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ISO 11228-1
The international ergonomics standard specifying recommended limits for manual lifting, lowering and carrying tasks to protect workers from musculoskeletal harm.
Definition
ISO 11228-1, Ergonomics — Manual handling — Part 1: Lifting, lowering and carrying, is an International Organization for Standardization standard specifying recommended limits for manual lifting, lowering and carrying, taking into account task intensity, frequency and duration. It applies to handling objects of 3 kg or more, is based on an 8-hour working day (covering up to 12 hours), and draws on the NIOSH lifting equation approach.
References
Scope, limits, task variables, exclusions
Current edition status and 8–12 hour working-day basis
Overview
What it means
Manual handling is a leading cause of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The standard translates biomechanical evidence into mass limits and a step-by-step risk-assessment model so that employers can judge whether a lifting or carrying task is acceptable for the working population, and redesign it — through load reduction, mechanical aids or task rotation — where it is not.
How it is used
Occupational health and safety practitioners, ergonomists and designers apply it in workplace risk assessments, job design and safety audits, often together with ISO 11228-2 (pushing and pulling) and ISO 11228-3 (repetitive handling of low loads). National regulations and supply-chain labour standards frequently reference it.
Why it matters
It provides the internationally recognised benchmark for safe manual handling, supporting worker health, regulatory compliance and the social dimension of corporate sustainability performance. **Note:** The 2021 edition replaces the withdrawn 2003 edition; scope was extended to include lowering and combined tasks.
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