Weight lifting requirements for men and women in the workplace do not differ. Photo Credit Zsolt Nyulaszi/Hemera/Getty Images. In the United States, there are no universal laws or restrictions limiting the amount of weight that a worker can lift, regardless of the worker's gender. However, federal standards exist that employ a number of factors in computing the maximum weight that a worker can safely lift. These standards suggest a weight limit of 51 lbs. to be lifted with two hands, under ideal conditions, for both men and women.