What is the Maximum Weight You Can Lift at Work?
Manual handling is part of many jobs. From construction to retail, workers will always need to lift and carry items – and these will often be heavy.
The heavier a load, the riskier it is to carry it. That’s why there are manual handling recommendations in place that set out the weights you can safely carry at work.
In this guide, we’ve answered commonly asked questions about manual handling weight limits in the workplace. These include:
Keep reading to find out more, or for tailored advice, get in touch with our knowledgeable legal services team.
Manual handling limits for men and women
In a work environment, recommended maximum lifting weights are different for men and women. The maximum manual handling weight for men is higher than the maximum a woman should lift.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), a man shouldn’t lift anything heavier than 25kg, while the safe lifting weight for a woman is no heavier than 16kg. But the HSE has explained that these are broad guidelines.
It’s also worth noting that there will be different recommended limits depending on how high you are lifting the load.
For example, it’s advised that men don’t lift anything heavier than 10kg at shoulder height, while a woman shouldn’t lift anything heavier than 7kg at this height.
The tables below show more of the differences in the maximum weights men and women should be carrying at work.
What is the maximum weight a man should lift?
| Load held close to the body | Load held further away | |
| Head height | 10kg | 5kg |
| Shoulder height | 20kg | 10kg |
| Elbow height | 25kg | 15kg |
| Knuckle height | 20kg | 10kg |
| Mid-lower leg height | 10kg | 5kg |
What is the maximum weight a woman should lift?
| Load held close to the body | Load held further away | |
| Head height | 7kg | 3kg |
| Shoulder height | 13kg | 7kg |
| Elbow height | 16kg | 10kg |
| Knuckle height | 13kg | 7kg |
| Mid-lower leg height | 7kg | 3kg |
Can I refuse to lift heavy objects at work?
Your employer is responsible for your safety while you’re at work, so they must ensure that you’re not lifting anything too heavy.
If you’re injured after carrying a load that exceeds the recommended maximum weight for manual handling, your employer could be held liable.
In cases where there is a valid reason for refusing to lift a heavy load, concerns should be raised with your line manager. This might apply if you haven’t received manual handling training, or your employer hasn’t carried out a risk assessment.
But if your employer has done everything they’re required to, you may not be able to refuse to lift something without risking employment problems.
What should I do if I suffer a manual handling injury?
If you’ve suffered an injury as a result of heavy lifting in the workplace, you could be able to take legal action against your employer by making an accident at work claim.
But if this is an intimidating thought, it could reassure you to know that it’s not your employer who would directly pay any compensation – it’s their insurer. All employers are required to have insurance policies in place for exactly this kind of incident.
Your employer is not allowed to sack you for making a claim against them. If they do, they could risk further legal action in the form of an unfair dismissal claim.
If you’d like to find out more about claiming for a manual handling injury, get in touch with us for a free initial chat.
You can reach us by calling the number at the top of the screen or by filling in our quick and easy online form.
