BackLifting standards at work – what is the limit?
Regulations clearly define how many kilograms an employee can lift to ensure safe and legal work. These limits depend not only on gender but also on the type of work performed – carrying loads over a distance is treated differently than lifting them uphill. Learn about the standards in force in your company and how to avoid overloading and penalties during inspections.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Lifting Standards at Work – What Does Occupational Health and Safety Say?
- Lifting Uphill: Standards on Stairs and Ramps
- Teamwork – Can Two People Lift Twice as Much?
- Why Is Compliance with Occupational Health and Safety Regulations Important?
Lifting Standards at Work – What Does Occupational Health and Safety Say?
Occupational health and safety are the foundation of any company that manually handles objects. To protect employee health and prevent injuries, such as musculoskeletal injuries, the law precisely defines standards for manual lifting. Lifting regulations are rigorous, and compliance with them is the direct responsibility of the employer. Proper work organization and occupational risk assessment can help prevent accidents, especially in production, warehouse, logistics, and construction work.
Lifting Standards for Men
For permanent work, meaning work where manual lifting of loads is performed regularly throughout a shift, lifting standards for men set a limit of 30 kg. However, if the work is occasional (performed no more than four times per hour, and the total duration does not exceed four hours per day), the maximum weight of the item increases to 50 kg.
However, it is important to remember that lifting standards become more stringent when carrying loads under more difficult conditions. If lifting exceeds 5 meters or involves stairs, the permissible weight for permanent work decreases to 15 kg. Safety regulations for lifting also stipulate that when lifting distances exceeding 25 meters, the weight of the items being carried cannot exceed 30 kg. In situations where the weight is excessive, auxiliary equipment or teamwork is required. Strict ergonomic rules apply to teamwork – for example, when three workers lift a load, the weight of the load cannot exceed three times the standard multiplied by a factor of 0.75.
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Lifting Standards for Women
Labor law and the relevant regulation of the Minister of Labor on the list of strenuous and prohibited work establish significantly lower limits for women. In the case of permanent work, the lifting standards for women are a maximum of 12 kg. If women are employed occasionally, lifting weights can be up to 20 kg.
Special working conditions and protections apply to breastfeeding and pregnant women. In their case, manual handling is severely limited – for pregnant women, the limit for permanent work is only 3 kg. Lifting heavy objects above these standards is strictly prohibited by the Labor Code. It is worth noting that if lifting at heights (e.g., stairs) is part of permanent work, the limit for women is 8 kg. Proper work ergonomics and ensuring that the weight of lifted objects is always within legal limits can minimize the risk of occupational illnesses. If an employee performs work involving transportation, they must be trained in manual handling to understand how to safely lift loads without excessive back strain.
Lifting uphill: Standards for stairs and ramps
Moving loads up stairs or ramps is one of the greatest challenges for the body, which is why regulations treat it with particular stringency. When the height exceeds 5 meters, standard limits cease to apply, and ergonomic principles that prevent overload become crucial.
In such conditions, the maximum weight of an object depends on how often the employee carries the load:
- Men: For continuous work on stairs, the weight limit is 15 kg. For occasional work (performed sporadically), this weight limit can increase to 30 kg.
- Women: For continuous work on stairs, the weight limit is only 8 kg. For occasional work, a woman can carry a maximum of 12 kg.
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Teamwork – Can Two People Lift Twice as Much?
Many people assume that if two people lift weights, they can move twice the weight. Nothing could be further from the truth. Teamwork is subject to strict rules that take into account the so-called safety factor, as weight is rarely perfectly evenly distributed.
Maximum weight: When working in a team, the weight cannot exceed a multiple of the standard weight for one person, multiplied by a factor of 0.75. This means that two men working continuously cannot lift 60 kg (2 x 30 kg), and a maximum of 45 kg.
Number of Employees: Lifting regulations specify that when a team manually moves objects, the weight of the load cannot exceed:
- 42 kg for women (women’s team),
- 100 kg for men (men’s team).
Team Selection: To minimize the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, employees in a team should be of similar height and build. It is important that an employee working in a group is provided with adequate space – the distance between people must be at least 0.75 m.
Why is compliance with occupational health and safety regulations important?
Compliance with occupational health and safety regulations is not just a formality; it primarily ensures employee health and business stability. Any work performed outside these limits exposes the team to serious musculoskeletal injuries and the company to severe penalties. Proper work organization helps avoid overload, especially in industries such as manufacturing or logistics, where the movement of objects takes place almost constantly.
Labor law and the relevant regulation of the Minister of Labor clearly indicate that the maximum weight of an object must be adapted to the physical capabilities of the person. Ignoring manual lifting standards leads to accidents that exclude employees from work for months. Physical work requires awareness of the following:
- In permanent work, the body tires more quickly, so the permissible weight limit is lower than in casual work.
- Proper work ergonomics and the use of lifting techniques using the legs rather than the spine are fundamental to occupational health and safety.
- Employees perform their work more efficiently when they have access to auxiliary equipment, which significantly reduces the cost of work time lost due to sick leave.
Particular attention should be paid to restrictions for breastfeeding and pregnant women, whose work cannot be associated with any exertion that could pose a risk of injury. Lifting heavy objects by this group is strictly regulated by the list of strenuous and prohibited work. Young workers and workers with disabilities also require constant supervision of the weight of objects being lifted, which should be considered in every occupational risk assessment.
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