Manual Handling Risk Calculator

NIOSH lifting equation revised weight limit.

Load weight (kg)

Horizontal distance (cm)

Vertical location (cm)

Lifts per minute

Asymmetry angle (degrees)

Tab to move between fields

Lifting Index

0.98

Recommended Weight Limit (kg)20.5

Risk level (1-3)1

Max safe weight (kg)20.5

Weight to reduce (kg)0

How to Use This Calculator

Enter load weight (kg), horizontal distance (cm) from body to load, and vertical location (cm) at lift origin.
Enter lift frequency (lifts/minute), asymmetry angle (degrees), and any coupling quality.
Read the Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) from the NIOSH Lifting Equation.
Calculate the Lifting Index (LI) = load weight / RWL: LI > 1 indicates elevated injury risk.
Use multiplier values to identify which task factor (frequency, asymmetry, coupling) drives the highest risk.

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