Safe Lifting Techniques and Injury Prevention in Construction: Practical Strategies for Reducing Lifting Injuries on the Jobsite

Lifting and moving materials is a routine part of construction, but manual material handling can place significant physical demands on employees. Heavy or bulky materials, repetitive lifting, awkward postures, twisting, reaching, uneven surfaces, and fatigue can all contribute to strains, sprains, and other musculoskeletal disorders.

Reducing these risks takes more than teaching employees how to lift properly. Contractors can take a broader approach by identifying hazardous material-handling tasks, reducing unnecessary manual lifting, using appropriate equipment, and incorporating safe lifting practices into everyday job planning.

Start by Assessing the Lift

Before moving materials, workers and supervisors should consider:

• Weight: Is the load too heavy or difficult for one person to control?
• Size and shape: Can the material be securely gripped and handled?
• Location: Does the task require bending, reaching, or working overhead?
• Distance: How far does the material need to be carried?
• Path:Are there stairs, debris, uneven surfaces, or other obstacles?
• Repetition: Will the task be performed repeatedly throughout the shift?
• Equipment: Could a mechanical device reduce or eliminate the need for manual handling?

The goal should be to ask, “Can we eliminate or reduce the need for this lift?” rather than “How should an employee lift this safely?”

Reduce Manual Material Handling Where Possible

One of the most effective ways to address lifting risk is to reduce the amount of material employees need to move manually in the first place.

Practical strategies include the following:

• Delivering materials closer to their point of use
• Ordering materials in manageable sizes when feasible
• Using prefabricated or preassembled components
• Reducing unnecessary staging and restaging
• Considering material flow during pre-construction and pre-task planning

Use Mechanical Assistance When Appropriate

Mechanical equipment can help reduce employees’ exposure to demanding manual lifts. Depending on the job and task, options may include:

• Forklifts and telehandlers
• Cranes and hoists
• Material lifts
• Carts and dollies
• Pallet jacks
• Conveyors
• Drywall or panel lifts

Employees should be properly trained and authorized to use applicable equipment and understand when mechanical assistance is appropriate for moving a heavy or bulky load.

Improve Material Placement

Where materials are stored can make a meaningful difference. When feasible, position frequently handled materials to reduce unnecessary bending, reaching, and twisting. Avoid routinely placing materials where employees must lift them from floor level or above shoulder height when a more accessible location is available.

What Are Safe Manual Lifting Techniques?

When manual lifting is necessary, workers should consider the load, environment, and task before beginning.

Good lifting practices include:

1. Assess the load before lifting.
2. Establish a stable stance.
3. Get a secure grip.
4. Keep the load close to the body when possible.
5. Lift in a smooth and controlled manner.
6. Avoid twisting while lifting or carrying.
7. Turn by moving the feet rather than twisting the torso.
8. Maintain a clear line of sight and travel path.
9. Use a coordinated team lift when appropriate.
10. Lower the load in a controlled manner.

It is important to note that there is no single lifting technique that makes every load safe. The appropriate approach depends on factors such as the weight, size, and shape of the material, where it is located, and how frequently the task is performed.

When Should Workers Use a Team Lift?

A team lift can distribute a load among multiple workers, but it also requires coordination.

Before a team lift, the team should establish:

• Who will lead the lift
• The commands for lifting, moving, and lowering
• The travel route
• Where the load will be placed
• A signal to stop if someone loses control

A team lift should not be used as a substitute for appropriate material-handling equipment when a load remains excessively heavy, bulky, or difficult to control.

Make Safe Lifting Training Practical

Effective construction lifting training should combine classroom instruction with hands-on practice, connecting safety principles to the work employees perform.

Training topics can include:

• Common lifting and material-handling hazards
• Recognition of higher-risk tasks
• Proper use of material-handling equipment
• Safe manual lifting and carrying practices
• Team-lifting procedures
• Jobsite-specific considerations
• Recognition and reporting of discomfort or injury

Training should not end with a single class. Toolbox talks, Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), pre-task planning, and jobsite observations can reinforce these practices and help crews identify concerns as work conditions change.

When Can the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation Help?

For certain repetitive or higher-risk lifting operations, safety and risk professionals may use the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE) to evaluate two-handed manual lifting tasks.

The RNLE evaluates several characteristics of a lifting task, including the load and its position, lifting frequency, vertical travel distance, twisting or asymmetry, and the quality of the worker's hand-to-object coupling.

It is important to understand the tool's limitations. The RNLE is designed to evaluate specific types of lifting tasks, but it does not establish a universal “safe lifting weight” or determine how much an individual construction worker can safely lift. Complex or unusual material-handling tasks may require another assessment method or additional professional judgment.

Build Lifting Safety Into Everyday Job Planning

Lifting safety is most effective when it is part of everyday construction planning and a broader jobsite safety culture rather than an isolated training topic.

Contractors can incorporate material-handling considerations into:

• Preconstruction planning
• Job Hazard Analyses
• Daily pre-task meetings
• Toolbox talks
• Material delivery and staging plans
• Equipment selection
• Incident and near-miss investigations

Supervisors and foremen also play an important role by reinforcing safe work practices, acting on employee concerns, and considering whether a task can be redesigned before unnecessary physical strain occurs.

A Proactive Approach to Construction Lifting Safety

Lifting injuries do not have to be treated as an inevitable part of construction work. Thoughtful planning, appropriate equipment, better material placement, and practical employee training can help contractors reduce unnecessary manual handling and physical strain.

Ultimately, the goal is to design the task to reduce the lift before relying on the worker to perform it safely. For contractors, a proactive approach to lifting and material handling can support employee well-being, safer jobsites, and a stronger construction risk management strategy.

Looking for ways to strengthen your construction risk management approach? Connect with a local Patriot expert to discuss practical strategies for your operation.