Lifting 25-kg bags is part of daily life in many sectors: from the food industry and agriculture to logistics and manufacturing. Yet many companies underestimate the physical impact that this repetitive lifting has on employees. Back pain, shoulder injuries, and long-term absenteeism are not exceptions, but common consequences of a poorly designed workstation. In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to lift 25-kg bags ergonomically, from assessing the lifting risk to validating the improvements after implementation.
By systematically following each of these steps, you not only protect the health of your employees but also increase the efficiency of your work processes. This approach can be applied in any industrial setting where lifting heavy bags is part of the daily routine.
Assess the lifting risk at your workstation
Before taking action, you need to understand just how significant the risk really is. A thorough risk analysis forms the basis of any ergonomic improvement. Without this step, you run the risk of implementing a solution that does not fully address the problem or even causes new problems.
- Track the lifting frequency: How many 25-kg bags does an employee lift per hour, per shift, and per week?
- Measure the lifting distance and lifting height: Is the load being lifted from the floor to a conveyor belt, from a pallet to a machine, or something else?
- Analyze body posture during lifting: Does the employee have to turn, bend over, or reach?
- Determine whether there is asymmetrical lifting, vibrations, or limited grip space.
- Use a recognized method, such as the NIOSH lifting task or the KIM method, to quantify the risk.
After this analysis, you will have a clear picture of the risk levels associated with each task. A high lifting frequency combined with poor posture is a strong indication that technical aids are necessary. For an overview of specific bag-handling applications in practice, you can draw inspiration from similar industrial situations.
Use the correct lifting posture and technique
Even when ergonomic aids are available, maintaining proper lifting posture remains essential in situations where manual lifting is unavoidable. Employees who have mastered the correct technique are significantly less likely to experience back pain and other injuries.
- Make sure the bag is as close to your body as possible before you start lifting.
- Bend your knees and keep your back straight. Lift using your leg muscles, not your back muscles.
- Keep the bag pressed tightly against your body while lifting.
- Never twist your torso while holding the bag. Point your feet in the direction of the movement and twist your entire body.
- Avoid lifting bags above shoulder height. If you must do so, use a lifting aid or a raised platform.
Verification point: Ask a coworker or supervisor to observe your posture and confirm that your back remains straight and your knees are bent during the lifting phase. Make this a standard part of the onboarding process for new employees. Keep in mind that proper technique alone is insufficient when lifting frequencies are high. Above a certain volume, ergonomic lifting with technical support is the only sustainable solution.
Choose the Right Ergonomic Aid
Using the risk analysis as a guide, you can now select the most appropriate ergonomic aid for lifting bags. The choice depends on the lifting height, the frequency, the available space, and the specific characteristics of the bags.
Vacuum lifter for bags
A vacuum lifter for bags is the most efficient choice in many industrial settings. The system attaches itself to the bag via a suction cup and completely relieves the employee of the weight. Operation requires minimal effort, and the employee retains full control over the bag’s position. This makes the vacuum lifter particularly well-suited for repetitive lifting at fixed workstations. Explore our range of vacuum lifter solutions to get an idea of the available systems.
Alternative Tools
Not every situation is suitable for a vacuum lift. Consider the following alternatives based on your specific context:
- Mobile lifts: suitable when bags need to be lifted at various locations and a permanent installation is not possible.
- Lifting straps or lifting belts: provide light support for occasional manual lifting, but are not a substitute for mechanical aids when used frequently.
- Inclined planes or conveyor belts: useful for minimizing the vertical lift and thereby reducing the load.
Verification point: Check whether the selected assistive device fully supports the 25 kg weight or reduces it sufficiently to remain below the personal lifting limit. Consult the device’s technical specifications and compare them with the requirements of the workstation.
Integrate the tool correctly into the workstation
A tool that isn't properly integrated into the workstation quickly loses its effectiveness. Employees will find ways to bypass the system if it feels cumbersome or time-consuming. A well-thought-out implementation is therefore at least as important as the choice of the tool itself.
- Position the device so that it requires minimal movement. The bag must be accessible to the system without any unnecessary intermediate steps.
- Adjust the workstation's height to match the average height of the users. Adjustable workbenches or platforms can help with this.
- Ensure there is sufficient space around the assistive device so that the employee does not have to adopt awkward postures.
- Train each user on how to use the device correctly. Make it clear what to do in the event of a malfunction or unexpected situation.
- Establish standard operating procedures that require the use of the device when lifting loads above a certain weight.
Verification point: Observe employees during their first few days on the job after implementation. Are they using the tool consistently? Are there any tasks where they avoid using the system? Adjust the workstation based on these observations. Proper integration ensures that the tool speeds up the workflow rather than slowing it down. For more inspiration on how similar workstations have been set up, check out our completed projects.
Validate the ergonomic improvement after implementation
The final step is to verify whether the measures taken are having the desired effect. Ergonomic improvements are only proven when you objectively compare the situation before and after implementation. This closes the cycle and provides you with the information you need for further optimization.
- Repeat the risk analysis from Step 1 using the same method and parameters. Compare the scores before and after implementation.
- Actively ask employees about their experience: Do they feel less physical strain? Are there still any tasks they find strenuous?
- Monitor absenteeism due to illness and reports of physical symptoms over a period of three to six months following implementation.
- Check whether productivity has remained the same or improved. A good tool should not significantly increase the time required per task.
Verification point: A successful implementation is evidenced by a measurable decrease in the risk score, positive feedback from employees, and stable or improved productivity figures. If any of these indicators fall short, analyze which step in the process needs to be adjusted. Ergonomics is not a one-time project, but a continuous improvement process.
How Logitrans Handling Helps with Ergonomic Bagging and Lifting
At Logitrans Handling, we guide companies from the initial analysis through to the final implementation of an ergonomic lifting solution for bags. We always start from a single principle: a lifting solution must solve a problem and not create new ones. Specifically, we offer:
- A free workplace analysis in which our specialists assess lifting risks on-site and provide specific recommendations.
- A wide selection of vacuum lifting systems and other ergonomic aids specifically designed for lifting bags weighing 25 kg or more.
- The opportunity to test solutions yourself in our demo room in Drongen, including with your own materials.
- Support for user onboarding and training following delivery or installation.
- Maintenance through a maintenance contract ensures that your system always remains in optimal condition and that maximum safety is guaranteed.
Would you like to know which solution best suits your specific situation? Contact our specialists and find out what we can do for your workstation.
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