Advice on how much weight lady can lift in work?

LegacyUser

Hi,

Recently my workmate got pregnant and before that all heavy load was divided between us but now im only one who is lifting boxes and bags boxes weight around 10 kg as much as 10to 7 boxes need to be lifted per day also there is bags with weight starting from 5 kg up to 8 kg totaling up to 30 bags per week has anyone had any problems like that my back is starting to give and im slightly afraid to say anything as i myth loose my job because of complaining that i can not lift the stuff and do my job please any advice u can give

Mrs OBumble

You need to say something:

There should have been a risk assessment done for your colleague, and if she NEEDED to be moved on to other duties then management needed to have a good look at rebalancing the work of everyone else.

Has she had a risk assessment done?

LegacyUser

yes she did get the risk assessment done i don't know how that is going to affect me tho,
but problem is there is only 2 of us doing the yob boss is busy and other guys don't have time come over all the time to help,they have their own work to do

Mrs OBumble

If you colleague isn't doing as much lifting, then she surely has free time to be doing something else for the boss or other guys, to free up some time for them to help you.

Seriously, you need to say something. If you don't, and hurt your back, you'll have a lot more problems than you do now.

paulgalway

Look at page 14 of this and you will find the recommended weights for females, 16kg at waist height. However, these only apply under certain conditions.

Also, females recommended weights decrease by, on average 30%, when pregnant because of the effect of hormones on muscles, ligaments, tendons, etc.

But the important thing to remember is that you should only lift what you feel comfortable with, you cannot be forced to lift more.

Has some from lifting mechanism been considered?

Have you done manual handling training?

Shelflife

paulgalway wrote: »

Look at page 14 of this and you will find the recommended weights for females, 16kg at waist height. However, these only apply under certain conditions.

Also, females recommended weights decrease by, on average 30%, when pregnant because of the effect of hormones on muscles, ligaments, tendons, etc.

But the important thing to remember is that you should only lift what you feel comfortable with, you cannot be forced to lift more.

Has some from lifting mechanism been considered?

Have you done manual handling training?

Paulgalway shes not the pregnant worker,

yes you should only lift want you are confortable with , but if you cant do your job you cant expect your boss to keep you on.

A lifting mechanism ???? seriously its max 10kg thats a bag of spud and its once an hour and the bags are even less then that and they are only one an hour as well.

unless the op is carrying them all over the place then it really shouldnt be an issue lifting 2 items weighing ave 8kg every hour, unless she has a chronic back problem this isnt an issue worth bringing to your supervisor.

mikemac

Why doesn't the boss give the pregnant lady another job role and transfer one of the lads to work with you as your new teammate?

LegacyUser

Selflife,

this would not a problem if the boxes be one in hour seriously would u think i would worry, boxes must be lifted one after other plus the heavy bags too and from ground level up ,
its not every day but last 4 months i have been doing it on my own and i think i have developed some lover back problems ,and pregnant lady cant be transferred anywhere else other jobs are worse this is only place my only hope is her replacement will be a man or woman i can share my lifting with thanks for all advices

tenchi-fan

8kg really isn't that much. You should ask to be trained on lifting. You could also go to your gp and tell him about your possible back problem. But I assume light lifting is part of your job? In which case, be careful about getting a gp note which states you are not able to lift light weights.

Shelflife

i think i have developed some lover back problems

Sorry op but this made me smile

As techi fan said its not a heavy weight, maybe you need to look at your lifting technique or maybe you need to build up some muscle. i wouldnt go to a gp, id see a sports physio, get some treatment and advise on how to build up that area of your body.

Maybe mention to your boss that its tough going doing all the lifting , but i wouldnt make a big issue of it.

Eoin

Shelflife wrote: »

As techi fan said its not a heavy weight, maybe you need to look at your lifting technique or maybe you need to build up some muscle. i wouldnt go to a gp, id see a sports physio, get some treatment and advise on how to build up that area of your body

I would say that it's the employer's responsibility to ensure that she is getting trained properly for this.

Shelflife

Its based on the assumption that a manual handling course has been done.

The back injury might have nothing to do with the lifting at work.

(it could BE a lover back injury ----sorry couldnt resist )

wmpdd3

Where I work, its a 10kg limit from floor level for females. Average would be 15 units (5-10kgs) per hour.