The Importance of Knowing Your Weight Limits in Manual Handling

It feels great when you can easily lift a heavy object without even twitching your eyelid. You feel a sense of triumph and success when you perform such a show of strength that it may even push you into doing much more on the upcoming manual handling tasks to see whether you can handle it.

Unfortunately, manual handling makes up for nearly 33% of workplace injuries due to accidents or illnesses with musculoskeletal disorders being the main affliction. With such a staggering number of injuries, it is essential to be extra cautious with manual handling tasks and ideally, invest in appropriate Health and Safety training to reduce the risk of such injuries at work.

It is better to take it slow and play it safe when handling heavy loads. You need to be aware of the specific factors that affect your capability of performing your assigned tasks as well as your maximum manual weight limits so that you can safely and correctly proceed. Additionally, you must use proper manual handling methods to prevent straining your joints and muscles.

Is There a Legal Limit for The Total Weight That a Person Can Lift?

There is no legal limit for how much weight a person can lift at work. However, between 20 and 25kg is regarded as a heavy manual load for most people. This is true, especially if you consider that airports have a limit of 23kg for checked baggage. If you have ever had to carry an overloaded bag or suitcase when travelling, then you know how tiring it can be.

Factors That Affect Ability to Transport Heavy Loads

• Consider the task – When you do it too regularly, it imposes an unnecessary strain on your body even if it does not hit the high 25kg limit or not.
• The load – Bulky and oversized goods that are difficult to grip can result in the load easily slipping and falling.
• Your surroundings – When your view is hampered due to the load you're carrying or the limited space, then the tasks becomes riskier.
• Your abilities – Each person has a unique load carrying capabilities, which are affected by several factors like physical size, health or age.

Dos and Don’ts for Manual Handling

The basic manual handling guidelines are all familiar to most people. This includes things like carrying the load steadily, maintaining a straight back and bending your knees amongst others. It's important always to be aware of these basic guidelines to ensure safety in the place of work.

One of the greatest risk of injuries due to straining your body is that you might not even feel any adverse effect after a couple of overextending incidents. When you start noticing some discomfort when handling tasks, then you could have already incurred an extended injury.

Take note that when you handle heavy weights at low/high levels or with extended arms, your joints and muscles will struggle, which results in a considerably greater amount of strain.

Finding the Safe Zones

The most appropriate height and weight for any load is essentially the safe zone, and it should allow for easy and safe manoeuvring. Additionally, it also has to do with the proper way of handling the load.

If the weight of the load is within the zones and must be kept near the body while carrying with the arms pointing downwards, then an upper weight size can be used. For example, a maximum of 13kg load should be carried at elbow height.

If the weight of the load is within the zones and requires extended arms to handle it, then a lower size needs to be used. This means reducing the load weight to below 7kg for safe carrying in this situation.

Where the load passes through two zones, for instance when being lowered from a top shelf, then a lower weight size needs to be used. The maximum weight to be lowered should be 5kg.

It Is a Must to Strictly Follow These Limits

When all's said and done, these weight limits have been established to keep you safe at work. Joint and muscle strains are not health problems that you can just brush off. The truth is that they can cause a lot of damage, which will likely leave you with widespread pain and other problems that will affect both your personal and working life as well. There is no need to risk your good health. Lift well within limits and stay safe at work.