In NSW, there is no longer a prescribed weight limit for women or men over which it is illegal for persons to lift. Instead, the risk of lifting the load should be assessed. This risk assessment must consider a number of factors, such as:

à        The number of times the load is lifted;

à        The person's posture when lifting;

à        The distance the load is to be moved; and

à        The features of the load.

The weight of the load will increase the risk, but a light load may still pose a risk when combined with the above factors. For example, a light load which is carried away from the body poses a risk, as does a light but bulky load which is carried for some distance.

The National Code of Practice for Manual Handling gives the following general indicators for lifting, lowering or carrying loads which will help in assessing the risk in manual handling tasks. The Australia Safety& Compensation Council Web site (http://www.ascc.gov.au/)  provides additional details for manual handling.

Example: manual handling of 40kg bags

For bags of raw materials and cement etc it is recommended that 20kg bags be used instead of 40kg bags, wherever cement or other products in bags are used. This will help to reduce the risk of back injury and workers compensation costs. Bags of less than 20 kg (eg 10kg) will reduce the risk of injury further, and should be the preferred option for workplaces.

Other controls for the use of bags include delivering the bags as close to the site of use as possible, using mechanical lifting devices to load and unload trucks, using trolleys, wheelbarrows and other devices, training staff in lifting techniques, organising work to minimise lifting activities, storing bags as close to waist height as possible and avoiding awkward postures when lifting by keeping the work area clear so a person in not posturally constrained.