Development of the MAC tool

The MAC was initially designed to help HSE and Local Authority (LA) inspectors assess manual handling risks in the workplace and secure compliance in line with HSE's Enforcement Management Model framework, Much of the data is based on a set of guidelines developed from published scientific literature.

The following research reports provide more background information:

• Development of an inspection tool for manual handling risk assessments
  This report outlines the development of the MAC tool and includes information relating to the risk factors that are included in the MAC. It comprehensively describes the entire process from the MAC's initial development, through its conceptualisation and up to its formal release.
• Testing and improving the usability of the Manual Handling Assessment Charts
  This report details the results of a study that aimed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of preliminary versions of the MAC. It details all the recommendations made to improve preliminary versions of the MAC prior to its publication.
• Reliability of Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) developed for Health and Safety Inspectors in the UK
  This report details the findings of research that was performed to assess the reliability of assessments made when using a draft version of the MAC. The levels of agreement for all samples indicated a strong to good association and there were few statistically significant differences in scoring between any of the sample groups.
• Benchmarking of the Manual Handling Assessment Charts
  This report details the findings of research that benchmarked the MAC against existing tools used for the assessment of manual handling operations. The Quick Exposure Check (QEC), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) and the 1991 NIOSH Lifting Equation were all used.
• Reliability and usability evaluation of the Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) for use by non-regulatory specialists
  This report details the findings of research that investigated the reliability and usability of the MAC when used by the general public. The report details the necessary amendments that were required, and made, to the MAC before public use.
• Validation of the HSE manual handling assessment charts as predictors of work-related low back pain
  This report details the findings of research to ascertain whether the MAC could be used to predict workers losing time from work due to low back pain (LBP). Due to the limited sample size, lack of statistically significant results and the limitations of the data, it was decided that it would not be appropriate to alter the scoring system currently used in the MAC based on these data. Duty holders should be confident in carrying on using the MAC tool as the risk factors for LBP included were identified as important by earlier studies.