Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are a major cause of pain, lost working time and economic cost in Great Britain. Construction workers are
particularly affected. HSE commissioned this research to better understand which
construction jobs and tasks carry the greatest risk.
The research systematically reviewed epidemiological studies of MSD outcomes associated with trades and tasks. It also analysed long-term data from the UK Labour Force Survey and US Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
Evidence from multiple countries and datasets shows:
- Construction workers experience higher WRMSD risk than the wider workforce, but this greatly varies across trades.
- Finishing trades like floor layers, plasterboard installers, plasterers and joiners, plumbers, and labourers are identified as high-risk groups.
- Back disorders and upper-limb injuries dominate the claims burden.
- High risk activities involve cumulative physical load or physical stresses for the whole body, heavy materials handling, awkward postures, kneeling and
repetitive wrist-intensive tasks. - International data strongly aligns with UK patterns and can support GB-specific interventions where domestic data are limited.
This evidence provides a robust basis for prioritising preventative actions to reduce risks and feeds into HSE’s regulatory approaches.
This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive. Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
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