kg

13kg

16kg

13kg

7kg

3kg

7kg

10kg

7kg

3kg

Consequences of not following manual handling guidelines

Taking part in heavy manual labour without following safety guidelines can have a number of consequences, including bodily harm. The most common manual handling injuries occur in the lower back, knees and hands – all parts of the body involved in the lifting process. Injuries can range from muscle strains to ligament tears. An incorrect lifting form over long periods can result in musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), such as tendonitis or arthritis.

Other consequences of manual handling incorrectly can include damaging the workplace environment or the object being carried, as well as potentially harming other employees. 

Tips for safe manual handling

Plan ahead

Before doing any manual handling, encourage employees to plan ahead. Have them assess the load they need to carry, where they will be carrying it to, and if there are any potential obstructions. Will they need help? Will they need to stop mid-way to rest their load and adjust their grip?

Ensure a good grip

To avoid damage to the item being carried or themselves, ensure that employees have a good grip on the load before attempting to lift or carry it. If possible, have employees ‘hug’ the load to their body to provide additional stability. To mitigate the risk of injury, consider providing gloves for employees.

Wear the correct footwear

When lifting and carrying, employees must have complete contact with the floor. This is so they can maintain the correct posture and stay balanced. Slip-resistant footwear with some form of ankle support and a flat sole, such as work boots and some styles of trainers, is an excellent choice for avoiding accidents and injuries.

Grip and ankle support can become worn over time, so ensure employees regularly check the condition of their footwear.

Have the correct posture

Having the correct posture is vital for avoiding injury when lifting an item. Train employees on the proper lifting techniques – back straight, shoulders back, knees bent, and looking straight ahead – especially those who undertake a regular amount of this activity as a part of their role. 

When carrying, ensure your employees adopt a stable position, with one foot in front of the other. They should keep their load close to their midsections as they move and look ahead to avoid obstacles. 

Employees should lift what is safe, not what they can

There is a difference between what an employee can lift and what an employee can safely lift. Encourage employees to only lift what they safely can to avoid potential injuries and overexerting themselves. 

Our IOSH-approved manual handling health and safety course can help your organisation create an inclusive culture when it comes to employees providing input for shaping health and safety policies that directly affect them and their hazard awareness.

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