At Policabos it is frequently the handling of products with high weight, since all its products are sold in large quantities and, as they are made of metals and plastics, they become quite heavy. Thus, when these products have to be moved manually, it is an extremely delicate process.

The effort exerted in excess diminishes the capacity to work, increasing discomfort, uneasiness, pain, and causing an increased risk of injuries. 

One of the most recurrent injuries are herniated discs, which are the result of a weakening of the intervertebral disc, which shifts from its original position.

This injury can affect the cervical and lumbar region, and in the second case, it can take these discomforts to the legs and feet area. The main cause of herniated discs in younger people is inadequate posture on a daily basis, as well as the habit of carrying excessive weight. These factors lead to an overload of discs, which are overstrained and get injured. But it can also occur as a result of trauma.

According to data from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), 23.8% of all back injuries (in the EU) that occur at work are related to the manual handling of loads.

In Portugal, Decree-Law No. 330/93 of September 25 defines a load that is too heavy to be moved manually, all that is above 30 kg in occasional operations and above 20 kg in frequent operations.

To mitigate this problem, Policabos does not allow cable lengths exceeding 30 kg to be sent in a roll.