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Resources

There are up to date statistics on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (PDF) [95].

HSE has published a large amount of research material related to MSDs which can be found using our search function[96].

Agriculture

Air transport

MSDs in air transport[116]

Catering and hospitality

Cleaning

MSDs in cleaning[119]

Construction

Engineering

Food and drink

Health and social care

Motor vehicle repair

Papermaking, corrugated and recovered paper

Manual handling in papermaking, corrugated and recovered paper[142]

Ports and docks

Printing and publishing

Retail

Textiles

Manual handling in the textiles industry[154]

Warehousing

HSG76 Warehousing and storage – a guide to health and safety[155]

Waste and recycling

Woodworking

Workplace transport

Public Health England (PHE) resources

Musculoskeletal Health – Applying 'All our health' (Guidance for healthcare professionals)[167]

Return on investment tool[168] including the following interventions:

Case studies

HSE's 'Risk-reduction through design' Award highlights how ergonomics–based design changes can reduce the risks of MSDs at work

Link URLs in this page

  1. MSDshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/msds.htm
  2. Back painhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/backpain/index.htm
  3. Upper limb disordershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/index.htm
  4. Lower limb disorders https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/lld/index.htm
  5. Display screen equipment (DSE)https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/index.htm
  6. Manual handling at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/manual-handling/index.htm
  7. Overview - MSD toolkithttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/toolkit.htm
  8. Overview - MAC toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/index.htm
  9. Introduction to MAChttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/introduction.htm
  10. Developmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/development.htm
  11. Score sheethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/scoresheet.htm
  12. Overview - Liftinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/liftintro.htm
  13. Lifting from pallet videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/liftvid1.htm
  14. Lifting creels of wire videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/liftvid2.htm
  15. Lifting control measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/guidance01a.htm
  16. Overview - Carryinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/carryintro.htm
  17. Carrying from conveyor videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/carryvid1.htm
  18. Carrying task in pastry factory videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/carryvid2.htm
  19. Carrying control measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/guidance02a.htm
  20. Overview - Team handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/teamintro.htm
  21. Team handling pallet videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/teamvid1.htm
  22. Team handling container videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/teamvid2.htm
  23. Team handling control measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/guidance03a.htm
  24. Psychosocial risk factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/psychosocial.htm
  25. Individual differenceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/individuals.htm
  26. MAC assessment tipshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/tips.htm
  27. MAC FAQhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/faq.htm
  28. Overview - V-MAChttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/index.htm
  29. Advantages and limitationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/1-advantages-limitations.htm
  30. What you need to knowhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/2-what-you-need-to-know-before.htm
  31. How to use the V-MAChttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/3-how-to-use.htm
  32. Which jobs and workers to assesshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/4-which-jobs-workers-to-assess.htm
  33. Entering datahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/5-entering-data.htm
  34. What does the V-MAC tell you?https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/6-what-does-vmac-tell-you.htm
  35. Values in the summary tablehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/7-summary-tables.htm
  36. Recording and usinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/8-recording-and-using.htm
  37. Worked exampleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/9-worked-examples.htm
  38. V-MAC FAQshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/10-faqs.htm
  39. Overview - ART toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/index.htm
  40. What is the ART toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/whatis.htm
  41. Overview - Learning to use the ART toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/learning.htm
  42. Preparationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/preparation.htm
  43. Risk factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/riskfactors.htm
  44. Observationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/observation.htm
  45. Overview - Making an assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/assessment.htm
  46. Task descriptionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/task.htm
  47. Overview - Assessment guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/assessguide.htm
  48. A. Frequency and repetition of movementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/freqrep.htm
  49. B. Forcehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/forceassessment.htm
  50. C. Awkward postureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/awkpostures.htm
  51. D. Additional factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/addfactors.htm
  52. Score sheethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/score.htm
  53. A walkthroughhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/walkthrough.htm
  54. Overview - Try it outhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/try.htm
  55. Book bindinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/bookbinding.htm
  56. Jogging sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/jogging.htm
  57. Collating papershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/papers.htm
  58. Whisky carton assemblyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/cartonassembly.htm
  59. Croissant curlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/croissant.htm
  60. Overview - Analysis and actionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/analysis.htm
  61. What the scores meanhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/scoresmean.htm
  62. Analysing task rotationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/rotation.htm
  63. Overview - Taking actionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/action.htm
  64. Repetitionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/repetition.htm
  65. Forcehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/force.htm
  66. Posturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/posture.htm
  67. Durationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/duration.htm
  68. Physical environmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/environment.htm
  69. Psychosocial issueshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/psychosocial.htm
  70. Art Tool Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/resources.htm
  71. Frequently asked questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/faq.htm
  72. Overview - RAPP toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/pushpull/index.htm
  73. Push/pull riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/pushpull/risks.htm
  74. Push/pull risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/pushpull/assessment.htm
  75. The lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/legislation.htm
  76. Health monitoringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/health-monitoring.htm
  77. Workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/workers-msds.htm
  78. Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/resources.htm
  79. Manual handling: Guidance on the regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l23.htm
  80. Manual handling at work: A brief guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.htm
  81. Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg383.htm
  82. Online tutorial on how to use the Manual handling assessment charts (MAC) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/introduction.htm
  83. Risk assessment of pushing and pulling (RAPP) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg478.htm
  84. Making the best use of lifting and handling aidshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg398.htm
  85. Full manual handling risk assessment: Examples of assessment checklistshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck5.pdf
  86. Work with display screen equipment: Guidance on regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l26.htm
  87. Working with display screen equipment: A brief guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg36.htm
  88. Display screen equipment (DSE) workstation checklisthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.htm
  89. Upper limb disorders in the workplacehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg60.htm
  90. Managing upper limb disorders in the workplace: A brief guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg171.htm
  91. Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/uld/art/index.htm
  92. Workplace health, safety and welfarehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l24.htm
  93. Seating at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg57.htm
  94. Ergonomics and human factors at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg90.htm
  95. work-related musculoskeletal disordershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/assets/docs/msd.pdf
  96. search functionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/search/search-results.htm#gsc.tab=0
  97. Musculoskeletal (MSD) Online Assessment Toolhttps://books.hse.gov.uk/MSD-Assessment-Tool
  98. Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg383.htm
  99. Online tutorial on how to use the Manual handling assessment charts (MAC) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/introduction.htm
  100. Variable manual handling assessment chart (V-MAC) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/vmac/index.htm
  101. Risk assessment of pushing and pulling (RAPP) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg478.htm
  102. Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/uld/art/index.htm
  103. Full manual handling risk assessment: Examples of assessment checklistshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck5.pdf
  104. Upper limb disorders risk filterhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/assets/docs/riskfilter.pdf
  105. Upper limb disorders risk assessment worksheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/assets/docs/worksheets.pdf
  106. Body mapping toolhttps://officialpublisher.tso.co.uk/body-mapping/
  107. The NIOSH Lifting Equationhttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/94-110/
  108. RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment)http://ergo-plus.com/rula-assessment-tool-guide/
  109. REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)https://ergo-plus.com/reba-assessment-tool-guide/
  110. QEC (Quick Exposure Check)https://www.msdprevention.com/resource-library/view/quick-exposure-checklist-qec-.htm
  111. Manual handling in agriculturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/topics/manual-handling.htm
  112. HSG270 Farmwise (Section 21 on manual handling)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg270.htm
  113. What a good farm looks likehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/assets/docs/good-farm.pdf
  114. INDG125 Safe working with bales in agriculturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg125.htm
  115. INDG317 Chainsaws at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg317.htm
  116. MSDs in air transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/airtransport/topics/manualhand.htm
  117. MSDs in catering and hospitalityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/catering/msd.htm
  118. Preventing manual handling injuries to catering staffhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cais24.pdf
  119. MSDs in cleaninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/cleaning/backpain.htm
  120. Manual handling in constructionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/physical-ill-health-risks/manual-handling.htm
  121. HSG150 Health and safety in constructionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg150.htm
  122. INDG344(rev2) The absolutely essential health and safety tool kit for the smaller construction contractorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg344.htm
  123. CIS26 Cementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis26.pdf
  124. CIS57 Handling kerbs: Reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis57.pdf
  125. CIS77 Preventing injury from handling heavy blockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis77.pdf
  126. Construction occupational health case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/resources/casestudies.htm
  127. Engineering websitehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/engineering/index.htm
  128. HSG129 Health and safety in engineering workshops (pages 20 to 24)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg129.htm
  129. HSG246 Safety in the storage and handling of steel and other metal stockhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg246.htm
  130. INDG390 Choosing a welding set: Make sure you can handle ithttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg390.htm
  131. Food and drink - manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/handling.htm
  132. Food and drink MSDshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/musculoskeletal.htm
  133. Roll cages and wheeled racks - Manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/roll-cages-wheeled-racks.htm
  134. HSG196 Moving food and drink: Manual handling solutions for the food and drink industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg196.htm
  135. HSG252 A recipe for safety: Health and safety in food and drink manufacturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg252.htm
  136. Moving and handling in health and social carehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/moving-handling.htm
  137. HSG220 (Second edition) Health and safety in care homeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg220.htm
  138. The guide to the handling of people National Back Pain Associationhttps://backcare.org.uk/
  139. HSIS3 Getting to grips with hoisting peoplehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis3.pdf
  140. Manual handling in the motor vehicle repair industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/manual.htm
  141. TRISAG (Tyre and Rubber Industries Safety Action Group) publications on tyre handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/rubber/information.htm
  142. Manual handling in papermaking, corrugated and recovered paperhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/paper/manual-handling.htm
  143. MSDs in ports and dockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/msd.htm
  144. Whole-body vibration in portshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/assets/docs/ports.pdf
  145. INDG446 A quick guide to health and safety in portshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg446.htm
  146. INDG242 Control back-pain risks from whole-body vibration: Advice for employershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg242.pdf
  147. INDG404 Drive away bad backs: Advice for mobile machine operators and drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg404.pdf
  148. Manual handling in printinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/printing/manual/index.htm
  149. INDG470 Handling newspaper and magazine bundleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg470.htm
  150. Manual handling in the retail industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/retail/manual-handling.htm
  151. INDG439 Reducing manual handling risks in carpet retailhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg439.htm
  152. INDG269 Managing musculoskeletal disorders in checkout workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg269.htm
  153. INDG470 Handling newspaper and magazine bundleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg470.htm
  154. Manual handling in the textiles industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/textiles/textiles-and-manual-handling.htm
  155. HSG76 Warehousing and storage – a guide to health and safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg76.htm
  156. MSDs in waste management and recyclinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/msd.htm
  157. Manual handling in refuse collection HSL/2002/21https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20230103120103/https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl_pdf/2002/hsl02-21.pdf
  158. Manual handling in kerbside collection and sorting of recyclables HSL/2006/25https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20230103120103/https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl_pdf/2006/hsl0625.pdf
  159. RR1141 Comparative analysis of manual handling practices in kerbside collection of recyclable wastehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr1141.htm
  160. GEIS4 Conveyor belt workstation designhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/geis4.htm
  161. Manual handling in woodworkinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking/manualhandling.htm
  162. INDG318 Manual handling solutions in woodworkinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg318.htm
  163. Vehicles at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  164. Manual handling in logisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/manual-handling.htm
  165. HSG136 Workplace transport safety (includes risks from manual sheeting)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg136.htm
  166. INDG379 Health and safety in road haulagehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg379.pdf
  167. Musculoskeletal Health – Applying 'All our health' (Guidance for healthcare professionals)https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/musculoskeletal-health-applying-all-our-health/musculoskeletal-health-applying-all-our-health
  168. Return on investment toolhttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-return-on-investment-tool-on-musculoskeletal-conditions
  169. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), including exercise – lower back painhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17621203
  170. STarT Back (Stratified risk assessment and care) – lower back painhttps://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/implementing-stratified-care-for-low-back-pain-start-back
  171. Yoga for Healthy Lower Backshttps://www.yogaforbacks.co.uk/
  172. BackCare https://backcare.org.uk/
  173. British Chiropractic Associationhttp://www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk/
  174. Chartered Society of Physiotherapyhttps://www.csp.org.uk/public-patient/find-physiotherapist
  175. Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF)http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/
  176. Equality and Human Rights Commissionhttps://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en
  177. European Agency for Safety and Health at Workhttps://osha.europa.eu/en/
  178. Faculty of Occupational Medicinehttps://www.fom.ac.uk/
  179. Fit for Work http://fitforwork.org/
  180. General Osteopathic Councilhttps://www.osteopathy.org.uk/home/
  181. Getting help with manual handling risks in your businesshttp://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/external-help.htm
  182. Healthy Working Lives Scotlandhttps://www.healthyworkinglives.scot/Pages/default.aspx
  183. Healthy Working Waleshttps://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/healthy-working-wales/
  184. National Back Exchangehttps://nationalbackexchange.org/
  185. NHS back pain guidehttps://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/
  186. NHS Health Scotlandhttp://www.healthscotland.scot/
  187. Royal College of General Practitionershttps://www.rcgp.org.uk/
  188. Royal College of Nursinghttps://www.rcn.org.uk/
  189. Royal College of Physicianshttps://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/
  190. Society of Occupational Medicinehttps://www.som.org.uk/
  191. The Back Book (2nd edition)https://www.tsoshop.co.uk/bookstore.asp?FO=1159966&Action=Book&ProductID=0117029491
  192. USDAW Body Mappinghttps://www.usdaw.org.uk/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=7c3b13ea-239a-40c1-8d04-39ab4ee39c51
  193. Manual handling at work: A brief guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.htm
  194. Managing upper limb disorders in the workplacehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg171.htm
  195. Manual handling assessment charts (the MAC tool) https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg383.htm
  196. Risk assessment of pushing and pulling (RAPP) tool https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg478.htm
  197. Assessment of repetitive tasks of the upper limbs (the ART tool)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg438.htm
  198. Display screen equipment (DSE)https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/index.htm
  199. Manual handling at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/manual-handling/index.htm

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Updated:2024-04-25-->