Safe Lifting Calculator Tools

Wondering how much weight a person can safely lift? The answer is, “it depends”. In addition to the load weight itself,
other variables include distance, height and angle of the lift or carry.

Fortunately, there are some online tools that can assist in calculating this information in a consistent, organized manner.
While clinical judgement must always prevail, these tools can be a helpful way to explore “what if” options for making
changes to a lifting task. Documentation of outcomes and improvements can be supported by use of “before” and
“after” measurements.

We have compiled this list of tools to make available to you as references. Use of these tools and preference for which
tools you might use is left to your own professional judgement.

Oregon OSHA has a lifting calculator app available to use via desktop. The information required includes where the lift
begins and an estimate of the number of lifts per minute/hours of lifting per day. The resulting calculation provides two
safe lifting calculations, based on the amount of twisting of the torso (less than or greater than 45 degrees of twisting).

Oregon OSHA desktop lifting calculator: http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/comm/safe-lifting/lift-calculator.html

NIOSH/CDC has a mobile app (available for most smartphones). Using this app, you can enter a task name and identify
elements of the lift in order to calculate a safe load. Information to enter includes hand location at origin and
destination (both horizontal and vertical), asymmetry, load weight (average and/or maximum), frequency and duration
of lift and coupling (quality of hand contact with object).

NIOSH Revised Lifting Equation app information: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics/nlecalc.html

The app itself is called “NLE Calc”, and is available for most smartphones

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has a desktop tool to help calculate lifting guidelines. Three pieces of
information are entered in order to obtain a safe lifting limit: 1) vertical lift origin, 2) horizontal reach and 3) trunk
twisting angle.

Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation-lifting guidelines:

https://www.bwc.ohio.gov/employer/programs/safety/liftguide/liftguide.asp

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has a link to the Oregon OSHA lifting calculator app, as well as some
other helpful evaluation tools/worksheets that can assist with data collection for job analysis, job hazard identification.

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries: https://www.lni.wa.gov/safety/SprainsStrains/tools/default.asp

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November 2018