When a box weighs a lot, it typically comes with some type of text or graphic to warn you about its weight. For instance, the side of the box might say “Heavy – use caution when lifting”, or display a picture of two stick figures lifting the box together. Do these warnings work? I’m sure they’re better than nothing. But there’s an easy way to make them even more effective.

In short, if the box is heavy enough to justify a warning on the side, then tell people how much it weighs, too. This doesn’t have to be exact. For example, you could say “This box weighs 50-75 pounds” or “Weight: At least 50 pounds”. By including real, tangible numbers in the messaging, I bet a lot more people would actually pay attention to the warnings.