How much weight can a worker manually lift without injury?
According to a recent article published by Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, there’s not a straightforward answer to how much weight a person can safely lift. Historically, that number has been considered to be 51 pounds. However, in 2013, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health issued new recommended weight limits that vary depending on several factors. Those include:
- How far away from the body and how high the object is being lifted?
- How far the person must carry the object?
- How much body rotation is required to lift and place the object?
- How often and how long the object must be lifted?
“Different weights for various zones is a common practice in modern lifting guidelines. It is inappropriate today to specify a single weight that is safe to lift without acknowledging variables that will reduce the weight,” reports the author, Dan Markiewicz.
Different weights for various zones is a common practice in modern lifting guidelines.DICA is concerned with helping you protect your workers from lifting injuries. Many models of SafetyTech® Outrigger Pads are round, enabling workers to roll then, rather than lift and carry them, into place.
When they must be carried, TuffGrip® Handles are designed so that the lifting point does not typically exceed 50 pounds per person. The handle length also encourages proper lifting techniques and reduces pinch points.
If you are not sure about how much weight a person can lift, look for free online calculators that will help you evaluate how much weight is appropriate to lift manually.