When the load becomes too heavy: Health risks of manual handling of loads

The share of workers in EU Member States reporting that they carry or move heavy loads has been decreasing in recent years.

How manual handling of loads can affect workers’ health

Manual handling of loads may cause:

• Cumulative disorders due to gradual and long-term wear of the musculoskeletal system from repetitive lifting/moving activities, e.g., lower back pain.
• Acute injuries, such as cuts or fractures resulting from accidents.

Targeted inspection campaign on manual handling of loads

The Labour Inspectorate immediately launched targeted inspections related to ensuring occupational safety and health in manual handling of loads as soon as the Regulation on Manual Handling of Loads entered into force on 1 August 2024. These inspections were carried out across various sectors, including construction, manufacturing, trade, nursing homes, hospitals, and others.

The campaign on manual handling of loads is continuing in 2025. By 13 August 2025, labour inspectors in the field of occupational safety and health had carried out inspections at 222 employers.

Breakdown by company size:

• 85 inspections at employers with 1–9 employees,
• 86 inspections at employers with 10–49 employees,
• 36 inspections at employers with 50–249 employees,
• 15 inspections at employers with more than 250 employees.

During inspections, 484 different work tasks involving manual handling of loads were reviewed:

• 214 tasks related to manual lifting, holding, or carrying loads of 3 kg or more,
• 140 tasks related to manual pushing or pulling of loads,
• 130 tasks related to repetitive manual handling processes.

Findings show that nearly half (47 percent) of the employers inspected (mainly smaller ones with 1–9 and 10–49 employees) had already assessed risks and established safety measures in line with the Regulation on ensuring workers’ safety and health in manual handling of loads before the inspection took place.

Inspections also checked whether employers ensure that pregnant workers do not lift, hold, carry, or handle loads heavier than five kilograms, or push/pull loads requiring more than 50 newtons of force. The results were as follows:

• 22 employers (9,9 percent; 7,8 percent in 2024) complied with the obligation,
• 0 employers (0 percent; 3,9 percent in 2024) failed to comply,
• 200 employers (90,1 percent; 88,3 percent in 2024) did not employ pregnant workers.

In the course of targeted inspections, inspectors issued or imposed the following measures:

• 154 administrative decisions,
• 5 warnings under the Inspection Act,
• 26 offence decisions,
• 38 warnings under the Minor Offences Act.