Manual handling and ergonomics: lifting pulling and pushing according to Working Environment rules
What the Work Environment Authority's guidelines require, and how you avoid wear and tear
Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common work injuries in the warehouse and logistics industry. It rarely happens as one dramatic event, but as a slow wear and tear on the back, shoulders and knees through thousands of lifts, pulls and pushes over the years. Therefore, manual handling is not just a matter of being strong — it is a professional issue with clear rules that you must know and use every day.
§What is manual handling?
The Labour Authority's AT guidance D.3.1 ("Lifting pulling and pushing") covers all handling of loads that are wholly or partly performed with muscle power — lifting tipping carrying supporting pushing pulling loading and shoveling. The guidance does not include handling of persons or living animals which is instead regulated in a separate guidance on moving. In a warehouse it is essentially everything you do with your hands: from lifting a box down from a shelf to pushing a dolly through the packing area.
§When is a burden "heavy"?
There is no single threshold weight in Danish legislation that determines whether a lift is dangerous. Instead risk must be assessed overall: the load's weight how often you lift how far from your body you hold the load your working posture and the ground all matter. However AT guidance indicates that lifting loads under about 3 kg is normally not in itself considered a heavy lift — but even light loads can become a problem if lifted hundreds of times in poor posture. It is the combination that determines risk not a single number.
§Employer's duties
- 01Train and educate you in how the work is carried out safely.
- 02So far as possible inform yourself about the weight of what you need to lift push or pull.
- 03Provide suitable technical aids where possible.
- 04Arrange the work so heavy or frequent lifting is avoided or made as easy as possible.
- 05Include manual handling in the company's workplace assessment (APV).
§How to lift, pull, and push correctly
- 01Stand with good foot position close to the load before you lift.
- 02Bend at the knees and keep your back as straight as possible — let your legs do the work.
- 03Keep the load close to your body instead of with outstretched arms.
- 04Avoid twisting the back during the lift—turn with your feet if you need to change direction.
- 05Ask for help or use an aid for heavy or awkward loads.
§Assistive devices are part of the profession, not a weakness
Pallet jacks, trucks, hand trolleys, conveyor belts and electric hoists exist because they move the load from your body to a machine. Choosing the aid instead of forcing your body is not a sign that you can't handle the job — it's a workplace law and it's the professional way to work in a modern warehouse. Make sure the aids are maintained and suitable for the job, and use them consistently, even when a job 'only takes two minutes'.
Manual handling is a fixed part of every single shift in a warehouse. When you know the rules use the right techniques and grab an aid instead of straining your back you protect your own body throughout a working life — and it is just as much a professional competence as being able to pack a pallet correctly.