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Guide · Accidents at work
Manual Handling Injury Claims at Work
If you hurt your back, shoulder or another part of your body lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling at work, you may be able to claim compensation if your employer didn't manage the risk properly. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 say employers must avoid risky manual handling where they reasonably can, assess the risk where they can't, and reduce it. You can claim for an injury caused by a single lift or one that built up over time. You usually have 3 years to start a claim.
Back, shoulder and wrist injuries from lifting and carrying are among the most common injuries at work, and many of them can be prevented. This guide explains what your employer should have done, what helps a claim and what it could be worth.
- Source
- Health and Safety Executive, RIDDOR reports, Great Britain
- Main law
- Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
- Maximum weight
- None set by law. Every task must be assessed
- Time limit
- Usually 3 years from the injury, or from when you knew it was linked to work
What is manual handling?
Manual handling means moving or supporting a load by hand or by bodily force. That includes lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying and moving. A load can be any object that can be moved, including a person, so the rules also apply in care homes, hospitals and other care settings.
Manual handling injuries can happen in two ways, and you may be able to claim for either:
- A single eventFor example, lifting something too heavy, awkward or unstable, or a load slipping or shifting as you carry it.
- Damage that builds up over timeFor example, repeated lifting, twisting or carrying over weeks, months or years, leading to back, shoulder, wrist or other problems.
Common manual handling injuries
- Back injuries, including muscle strains and disc injuries
- Shoulder and neck injuries
- Wrist, hand and arm injuries, including repetitive strain injuries
- Knee injuries
- Hernias
- Crush injuries and fractures from dropped loads
Manual handling injuries are common in warehouses, delivery driving, construction, retail, factories and care work.
What your employer must do
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 set out 3 duties, in this order.
1. Avoid risky manual handling
If a task that risks injury can reasonably be avoided, it should be. For example, by using trolleys, hoists, conveyors or lifting equipment, or by changing how the work is done.
2. Assess the risk
Where it can't be avoided, the employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of each task.
3. Reduce the risk
They must then reduce the risk of injury as far as reasonably practicable, for example with lifting aids, smaller loads, team lifts, training or job rotation.
Where reasonably practicable, employers must also tell you the weight of each load, and which side is heaviest if the weight isn't evenly spread.
What should a manual handling risk assessment cover?
A risk assessment should look at 4 main things:
- The taskDoes it involve twisting, stooping, reaching, carrying over long distances, repeated movements or not enough rest?
- The loadIs it heavy, bulky, hard to grip, unstable, or likely to shift?
- The working environmentIs there limited space, an uneven or slippery floor, steps, poor lighting or extreme temperatures?
- The individualIs the person physically suited to the task? Do they have the right training, clothing and footwear? Are they especially at risk, for example because of an existing injury or pregnancy?
Is there a maximum weight I can be asked to lift?
No. The law doesn't set a maximum weight. HSE guidance gives guideline figures to help with risk assessments, for example around 25kg for men and 16kg for women when the load is held close to the body at waist height, and lower figures when it's held further away, higher or lower. These are a starting point, not a safe limit, so a load under the guideline weight can still be risky if the task wasn't properly assessed.
What evidence helps a manual handling claim?
- Your employer's risk assessments, or evidence that there wasn't one
- Training records, or evidence that you weren't trained
- Your GP, hospital and physiotherapy records linking your injury to the task
- The accident book entry, and any RIDDOR report your employer made
- Statements from colleagues who did the same task
- Photos of the load, the equipment available and where you were working
As part of the claims process, we can ask your employer for documents such as risk assessments and training records. If you've just been injured, read what to do after an accident at work.
Do the Regulations decide my claim?
Not on their own. Since October 2013, a breach of health and safety regulations doesn't by itself give you a right to compensation. You need to show that your employer was negligent. But the Regulations set out what a reasonable employer should do, so evidence that they weren't followed can strongly support your claim.
Compensation guide
How much compensation could I get for a manual handling injury?
The table below shows indicative ranges for back, shoulder and arm injuries, the injuries we see most often in manual handling claims, based on the current guidance used by the courts in England and Wales. Wrist, knee and hernia injuries are valued separately, so talk to us about yours. You can also claim for financial losses, such as lost earnings, physiotherapy and care.
| Injury type | Severity | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| Minor soft tissue injurySprains, strains and soft tissue injuries to the neck or back | Depends on recovery time and impact on daily life | Up to £16,500 |
| Moderate back injuryDisc, ligament or muscle damage with longer-lasting symptoms | Symptoms affecting mobility and work | £16,500 – £51,000 |
| Serious back injuryLasting damage that may need surgery | Permanent symptoms, disc damage or nerve involvement | £51,000 – £212,000+ |
| Arm or shoulder injuryFrom soft tissue damage to fractures and elbow injuries | Depends on severity and impact on work | £5,500 – £42,000 |
| Serious arm injuryFractures or nerve damage that leave lasting weakness or loss of use | Serious fracture, nerve damage or loss of function | £25,400 – £172,900+ |
| Psychological injury (incl. PTSD)Anxiety or depression caused by the injury and its effect on your life | Depends on severity, duration and impact on daily life | £2,000 – £150,000+ |
How to read these figures
- These are indicative ranges for pain, suffering and loss of amenity only. You may also be able to claim for financial losses, such as lost earnings, future loss of earnings, physiotherapy, treatment, care and travel costs. See how compensation is calculated.
- Figures are rounded and based on the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition, April 2026).
- If manual handling made an existing condition worse, compensation reflects the extra harm the work caused.
- Every claim is different. The amount you receive depends on your medical evidence and circumstances, and past results don't guarantee future outcomes.
Manual handling injuries: FAQs
Can I claim for a back injury from lifting at work?
Yes, you may be able to, if your employer didn't carry out a proper risk assessment, didn't give you suitable training or lifting aids, or expected you to handle loads in a way that put you at unreasonable risk of injury. Eligible claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis.
What if I've had a bad back for years?
You may still be able to claim. If manual handling at work made an existing condition worse, or brought on symptoms sooner than they would otherwise have started, you can claim for that extra harm. Your medical records will help show what changed.
My employer says I should have asked for help. Does that affect my claim?
Not necessarily. Your employer is responsible for assessing the task, providing lifting aids or a second person where needed, and training you. If you were partly to blame, your compensation may be reduced to reflect your share, but you can usually still claim.
Can I claim for an injury that built up gradually?
Yes. You can claim for damage caused by repeated lifting, carrying or twisting over time, as well as for an injury from a single lift. For a gradual injury, the 3 year time limit may start from when you first knew, or should reasonably have known, that it was linked to your work.
Is there a maximum weight I can be asked to lift?
No. The law doesn't set a maximum weight. HSE guidance gives guideline figures, such as around 25kg for men and 16kg for women for a load held close to the body at waist height, but these are a starting point for a risk assessment, not a safe limit.
How long do I have to make a manual handling claim?
You usually have 3 years from the date of the injury to start court proceedings, or from when you first knew your injury was linked to your work. There are different rules for children and people who lack mental capacity. See our guide to accident at work time limits.
Hurt lifting or carrying at work?
Back and shoulder injuries can affect your work and your life for a long time. Talk to our team for free, with no obligation. We'll look at what happened, work out who was responsible and tell you whether you have a claim. Eligible claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis.