Manual Handling — The Law & The Lift
Manual Handling — The Law & The Lift
There is no legal safe weight limit in Australia — it is about risk, not a magic number. What the law actually expects, plus the technique and the loads you handle every day.
The law (model WHS)
- No fixed maximum weight — the duty is to eliminate or minimise the risk of a hazardous manual task
- The national code flags loads over about 16–20 kg for a proper risk assessment
- Risk rises with weight, reach, twisting, repetition, grip and how long you carry it
The lift
- Plan the lift and the route; clear it first
- Feet apart, bend the knees not the back, load close to your body
- Keep the back's natural curve, lift smoothly — no jerking
- Turn with your feet, not your spine; lower with the knees
Common loads
| Cement / concrete-mix bag | 20 kg (also sold as 25 kg and 30 kg) |
| Two people or a mechanical aid | Use them before the load, not after the injury |
Reference only — not a substitute for site manual-handling training and your employer's risk assessment. AU cement is commonly 20 kg, but check the bag.
Sources: Safe Work Australia — hazardous manual tasks code of practice · model WHS Regulations
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