Safe Lifting and Handling Techniques

Proper lifting technique is essential for preventing back injuries at work. While the best approach is always to eliminate or reduce manual handling through equipment and process changes, when lifting is unavoidable, correct technique significantly reduces injury risk.

Why technique matters

Even with the best risk assessments and equipment, there will be times when you need to lift or move loads manually. When this happens, proper technique is your primary defense against injury.

The reality of lifting injuries

Poor technique causes injury by:

• Placing excessive stress on the spine
• Creating uneven load distribution across back muscles
• Forcing joints into vulnerable positions
• Straining muscles, ligaments, and discs
• Creating cumulative damage through repeated poor movements

The consequences are serious:

• Over 150,000 back injuries annually in UK workplaces
• Average 19 days off work per back injury
• Many injuries become chronic - lasting months or years
• Some injuries are permanent - ending careers
• Pain affects quality of life beyond work

Technique is necessary but not sufficient

Important limitations:

Proper technique reduces risk but doesn't eliminate it. You cannot "technique your way" out of genuinely hazardous manual handling.

If the task involves:

• Loads exceeding safe guideline weights
• Very frequent or sustained lifting
• Awkward postures that make good technique impossible
• Confined spaces preventing proper positioning
• Unstable or difficult-to-grip loads

Then: Technique alone is not enough. The task needs to be eliminated or controlled through equipment, process changes, or reduced loads.

Key principles of safe lifting

Safe lifting is built on fundamental biomechanical principles. Understanding these helps you apply good technique in any situation.

Principle 1: Keep the load close to your body

Why it matters: The further a load is from your body, the more force your back must generate to support it. A 10kg load held at arm's length creates the same spine stress as a 40kg load held close.

How to apply it:

• Hug loads close to your torso
• Don't reach forward to grip loads
• Step close before lifting
• Keep loads against your body while carrying
• If you can't get close, use equipment instead

Principle 2: Use your legs, not your back

Why it matters: Leg muscles are stronger than back muscles and designed for lifting. Your back is designed for stability, not power. Lifting with your back muscles overloads structures not built for that purpose.

How to apply it:

• Bend your knees, not your waist
• Lower yourself by squatting
• Push up with your leg muscles
• Keep your back angle stable throughout the lift
• Let your legs do the work

Principle 3: Maintain your spine's natural curves

Why it matters: Your spine has natural S-curves that distribute load effectively. Rounding your back (flexing) or over-arching it (hyperextending) places dangerous stress on discs, ligaments, and muscles.

How to apply it:

• Don't round your lower back
• Don't hunch your shoulders
• Don't over-arch your back
• Keep your natural lumbar curve (slight inward curve in lower back)
• Think "straight back" not "vertical back"

Principle 4: Avoid twisting

Why it matters: Twisting while under load dramatically increases stress on spinal discs and ligaments. Many serious back injuries occur from twisting movements, even with moderate loads.

How to apply it:

• Turn with your feet, not your spine
• Point your feet toward where you're going
• Reposition your whole body rather than twisting your trunk
• If you must turn, set the load down, turn, then lift again
• Never twist while lifting or lowering

Principle 5: Plan and prepare

Why it matters: Rushed, unplanned lifting leads to poor positioning, inadequate grip, and loss of control. Planning gives you time to set up properly and avoid hazards.

How to apply it:

• Check the route before lifting
• Ensure destination is clear
• Test the weight before committing
• Check your grip is secure
• Consider whether you need help or equipment
• Don't rush - take time to position properly

The safe lifting sequence

Follow this step-by-step sequence for safe lifting. Each step builds on the previous one.

Step 1: Assess the task

Before you touch the load:

Ask yourself:

• What am I lifting and where is it going?
• Can I see over or around the load while carrying it?
• Is the route clear of obstacles, steps, or hazards?
• Is the destination ready to receive the load?
• Do I know the weight, or do I need to test it first?
• Can I lift this safely alone, or do I need help?
• Should I use equipment instead?

If uncertain about any of these: Stop and address the issue before proceeding.

Step 2: Position your feet

Set yourself up for success:

Foot positioning:

• Stand close to the load (toes nearly touching if possible)
• Feet shoulder-width apart for stability
• One foot slightly forward of the other
• Angled toward where you'll be moving
• Weight balanced evenly

Why this matters: Proper foot position provides a stable base, allows you to get close to the load, and positions you to move without twisting.

Common mistakes:

• Standing too far from the load (forces reaching)
• Feet too close together (unstable)
• Feet parallel (makes turning require twisting)
• Not facing the direction of movement

Step 3: Bend your knees and hips

Get down to the load properly:

The movement:

• Bend both knees (like squatting)
• Hinge forward from your hips (not your waist)
• Keep your back angle stable
• Lower yourself until you can grip the load
• Don't round your back

Think of it as: Sitting back onto a low stool, not bending over to tie your shoes.

If you can: Get one knee on the ground for very low lifts. This provides more stability and reduces how far you must bend.

Step 4: Get a secure grip

Before lifting:

Grip requirements:

• Use your whole hand, not just fingers
• Ensure you can hold the load securely throughout the move
• If there are handles, use them
• If not, grip the strongest parts of the load
• Test that your grip won't slip

For awkward loads:

• Look for the best grip points
• Consider whether you need gloves for grip or protection
• If you can't get a secure grip, use equipment or get help

Check:

• Can you hold this securely?
• Will your grip last throughout the carry?
• Are your hands positioned to keep the load balanced?

Step 5: Adopt a stable posture

Prepare your body:

Posture checklist:

• Knees bent (you're in a squat or semi-squat position)
• Back straight with natural curves maintained
• Head up, looking forward (not down at the load)
• Shoulders back, not hunched
• Core muscles engaged (tighten stomach slightly)
• Arms close to body
• Load positioned between your knees if possible

Common errors to avoid:

• Rounded back (hunched over the load)
• Over-arched back (sticking buttocks out excessively)
• Neck bent down
• Arms fully extended
• Load in front of knees rather than between them

Step 6: Lift smoothly

Execute the lift:

The movement:

• Keep the load close to your body
• Push up with your legs
• Straighten your knees and hips together
• Keep your back angle constant (don't straighten your back to lift)
• Look ahead, not down
• Move smoothly - no jerking or snatching
• Breathe normally (don't hold your breath)

Key points:

• Power comes from legs, not back
• Back stays stable, legs provide movement
• Load stays close throughout
• Movement is controlled and steady

If at any point:

• You feel pain or strain
• The load feels heavier than expected
• You lose your balance or grip
• Something doesn't feel right

Then: Lower the load immediately, safely. Reassess before trying again.

Step 7: Carry safely

While moving the load:

Carrying principles:

• Keep the load close to your body
• Maintain good posture
• Can you see where you're going? If not, set the load down or get help
• Take small, careful steps
• Watch for obstacles, changes in surface, or hazards
• Turn by moving your feet, never twisting your spine
• If you need to change direction, take small steps to turn your whole body

If carrying distance is more than a few meters: Consider whether you should use a trolley or take a rest break partway.

Warning signs to stop:

• Increasing strain or discomfort
• Losing grip
• Can't see clearly
• Losing balance
• Fatigue affecting your control

Step 8: Lower carefully

Place, don't drop:

Lowering technique:

• Position yourself close to where the load is going
• Feet in stable position
• Bend knees and hips (same as lifting)
• Keep back straight with natural curves
• Lower by bending legs, not by rounding your back
• Keep load close to body throughout descent
• Place load under control - don't just let go
• Release grip only when load is fully supported
• Keep hands and feet clear as you release

Common mistakes:

• Bending from waist to place load down
• Dropping load from a height
• Twisting while lowering
• Reaching forward to set load down
• Releasing load before it's stable

Team lifting technique

When loads are too heavy, bulky, or awkward for one person, team lifting can be safer - but only if done correctly.

When team lifting is appropriate

Consider team lifting when:

• Load exceeds safe weight for one person
• Load is bulky or awkward to grip
• Load is unstable or difficult to balance
• One person cannot see while carrying
• Long carry distance would fatigue one person

When NOT to use team lifting:

• If mechanical aids are available (use them instead)
• If people are very different heights (creates uneven load distribution)
• If coordination isn't possible (noisy environment, people can't communicate)
• If one person is much weaker (creates uneven strain)

Planning the team lift

Before lifting:

Coordinate together:

• Agree on the plan: Where are we taking this? What route? Any obstacles?
• Check both can grip and see properly
• Designate one person as coordinator (to count and direct)
• Ensure both know the signals (verbal counts, stop commands)
• Check height compatibility (similar heights work better)
• Agree on what to do if someone needs to stop

Position yourselves:

• Both adopt proper foot positions
• Usually positioned at opposite ends or sides of load
• Close enough to reach but not cramped
• Both can see the route (if not, coordinator guides)

Executing the team lift

Lifting together:

The coordinator counts:

• "Ready?" (both confirm they're set)
• "1, 2, 3, lift!" (both lift on "lift")
• Both use proper individual technique
• Both lift smoothly, in unison
• Both keep load at same height

While carrying:

• Coordinator directs: "Forward," "Stop," "Down"
• Both move together at same pace
• Both can see or coordinator guides
• Both maintain good posture
• Communicate continuously
• Either person can call "Stop" if needed

Lowering together:

• Coordinator: "Ready to lower?"
• Both acknowledge
• "1, 2, 3, down" (both lower on "down")
• Both lower at same rate
• Both maintain technique
• Both release only when load is stable

Common team lifting mistakes

Poor coordination:

• No designated coordinator
• Lifting without synchronized count
• One person lifting before the other
• Moving at different speeds
• Different heights making load uneven

Poor communication:

• Not agreeing on plan beforehand
• Not using clear verbal signals
• Assuming the other person knows what to do
• Not speaking up when struggling

Poor technique by individuals:

• One or both using poor individual technique
• Not both maintaining proper posture
• One person doing more work than the other
• Twisting or awkward positioning

Pushing and pulling technique

Manual handling isn't only lifting. Pushing and pulling trolleys, cages, or equipment requires proper technique too.

Principles of safe pushing and pulling

Body position:

• Stand close to the load
• Feet in stable position, one slightly ahead
• Keep your back straight
• Don't overreach
• Use your body weight, not just arm strength

Pushing:

• Generally safer than pulling (you can see where you're going)
• Keep hands between shoulder and waist height
• Push with your legs, lean slightly forward
• Keep movements smooth and controlled

Pulling:

• Use only when you must (pushing is usually preferable)
• Walk backwards carefully, checking route
• Keep hands between shoulder and waist height
• Pull with your whole body, not just arms
• Take small steps, maintain balance

When pushing or pulling is too much

Warning signs the task is too hard:

• You must strain significantly to get it moving
• You're leaning at extreme angles
• You feel pain or excessive strain
• You can't maintain control
• You can't maintain proper posture

If any of these apply:

• Load is too heavy - reduce it
• Wheels are inadequate - improve equipment
• Floor surface is poor - address surface or use different equipment
• Wrong tool for the job - get appropriate equipment

Handling at different heights

Lifting from floor level or above shoulder height requires special considerations.

Lifting from floor level

The challenge: Lifting from the ground requires deep squatting or kneeling, which is more strenuous and harder to maintain good technique.

Best approach:

• Avoid floor-level lifting through storage design (keep items between knee and shoulder height)
• Use equipment (scissor lifts, adjustable height trolleys)
• If you must lift from floor:
  • Consider kneeling on one knee rather than squatting
  • Get as close as possible
  • Lift to knee height first, rest, then lift to carrying height
  • Don't try to lift from floor to height in one movement

Lifting above shoulder height

The challenge: Lifting overhead reduces strength, increases strain on shoulders, and makes it hard to control the load.

Best approach:

• Avoid overhead lifting through storage design
• Use steps or platforms to access height safely
• Use equipment (hydraulic platforms, small step ladders)
• If you must lift overhead:
  • Keep loads very light
  • Lift to shoulder height first, rest, then lift above
  • Don't overreach
  • Use both hands
  • Watch out for loss of balance

What to avoid

Certain practices dramatically increase injury risk, regardless of overall technique.

Never twist while loaded

Why it's dangerous: Twisting under load places enormous stress on spinal discs. Many serious back injuries occur from twisting movements.

What to do instead: Move your feet to turn. Reposition your whole body rather than rotating your spine.

Never jerk or snatch loads

Why it's dangerous: Sudden movements create force peaks much higher than the static weight, shocking your spine and muscles.

What to do instead: All movements should be smooth and controlled. Test the weight first. Commit to the lift with steady, gradual force.

Never lift beyond your capability

Why it's dangerous: Pushing beyond your limits causes injury. Strength, fitness, and capability vary between individuals and over time.

What to do instead: Know your limits. Ask for help or use equipment when loads approach the limit of what you can manage comfortably.

Never rush

Why it's dangerous: Rushing leads to poor positioning, inadequate preparation, and loss of control. Many injuries occur during rushed work.

What to do instead: Take time to position properly, plan the route, and execute with control. The few seconds saved by rushing aren't worth the injury risk.

Never ignore pain or discomfort

Why it's dangerous: Pain is your body warning you of damage. Continuing through pain causes minor problems to become serious injuries.

What to do instead: If you feel pain, stop immediately. Report it. Don't resume until the cause is identified and addressed. Early intervention prevents serious injury.

Special considerations

Certain situations require adapted technique or additional precautions.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy significantly affects manual handling capability:

Physical changes:

• Shifting center of gravity affects balance
• Hormonal changes loosen ligaments (increased injury risk)
• Reduced stamina and strength
• Growing abdomen makes it harder to get close to loads

What this means: Pregnant workers should not be doing the same manual handling as before pregnancy. Individual risk assessment is required, and most manual handling should be eliminated or greatly reduced, especially as pregnancy progresses.

Returning from injury

Workers returning after back or other musculoskeletal injuries need special consideration:

Why it matters:

• May not be fully recovered despite being "signed off"
• Lost strength and fitness during absence
• Anxiety about re-injury can affect technique
• Initial discomfort may return if pushed too hard

What to do: Phased return with modified duties, gradual increase in demands, extra supervision and support, reassessment of capabilities.

Aging workers

Older workers often have reduced strength, flexibility, and recovery capacity:

Considerations:

• May need lighter loads or more frequent breaks
• May need equipment for tasks they previously managed
• Experience can compensate through better planning and technique
• Individual assessment rather than age-based assumptions

Young workers

Young workers may lack experience and judgment:

Considerations:

• Extra supervision and coaching needed
• May not recognize their limits
• Still developing physically (under-18s especially vulnerable)
• May take risks to impress others or keep up

When technique isn't enough

Recognize when the task is beyond what technique can address.

Signs the task needs changing, not just better technique

If any of these apply, the task itself is the problem:

• Loads exceed guideline weights (25kg for men, 16kg for women in ideal conditions)
• Very frequent lifting (more than 30 times per hour)
• Sustained manual handling throughout shifts with minimal breaks
• Confined spaces make proper technique impossible
• Awkward postures are unavoidable
• Loads are unstable, awkward, or impossible to grip securely
• You must twist or reach to complete the task
• Pushing or pulling requires straining or extreme effort
• Workers report pain, discomfort, or fatigue
• Injuries or near misses occur despite training

What to do: Don't just retrain or tell people to be more careful. Address the task through:

• Elimination (automate, redesign process)
• Mechanical aids (hoists, trolleys, lifting equipment)
• Load reduction (smaller containers, lower weights)
• Environmental improvements (better layout, adjusted heights)
• Modified procedures (team lifting, reduced frequency)

Maintaining good habits

Knowing proper technique is one thing. Applying it consistently is another.

Why good technique breaks down

Common reasons:

Time pressure:

• Rushing leads to shortcuts and poor positioning
• "We're too busy to lift properly" mentality
• Production targets prioritized over safety

Fatigue:

• Tired workers struggle to maintain good form
• Concentration lapses
• Physical capability reduces

Complacency:

• "I've done this a thousand times" attitude
• Shortcuts become habitual
• Bad habits develop gradually

Poor supervision:

• No one observing or correcting technique
• Poor practice goes unchallenged
• No feedback or coaching

Inadequate equipment:

• Equipment isn't available, accessible, or maintained
• Using equipment seen as "too much hassle"
• Equipment doesn't suit the task

Maintaining good practice

For individuals:

• Consciously apply proper technique every single time
• Treat each lift as requiring full attention
• Don't let time pressure compromise safety
• Stop and rest when fatigued
• Report tasks that make good technique difficult
• Ask for help or equipment rather than struggling

For employers:

• Provide regular refresher training
• Supervise and observe technique
• Correct poor practice immediately
• Coach rather than just criticize
• Make equipment readily accessible
• Remove barriers to using proper technique
• Address time pressures that encourage rushing
• Encourage reporting of difficulties

Frequently asked questions

Next steps

To improve lifting safety in your workplace:

1. Prioritize elimination and control - Use mechanical aids, redesign processes, reduce loads. Technique addresses what's left after proper risk control.

2. Provide comprehensive training - Not just theory, but practical hands-on practice with feedback on actual workplace tasks.

3. Supervise and coach - Observe workers regularly, correct poor technique immediately, provide positive reinforcement for good practice.

4. Address barriers to good technique - Time pressures, inadequate equipment, poor layouts, excessive loads all make proper technique difficult or impossible.

5. Encourage reporting - Workers should feel safe reporting when tasks make proper technique difficult, or when they experience discomfort.

6. Review after incidents - Every injury or near miss is a chance to identify where technique or task needs improvement.

Related articles:

• What is manual handling?
• Back injury prevention at work
• Manual handling training requirements

Useful tools:

• Manual Handling Risk Calculator
• TILE Assessment Tool