Maximum Acceptable Load for Lifting and Carrying in Two-Person Teams

The purpose of this study was to determine and verify the maximum acceptable load for lifting and carrying (MALL&C) in single- and mixed-gender two-person teams. Participants lifted and carried a box 7.2 meters and placed it on a 132 cm high shelf, at rates of 1 x/min and 4 x/min. All male teams lifted and carried significantly (p<.05) more weight than all female teams or mixed-gender teams, and mixed-gender teams carried more than all female teams (p>.05). Our findings demonstrate that 1) individuals working alone or in teams can accurately estimate their ability to lift and carry loads for an hour, and that 2) when working in pairs, team MAL-L&C are approximately equal to the sum of their individual MAL-L&C. Percentile norms for MAL-L&Cs are provided for male, female, and mixed gender teams.