Close to the body
The annex of the decree counts as a risk a load held away from the trunk or with twisting or bending. The guide recommends a horizontal distance between hands and body of 25 cm or less.
Between knuckles and shoulders
- The good zone for raising or lowering a load is between knuckle height and shoulder height.
- Loads should never be lifted above the head.
- Twisting your trunk with the load greatly increases pressure on the lower back: turn with your feet.
Carrying it somewhere
Ideally a load should not be carried more than 1 metre; more than 10 metres means great physical effort. For a 6 to 8-hour shift, the guide advises not exceeding these cumulative weights:
| Distance of each carry | Total weight per shift |
|---|---|
| 1 to 5 m | 6,000 kg |
| 5 to 10 m | 3,600 kg |
| 10 to 20 m | 1,200 kg |
In practiceTo take a box from the back of a car boot you have to stretch your arms and lean in:
first slide it to the edge, then lift it close to your body.
Source: Real Decreto 487/1997, sobre manipulación manual de cargas (manual handling of loads; consolidated text, in Spanish), annex, points 1 and 2 · INSST, Guía técnica de manipulación manual de cargas (technical guide, 2024 edition, in Spanish), comments on the annex, points 1 and 4, table 5