“Is it beneath 20 kilos? Then it’s tremendous to elevate.”
That fantasy has lived too lengthy on manufacturing unit flooring.
In actuality, the hazards of handbook palletizing aren’t nearly how a lot your workforce lifts—however how typically, how far, and the way awkwardly. The so-called “20-pound rule” overlooks the cumulative toll of repetitive movement, poor posture, and continuous shifts. And for meals and beverage producers, that may imply rising harm dangers hiding in plain sight.
Let’s unpack why weight alone is a deceptive metric—and what to give attention to as an alternative.
What the “20-pound” rule will get improper
At first look, 20 kilos doesn’t sound like a lot. However elevate that very same field 600 occasions a shift? That’s 6 tons of whole weight moved in a day—typically with twisting, reaching, and bending blended in. The pressure builds quick, particularly when the tempo is relentless.
Right here’s what weight-only considering ignores:
Repetition: Even mild masses, completed ceaselessly, result in muscle fatigue and joint stress.
Posture: Awkward lifts from under the waist or above the shoulders dramatically enhance the possibility of again and shoulder accidents.
Distance: Lifting packing containers farther from the physique will increase the pressure required—and the danger.
Velocity and stress: Palletizing is a time-sensitive process. That stress provides rigidity and threat to each motion.
That’s why ergonomic consultants—and security businesses like NIOSH—use extra holistic instruments to judge lifting threat.
What truly issues: The true threat elements
Instruments just like the NIOSH Composite Lifting Index (CLI) account for:
Frequency and length of lifts
Vertical and horizontal attain distances
Twisting and asymmetry
Coupling (grip high quality)
Load weight and dealing with zone
A CLI rating above 1.0 means elevated threat. Over 3.0? You’re possible on borrowed time earlier than somebody will get damage.
Spoiler alert: Many handbook palletizing duties hit that threshold quick—even when packing containers weigh lower than 20 kilos.
The price of ignoring ergonomic actuality
Harm from overexertion isn’t simply painful. It’s costly:
$39,000+ common value per again harm
Weeks of downtime and misplaced output
Greater turnover, more durable recruiting
Elevated insurance coverage premiums
And the worst half? These are preventable.
What to do as an alternative: Remove the elevate, not simply the load
The easiest way to guard your individuals (and your margins)? Get them out of the hazard zone fully.
Robotic palletizing with a Robotiq cobot system means:
No extra repetitive lifting
No extra awkward postures
A CLI rating of zero
And a system that installs in simply 3 days, with no facility redesign
In different phrases: Much less threat, extra reliability—and a workforce that may give attention to higher-value work as an alternative of repetitive pressure.
Backside Line: Do not let a quantity idiot you
That 20-pound field might sound innocent. However the fact is, weight is only one piece of the puzzle. When you’re nonetheless counting on outdated guidelines of thumb, you would possibly already be risking greater than you notice..
💻 Be a part of our ergonomics webinar with licensed security professional Carla Silver – register in the present day!
📘 Want extra particulars and statistics? Obtain our Ergonomics book, additionally by Carla Silver.
