Lifting and carrying by hand is one of the main causes of back pain and musculoskeletal injuries. The regulations set maximum weights that must not be exceeded.
The regulation
The rules are set out in the regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 14 March 2000 (currently in the wording of the consolidated text published in 2018, Dz.U. 2018, item 1139) on occupational health and safety in manual handling and other work involving physical effort. It covers lifting, carrying, moving and pulling loads.
The regulation does not give limits for young workers or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. For them, separate, stricter regulations apply, which often ban manual handling work.
Permitted weights when lifting and carrying
Occasional work is, according to the regulation, work done no more than 4 times an hour, if its total time does not exceed 4 hours a day (§ 2 point 2). Other work of this kind is continuous work.
| Worker | Continuous work | Occasional work |
|---|---|---|
| Man | up to 30 kg | up to 50 kg |
| Woman | up to 12 kg | up to 20 kg |
The limits are lower in harder conditions:
- when lifting above shoulder level (for example, for a man: 21 kg for continuous work, for a woman: 8 kg),
- when carrying over a distance greater than 25 m, the limit is as for continuous work (30 kg and 12 kg),
- when carrying uphill, for example up stairs or a ramp, to a height above 4 m (§ 13(4)–(5)).
If you hold the load farther than 30 cm from your body, the permitted weight drops by half, or at least two people must carry the load.
Pushing and pulling
The regulations also limit the force needed to set a load in motion, for example when pushing 300 N for a man and 120 N for a woman. In practice: you roll or move the load only on level, hard-surfaced ground. Do not push a trolley that is too heavy.
Hand trucks and wheelbarrows
The weight of the trolley is included in the weight of the load. Permitted loads depend on the number of wheels, the slope and the ground. For example, a two-wheeled trolley on a level, hard and smooth surface with a slope of up to 5%: up to 350 kg for a man and 140 kg for a woman. On uneven ground, 60% of these values is allowed. A hand truck must not be used to move loads on a slope of more than 8% or over a distance of more than 200 m.
Lifting technique
- Assess the load: weight, shape, handles. Do not guess. Check the marking.
- Place your feet hip-width apart, with the load close to your body.
- Bend your knees and keep your back straight. Your legs do the work, not your back.
- Lift smoothly, without jerking.
- Do not twist your trunk with a load. Turn your whole body by moving your feet.
- Before you set off, check the route: no cables, thresholds or wet floor, and good visibility.
When the load is too heavy
- use a trolley, a lift, a hoist or another aid,
- ask another person for help (when carrying as a team, agree who gives the signal),
- divide the load into smaller parts,
- tell your supervisor if you exceed the limits every day. That is a task for the employer, who must reduce manual work through mechanisation.
Key points
- Limits for continuous work: 30 kg (man) and 12 kg (woman). For occasional work: 50 kg and 20 kg.
- A load held farther than 30 cm from the body: the limit drops by half.
- Use aids and lift with your legs, not your back.