Lifting looks like a low-risk activity, but manual handling is one of the most common causes of back injuries and lost work time. Overexertion from lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling is a leading cause of workplace injuries, and a back injury can have a lasting effect on a worker's health and livelihood.
Making sure employees have received safe lifting training, and that they use proper technique on every lift, makes these injuries less likely. Good training teaches workers about the dangers of overexertion and why proper technique matters no matter how light the load seems.
What OSHA and NIOSH Say About Lifting
There is no OSHA standard that sets lifting limits or prescribes a lifting technique. OSHA addresses lifting hazards under the General Duty Clause, which requires employers to protect workers from recognized hazards that are likely to cause serious harm. (29 CFR 1910.176 covers material storage and aisles, not lifting technique.)
The most widely used reference is the NIOSH Revised Lifting Equation, which starts from a load constant of 51 pounds under ideal conditions and reduces the recommended weight limit as the load moves farther from the body, is lifted from the floor or above the shoulders, involves twisting, or is lifted frequently. In practice, that means the safe weight for a given task is often well below 51 pounds.
For more on recommended weight limits and building a back safety program, see our guide to essential safe lifting training for workplace compliance.
Proper Lifting Technique
- Plan ahead. Before lifting anything, check your path and surroundings to make sure the area is flat, dry, and free of debris. Decide where you will set the object down and how you will get there. Estimate the weight and decide whether you can lift it safely alone or need a mechanical aid or a second person.
- Warm up. Some workers find that light stretching of the back and legs before a shift of heavy lifting helps them feel ready. Warm-ups are a reasonable habit, but they are not a substitute for good technique, mechanical aids, or reasonable loads.
- Lift. Stand as close to the load as possible, with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Bend at your knees and hips and keep your upper body upright so your legs do the work rather than your back. Get a firm grip, look straight ahead, and lift smoothly without jerking.
- Carry. Keep the load close to your body with your elbows at your sides. Use your feet to change direction, taking small steps, and lead with your hips so your shoulders stay in line with them. Never twist your back while carrying.
- Set down. Lower the load in reverse: bend at your knees, keep your head up and your stomach muscles tight, and keep the load close to your body. Setting a load down can cause an injury just as easily as picking it up.
Dangerous Activities to Avoid When Lifting
- Twisting or turning your body while lifting a load
- Attempting to carry a load that is too heavy or too large
- Lifting an object above shoulder level
- Bending forward rather than squatting down to the load
- Using a partial grip with only one or two fingers
- Lifting or working while fatigued
- Carrying a load that blocks your view
- Rushing through the lift
- Holding your breath
Can Back Belts Help Prevent Injury?
Back belts are common in workplaces with a lot of lifting, but NIOSH has concluded that there is insufficient scientific evidence that back belts prevent lifting-related back injuries in workers who have not been injured. NIOSH does not recommend them as an injury-prevention measure.
One concern is that a belt can create a false sense of security and lead workers to attempt heavier loads than they should. Whatever your view of back belts, they are not a substitute for safe lifting technique, mechanical aids, and reasonable loads.
Rather than relying on back belts, focus on reducing the risk factors themselves: redesign tasks to keep loads lighter and closer to the body, provide carts, dollies, and lift assists, train employees on how to lift, and respond to reports of discomfort and fatigue as soon as they arise.
High Frequency and Long Duration Lifting
When lifting and carrying loads for long periods, workers should pay attention to what their bodies are telling them. If you begin to feel fatigued, set the load down and rest. Fatigue makes it harder to keep using proper technique on every lift.
If your employees must lift frequently or for long periods, plan ahead to build in regular breaks, team lifts, mechanical aids, and task rotation. Frequent lifting also lowers the recommended weight limit under the NIOSH Lifting Equation, so loads that are acceptable occasionally may not be acceptable all day.
For a comparison of back safety training options, see our guide to top back safety training programs for workplace injury prevention.
Safe Lifting Training Products from National Safety Compliance
National Safety Compliance offers several ways to train employees on safe lifting and back safety:
- The Back Safety Training program, available in English and Spanish as streaming, DVD, USB, or MP4. Training program kits include streaming access plus a PowerPoint presentation, quiz, and attendance log.
- Back Safety Training Booklets and Ergonomics: Industrial Safety Training Booklets, in packages of 10.
- The Back Safety, Keys to Safe Lifting Poster, a laminated 18" x 24" poster in English or Spanish.
- The All Access Pass, which covers training courses only (not posters, booklets, or publications). One pass lets one trainer use 50+ courses, including back safety, to train the entire organization.
If you have questions about our safe lifting training products, contact us using the chat function on our site, e-mail us at sales@nscemail.com, or call us at 877-922-7233.