Q: When two people manually lift a load, does this mean the weight they can lift is doubled?
A: While two people can indeed handle a heavier load together compared to one person alone, it’s incorrect to assume they can lift exactly double the weight. This is due to the fact that during the lifting process, the distribution of the load between the individuals may not be equal, particularly on sloped or uneven ground. Consequently, the safe load capacity for a team is less than the total of what the individuals could lift independently.
Common guidelines suggest that when two people lift an object, they should not exceed 2/3 of their combined lifting capacity. For instance, if two women are lifting together, the maximum safe weight is around 21kg. For two men, this limit is approximately 33kg, see above chart as reference.
If a third person is added to help, the total weight should not exceed half of the sum of their individual capacities. In this case, for three women, the weight should be no more than 24kg, and for three men, it should not exceed 37.5kg.
