Claim Compensation For Lifting & Manual Handling Injuries At Work

By Ian Morris | Updated June 22nd, 2023

86 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Employers must comply with their statutory duties in providing adequate manual handling training or risk assessments. You can claim compensation if you have been injured through lifting or moving objects if it can be proven your employer has been negligent.

What is a manual handling injury?
What does the law say about manual handling at work?
How much weight should one person lift at work?
When can you make a manual handling injury claim?
Why make a compensation claim?
Compensation amounts
How Direct2Compensation can help with your claim
Comments – your questions answered

What is a manual handling injury?

Any workplace task that requires an individual to lift, move or support a load is a manual handling task. The Health and Safety Executive define it as: “Transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or by bodily force.”

Over a third of reportable workplace injuries occur after an incident of manual handling. They represent a large proportion of the accident at work compensation claims we deal with. The majority arise as a direct result of employers failing to pay the necessary attention to manual handling safety. These claims will succeed if it can be shown that the employer has been negligent.

Manual handling injuries can be linked to any work involving the handling of loads, even light items. Those known to be at high risk include care workers, manufacturing staff, agricultural and construction workers. It should be noted however, that any person in any workplace is at risk of a manual handling injury.

Commonly, manual handling injuries involve the back and muscle strains, and can be a very serious matter. They can limit mobility, affect independence and often leave people struggling to work and maintain their usual day-to-day lifestyle. Knowing what to do after an injury at work and making a claim for compensation can help you to recover physically and financially.

What does the law say about manual handling at work?

If employers are tasking staff members to lift items, it doesn’t matter what weight the items are, they must ensure workers are correctly trained and provided with the right know-how and tools to work safely. Further, the employer is responsible for the maintenance and safety of lifting equipment, for example hoists, platforms, or forklifts.

Employers should look at the task to be performed, the working environment and individual capabilities. Staff members should be shown how to lift items safely, and know when something is too heavy to lift alone or without mechanical help.

Manual handling regulations require employers to:

Minimise incorrect and dangerous manual handling practices so far as is reasonably practicable
Review potentially hazardous manual handling tasks that are unavoidable
Ensure that steps have been taken that will minimise and help to avoid the risk of manual handling injury so far as is reasonably practicable

Regardless of the kind of workplace, employers must by law ensure:

That staff are adequately trained in how to lift items safely, identify heavy items and be provided with the correct equipment and working environment to follow such training
That any equipment provided to staff to enable them to lift heavier items are regularly maintained and repaired
That any equipment reported or found to be faulty or dangerous are removed from use

How much weight should one person lift at work?

Health and safety guidelines recommend that no person should attempt to lift an item that exceeds 25kgs in weight without the assistance of a second staff member or hoist.

Trolley’s should also be provided to move items once lifted, as this will reduce the stress placed on the employee’s lower back.

If you work for an employer who expects you to lift items of 25kgs or more without assistance, you are likely to suffer a back injury at work and if so, would have a very strong claim for compensation.

However, some types of back injury, such as a slipped disc, can be caused by lifting light items, so the weight of what you’re lifting isn’t the only factor at play.

When can you make a manual handling injury claim?

Whilst claims are usually associated with jobs that include repeated lifting, such as in warehouses, factories, construction sites and shops, they can happen in any workplace. Even office jobs can see employees suffer manual handling injuries.

Common scenarios leading to manual handling injury compensation include:

Employers failing to provide manual handling guidance or training
Not advising staff of the risks of lifting incorrectly
Forcing people to lift weights heavier than they should
Refusing or failing to provide lifting equipment
A working environment that prevents people from working and lifting safely

Employers that fail to ensure full training, guidance and a safe ‘lifting and moving’ policy will be liable should any related injuries happen to their staff. Any person injured in this way at work is entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation, as well as to exercise certain workers rights to help with their recovery.

Why make a compensation claim?

Claiming personal injury compensation can help to ease the problems caused by your injuries. Our claimants are often in a considerable amount of pain, unable to move freely, sleep comfortably or work and earn their regular salary. Recovering from manual handling injuries can take many months, and it is often the case that victims never feel like they have fully recovered and discomfort is felt whenever they attempt any physical task or need to lift items.

As well as claiming a financial settlement if you have been injured at work, compensation can also help you in other ways:

Making a claim is your legal right, and fairly compensates you for injuries that were not your fault
It can pay for private medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies to speed your recovery
It can make up for lost income now and in the future if you are prevented from working again

As all claims are made on a No Win No Fee basis, you will never be charged if your claim does not succeed.

Specialist rehabilitation therapies

Once your solicitor has obtained an admission of liability from your employer’s insurers, your claim will succeed. At this point, your solicitor can look to help you to recover more quickly by obtaining specialist rehabilitation therapy. In the case of a manual handling injury, such rehabilitation would most likely involve osteopathic, chiropractic, physio or massage therapies. Any treatments will be provided at the expense of the third party dealing with your claim.

Compensation amounts

Settlement values vary from case to case, and are comprised of what are known as general and special damages. General damages cover the injury itself and the effect it has on your life. For instance, whether the injury affects your ability to earn money, do your job, perform your usual activities outside work and how long you are likely to experience such problems. Special damages cover the financial costs you incur because of the injury – medical treatments, travel expenses, property damage, for example.

The table below provides a guide to average compensation amounts for back injuries suffered at work, not including the special damages element of a claim:

Severity of back injury	Compensation amount
Recovering within a few months	up to £1,860
Recovering within a few years	£1,860 – £6,000
Recovering within 2-5 years	£6,000 – £9,500
Permanent symptoms	£9,500 – £21,100
Serious permanent symptoms	£21,100 – £29,475
Chronic permanent symptoms	£29,475 – £53,000
Significant permanent impact	£53,000 – £67,200

How Direct2Compensation can help with your claim

If you have suffered a manual handling-related injury at work or anywhere else, it is important to make sure that the details of your accident have been recorded properly. Medical attention should also be sought for any injuries that you have sustained. If you haven’t done this already, we can help you to do so.

Direct2Compensation are experts in managing injury at work compensation claims. We know your rights and can help you to understand whether you are likely to win compensation. We can advise you on important issues and how the no win no fee claims process works.

With our easy to understand claims process and ability to handle your claim quickly, simply and transparently, there are many reasons that make us the right choice when it comes to starting your manual handling claim.

To find out more about your compensation rights or to start your claim today, call us on 01225 430285 or if you prefer, .

86 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus manual handling injury claim examples...

Hi there need some help advise and next step to take. I have been working with Lidl for 10 years and now I have some pain on the lower body, painful veins due to lifting too much. What rights do I have to a claim?

When did you first develop the pain? If it was within the past 3 years, have you seen a Doctor? Has your employer provided manual handling training to enable you to lift safely?

I’ve been working at my workplace for 14 months now, but I haven’t been given any manual handling training. I have hurt my back through this and I am waiting for Doctors to get back to me about another appointment to see whats wrong with my back.

Your employer has an obligation to provide manual handling training and guidance so that you can lift and move items safely and avoid the risk of injury. As the employer has failed to provide such training, you can make a claim on the basis of inadequate training provision. Our Solicitors can help you make your claim, so please call us on 01225430285 so that we can take some further details and have our specialist Solicitors advise you further.

I work in a grocery shop and I always use a trolley to carry heavy weights. Recently our new management said that we are no longer allowed to use a trolley because it does not look professiona! I am worried that this could cause hurt or injury to my back or shoulders. What should I do?

Your employer is failing to uphold their statutory obligation to provide a safe working environment. By refusing to allow you to use trolleys to carry heavier items, the employer is placing you at risk of injury – as you have identified. If you have already sustained injury as a result of the heavy lifting, you should make sure that your employer is aware of the injury and that medical treatment is obtained. You could then contact us to pursue a claim for compensation.

If you are not yet injured, but worried that you may sustain injury as a result of being made to lift and carry heavy items without a trolley, you should make a written request to your employer to allow the use of lifting supports such as trolleys and warn them of your concerns about physical injury. By making such a request in writing, your employer must then at least consider their actions and if they fail to do anything and you were to sustain injury, it would strengthen any future claim you may wish to pursue.

Hi I am looking at the manual handling section. It says you may have a claim if you are forced to lift objects heavier than you should. As far as I can find online I cannot see any regulations or weight amounts? I can see 16kg recommendation for women but no law.

It is generally considered that any item of 25kgs should not be lifted by one person alone. As such, items exceeding that weight should be clearly marked as requiring a 2 person or machine assisted lift.

The key thing here is whether or not you have sustained injury through lifting at work? If so, has the employer provided you with up to date manual handling training? Do they provide adequate support and equipment to enable you to work safely and do they provide a working environment that enables safe working?

We would be very happy to discuss your specific situation and consider whether or not we can help you pursue a claim for personal injury compensation. Please call us on 01225430285 to get further help.

Hi. I have been moved from my usual role of ‘Travel Money Advisor’ in a supermarket bureau, to ‘help the shop floor’ while we await the re opening of the travel money bureaus. I have not been asked to sign any new contracts, nor have I received any training for the new role, despite the bank and shop being two separate companies. I am asked to help replenish the shop floor, which has involved moving and lifting large crates of fruits such as melons, apples etc. Since lifting these crates etc, (with no manual handling training) my lower back has been significantly painful, and today I am struggling to make certain movements. What do you think I should do?

You should make a written report to your Manager/Supervisor regarding the development of the back pain and also make note of the lack of training. If the back pain persists or is sufficiently painful to warrant medical attention, you should contact your GP to arrange a consultation – whether over the phone or face-to-face.

Clearly, the employer does have a duty of care to ensure that you are appropriately trained in terms of safe lifting and manual handling. Regardless of the pressures on the business, the obligations for employers to provide a safe working environment remain.

We would be very happy to help you further look in to your options regarding a claim for personal injury compensation.

I received a back injury at work but didn’t receive manual handling training until about 2 months after I got injured. Are my employers liable?

In the scenario you describe, your employers are liable for the injury you sustained at work and our initial view is that you have a valid claim with a likelihood of succeeding with a claim for compensation.

As a Royal Mail postal worker who handles parcels and delivers mail, should I have had manual handling training? Is it the law to have such training? Should the training be refreshed? I have not had any training only a handout given to me 4 years after starting on the dos and don’ts regarding lifting. I now have a shoulder injury requiring surgery.

Your employer is obliged to ensure that you are appropriately trained and that you are afforded the correct guidance and support to work safely – including safe lifting. As they have failed to do so in your case, there is a prospect of succeeding with a claim for compensation for the injury to your shoulder.

Hi, I worked for a SEN setting. During my time never given manual handling training, not correct equipment. I have had to have a full hip replacement at a young age, is there any chance the employer is responsible and is this a medical issue that counts when looking at Manual handling?

As the employer should have provided manual handling training and their failure to do so was negligent in terms of their obligations towards your health and safety at work, you could seek to make a claim for the damage to your hip.

However, the hurdle you will face in such a claim is proving a causal link between the work you were doing and the need for a hip replacement. Sadly, it is most likely that medical evidence would state that your ‘injury’ was degenerative rather than caused by a trauma. As such, it is likely to be almost impossible to prove that your employer was responsible for this situation.

Hi I’ve been with the same company for 20 years never had any manual handling, was ask to search for a product that could of been in any one of 20 crates that were stacked to chest height not showing any total weights on them. I was out of my normal department zone and not used to that part of the work place. As I lifted one crate I got a sharp pain up my lower back that continued all day, it’s been on and off for over a month, seen a doctor said I possible have a slipped disc referred to physio, I’m now off work because of the pain, what are my rights to claim?

Given your employers failings, you have a valid claim.

Firstly, the employer has not provided you with manual handling training to enable you to lift and move items safely. Secondly, the employer has not provided equipment to enable you to lift safely and finally, they have not marked the weight to items that exceed safe lifting limits.

If you have not already done so, you should ensure that your injury is recorded within the workplace accident recording system.

Hit my head on temple in over two weeks ago, since then I’ve had migraines and constantly tired and confused. Think I have concussion. Migraines are getting worse made me vomit other day. I’m on zero hour contract even though I’ve never been given a contract. I’ve had no manual handling training and it wasn’t put in accident book. Would I be entitled to sick pay. A few members of staff witnessed my head injury and they have cctv cameras.

It would be wise to get this accident reported properly at work at the earliest opportunity and for you to get the contact details for the witnesses who saw the incident as that could be vitally important down the line.

Head injuries can often cause long lasting and serious symptoms – even in cases where the extent of the injury seems relatively mild at the outset. With that in mind, we would like to know more about how you came to sustain a head injury at work. Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can discuss this matter with you in some detail and find out more about the work and the injury. We can then advise you as to whether or not you would be in a position to pursue a claim for compensation against the employer. Our initial view is that you may well have a valid claim given the lack of Manual Handling Training but we need to speak with you further to advise on making a claim.

I started work in June 2019 as a delivery driver for a charity. On the 2nd day I got injured whilst lifting a sofa, I slipped and injured my groin. I haven’t recovered yet I’m on medication. My employer didn’t give me any manual handling training until weeks after the injury occurred. Neither did I have an induction. Also, I’m on a 6 month probation that ends in December 2019 and because I’ve struggled with the injury I do not think they will keep me on.
Have I any rights in this and a potential claim please?

The employers failure to have provided you with manual handling training BEFORE you were allowed to work at risk and subsequently sustain injury is likely to be seen as employer negligence and our initial view is that you do have a valid claim and one that our Solicitors would be keen to pursue for you.

If you were to succeed with a claim, you would be able to recover compensation for the pain and discomfort of the injury, potentially obtain costs for rehabilitation therapies or treatments and also recover lost income relevant to the injury.

I have currently worked for the same composite company for 2 1/2 years. I told them I had a weak back at the interview and had to be careful they said that was fine and would get others to lift for me, younger lads, as they desperately needed my experience at the time. Since then all I’ve done is lift heavy moulds on a daily basis. Weights in excess of 100kg with one other guy. I have spoken to managers and bosses many times about getting lifting equipment or something to take some of the strain and I have been ignored, asked about renting forklifts but just looked at like a moaner. The whole workshop has complained about all the lifting, nothing ever gets done, another guy hurt his back from lifting just last week and was off for a few days, they weren’t even gonna pay him until he got a little bit angry.

We now have a heavy mould on a rope which we’re expected to lift and turn 4 times a day, it weighs well over 120kg. I already got rope burn when trying to let it down, it looks totally unsafe, someone could get hurt badly, if we complain we will just be ignored. I spoke to the manager today about all the lifting as was just fobbed off like I’m the one out of order, as the day before had to move a 1000 litres of resin up a slope with a set of old pump trucks, 3 of us, it’s over a ton in weight. I’ve strained all the muscles in my leg. I mean I’ll get over it but this is happening on a daily basis. I even said to her I have to dose myself up with painkillers just to work here, no reply. I had hospital treatment on my back on the 10th sept, spinal injections, which kinda helped, but within 4 days no lifting they put me back on physical work. I should change my job but it’s not that easy with young family and not many opportunities over here. I’ve worked in this industry for 25yrs so I expect a tough day but I’ve never had to heavy lift with no equipment on a daily basis and we also don’t have many staff either because they got rid of people or they just left for the above reasons.

I’m getting to the point I’m worried that I’m gonna get seriously injured and not be able to work anywhere and they certainly wouldn’t care. This is how bad they are, had a meeting the other week, boss asked if any of us knew anyone who could do a bit of labouring for us and not really care about health and safety, his words getting to the point. I just wanna walk for my own safety and I’m not the only one that feels this way, so sorry about the long story but if I walked could I claim compensation as my back is absolutely shattered? Just the painkillers that keep me going. I’m not doing this lightly but it’s gone on far to long and no one cares.

Your employer is in breach of UK Health and Safety at work law and could find themselves in a lot of trouble if they do not start to take their obligations towards the health and safety of employees safely.

You mention having to lift items weighing 100 kg’s with out any equipment and just one other person to assist? That is a clear breach of safe manual handling guidance which recommends that no person lifts a weight exceeding 25 kg’s per lift.

Given your obvious concerns and your employers apparent indifference to their obligations, you need to make a formal request, in writing for action to be taken to reduce lifting, for the provision of equipment to aid in lifting weights exceeding the safe lifting limit and for formal manual handling training provision for ALL staff.

I have had to quit my job after 11 years as a cleaner recently because of a back complaint. I never received manual handling training as pointed out to me today by my brother who has a manual job and has received training. Would this be classed as work related injury and could I claim?

If you believe that your back problem is work related, you can seek to make a claim against your employer. Under UK law, if an employer has failed to fulfil their statutory obligation to provide you with manual handling training, you could succeed with a claim against them.

If you would like to take this further, please use the contact us options on our website and we’ll gladly help you with this matter.

I have been working in a local warehouse that delivers chilled food to many big stores in the uk. Mainly i pick and pack sandwiches in green tote like baskets, but to the point i have recently hurt my back and consistently do everyday due to the TABLES that the tote baskets rest on have been removed half way in. Now we place the totes on just plain blue /red pallets on the floor. I have on numerous occasions told the team leaders, supervisors and managers that it is just not healthy or safe to do so and there should be a procedure in place or at least have manual handling training on how to pick from such a low area consistently. I have never been trained in manual handling since i started there, they just say “as long as you do manual handling you will be fine” :/ . BUT thats not all, they say we can only lift 3 totes at a time according to their H&S rules, which is fair enough if we had manual handling training, but there is no actual rules in place just word of mouth. Basically i hurt my back every day due to no actual manual handling training being provided. I am being blanked by management and supervisors and i’m sure this is severely unacceptable to a health and safety standard. I would much appreciate some feedback or help on what to do, i haven’t put a hazard form in as they are just useless to this extent of negligence. Is there any way i can make a claim? Or even help myself and others to be more H&S? Please anything is better than nothing 🙂

Given the lack of manual handling training provision and the nature of the working regime that you have described, our initial view is that you may well have a valid claim for personal injury compensation.

We would strongly recommend that you seek medical attention for the back injury and inform your GP or Hospital that the injury is work related. If possible an incident report or written report of the injury and cause should be made with your employer.

I pulled/torn a muscle moving podium steps, I have made complaints 4 weeks previous that they are to big and heavy to use. Also on the day of the injury, after a audit, issues were raised about these steps. I’m a now getting pressure from my work H&S guy to provide diagnosis results from my hospital visit, rings me every day asking if I’m returning to work and asking me to fill in site maps of injury and what took place. I reported it next day after I was in immense pain and followed procedures, and they contacted the site it happened on as i couldn’t go into work. Is this correct procedure from my work as my A&E said they have no right to ask, and shouldn’t be asking for this?

Your work should not be pestering or hassling you whilst you are off work – if you are off work on the basis of a Doctor signing you off. However, there is not necessarily anything untoward in the employer wanting to know about your injury and the location of it and to gain an understanding of the event in which you were injured. One would hope that they are taking this action in order to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

Given that you had warned the employer that the podium steps were too large and difficult for one person to move and this was ignored, there is a good chance that employer negligence will attach in this matter and that you could therefore succeed with a claim for personal injury compensation for the injury you suffered at work.

I have back problems due to not having any manual handling training at my work place. I worked there for 16 years and finally got training after 10 years of working there. My injury started 5 years of working for the company. I’ve since left and unable to work due to back problems. Would I be eligble to claim?

If an employer fails to provide manual handling training to their workforce, it can be seen as employer negligence if a worker then goes on to sustain a back injury or lifting related injury as a result of their work. As such, you would have grounds to pursue a claim.

However, in your case I am afraid that you are outside of the legal claim time limitation of 3 years. A claimant in the UK MUST pursue their claim within 3 years of the date of an accident or date of knowledge – when they became aware of symptoms that were work related. Given the time that has passed since you developed symptoms, you do not have a valid claim in this matter.

I was moving 3/4 size mattresses at work throughout the day and on the last one of the day I have gone to lift the mattress up and ruptured my bicep tendon in my right arm. I am currently signed off work for two weeks but have been told I will only regain 90% movement of the arm. If I get signed off for any longer I will have to claim ssp . Can I claim for Loss of earnings and the loss of movement/weakness in my arm going forward?

You can make a claim against your employer for the injury and any loss of movement and income if you believe that the employer was negligent and therefore responsible for your injury.

In this case, has your employer provided you with manual handling training to show you how to lift and move items safely? Did the employer provide any equipment (trolley etc) to move the mattresses?

I would suggest that our expert staff speak with you to discuss your situation further.

We did a manual handling course, but I had to lift 2 clients without the appropriate hoists. A year down the line (off work), I have been diagnosed as having 3 bulging discs in my neck. Have I any rights?

You do have rights after a work injury, including to make a claim for compensation against your employer for the damage to your spine and bulging discs in your neck. The fact that your employer provided manual handling training does not prevent you from pursuing a claim or absolve them from further responsibility. The employer must also ensure that you are provided with the required equipment and tools and an environment that allows you to follow the manual handling training. In this case, their failure to provide the relevant hoists could well be seen as employer negligence and as such you would be able to pursue a claim.

Can you pursue this on a no win no fee basis?

Of course, all of the work we undertake is on a No Win No Fee basis and as such, you would be free to pursue your claim without any risk to your personal finances.

If you would like to get your claim started, please use our ‘start a claim’ form to submit some further details and we’ll call you to get your claim up and running.

I was lifting beds and moving furniture at my work when I injured my shoulder. I have never done a manual handling course and have been off work for 10 weeks now, had to go to physio and I just got a corticosteroid injection and need to go back to physio. This has affected me at home as well, would like to know if I could get compensation?

Your employers failure to provide you with manual handling training is a breach of statutory requirements and has exposed you to an undue risk of injury whilst performing your working duties. To this end, I think you have a valid and strong claim for work accident compensation.

Hi there,

My work involves lifting heavy pallets and boxes. One day at work, I felt a sudden and very sharp pain in my shoulder – it was agony! I managed to continue my work – and whilst I mentioned it to colleagues, it was not officially reported or put in an accident book.
This was several months ago, and I have continued to have pain in my shoulder. Struggled to sleep at night – but not taken any time off work although I often mention my shoulder. Last week I couldn’t go into work – I was struggling to lift my arm, and knew I wouldn’t be able to lift although I would be expected to do so if I went in.
I have not been to my GP – and was hoping resting it for a week would help – but it hasn’t, and I still can’t lift.
I do not earn anything if I do not work, and I am now laying awake not only in pain but worrying about my lack of income.
Please could you be so kind as to advise.
Many thanks

Your injury is most definitely a workplace injury and could either be a one off trauma or a repetitive strain injury. Although you did not record the matter in the employers accident book at the time, you can still advise them that this issue that has flared up again now links back to the incident a few months ago and ask them to record this in their accident book. If the employer refuses to do this, you should write to the employer and the HR team explaining your absence and linking it back to the initial incident a few months ago. You should retain a copy of the letter for your records.

If your employer has failed to provide you with adequate training or the right tools and equipment to lift and move heavy items safely, then you can seek to pursue a claim for manual handling injury compensation and this is something that we specialise in and would be very happy to assist you with. Even if you have been given such training, you may well still be able to pursue a claim for compensation and I would strongly advise that you get in touch with us. In a brief telephone conversation, we would be able to properly evaluate your situation and could then advise as to whether or not you have a valid claim for accident at work compensation. My initial view is that you do and we would like to speak with you.

I developed a repetitive strain injury in the hip region from heavy manual handling at work, there was a crane present at our premises and the crane was purchased for the purpose of lifting the heavy assembled units (which is outline on the risk assessment from HSE). The crane was never in the correct position, nor did I/anyone receive proper training on its use. After my injury I was advised to refrain from lifting by my GP and Physiotherapist which I followed and my duties at work were strictly to assemble w/out manual handling.

I was later dismissed on medical grounds as the company was displeased that I was not able to carry out my full duties, meaning the manual handling (other people had to lift for me).

Do I have a claim? Will the company have to cover my loss of earnings to date? I feel I was unfairly dismissed and the company should/could have done a better job to find me a different position within the company. This has affected my job prospects since my reason for leaving was on medical grounds and I am struggling to find employment within other industries.

Let me know if you require more information!

Christopher

On the basis of your comments, my view is that you definitely meet the criteria to make us want to take this further and recover your lost income.

You have listed some clear employer negligence here – the fact that there was a lifting crane, but that nobody was trained to use it and therefore you had to manually lift would give me confidence that your employer would massively struggle to defend a claim brought against them for your repetitive strain injury (RSI).

Direct2Compensation work with some brilliant rsi compensation solicitors who could pursue this for you on a No Win No Fee basis and we’d love to help you get this claim up and running.