Manual handling

• Manual handling: Guidance on the regulations
• Manual handling at work: A brief guide
• Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) tool
• Online tutorial on how to use the Manual handling assessment charts (MAC) tool
• Risk assessment of pushing and pulling (RAPP) tool
• Making the best use of lifting and handling aids
• Full manual handling risk assessment: Examples of assessment checklists

DSE

• Work with display screen equipment: Guidance on regulations
• Working with display screen equipment: A brief guide
• Display screen equipment (DSE) workstation checklist

Upper limb disorders

• Upper limb disorders in the workplace
• Managing upper limb disorders in the workplace: A brief guide
• Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) tool

General guidance

• Management of health and safety at work
• Workplace health, safety and welfare
• Seating at work
• Ergonomics and human factors at work

There are up to date statistics on work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

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

HSE tools

• Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) tool
• Online tutorial on how to use the Manual handling assessment charts (MAC) tool
• Variable manual handling assessment chart (V-MAC) tool
• Risk assessment of pushing and pulling (RAPP) tool
• Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) tool
• Full manual handling risk assessment: Examples of assessment checklists
• Upper limb disorders risk filter
• Upper limb disorders risk assessment worksheets

Other tools

• The NIOSH Lifting Equation
• RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment)
• REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)
• QEC (Quick Exposure Check)

Agriculture

• Manual handling in agriculture
• HSG270 Farmwise (Section 21 on manual handling)
• What a good farm looks like
• INDG125 Safe working with bales in agriculture
• INDG317 Chainsaws at work

Air transport

• MSDs in air transport

Catering and hospitality

• MSDs in catering and hospitality
• Preventing manual handling injuries to catering staff

Cleaning

• MSDs in cleaning

Construction

• Manual handling in construction
• HSG150 Health and safety in construction
• INDG344(rev2) The absolutely essential health and safety tool kit for the smaller construction contractor
• CIS26 Cement
• CIS57 Handling kerbs: Reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
• CIS77 Preventing injury from handling heavy blocks
• Construction occupational health case studies

Engineering

• Engineering website
• HSG129 Health and safety in engineering workshops (pages 20 to 24)
• HSG246 Safety in the storage and handling of steel and other metal stock
• INDG390 Choosing a welding set: Make sure you can handle it

Food and drink

• Food and drink - manual handling
• Food and drink MSDs
• Roll cages and wheeled racks - Manual handling
• HSG196 Moving food and drink: Manual handling solutions for the food and drink industries
• HSG252 A recipe for safety: Health and safety in food and drink manufacture

Health and social care

• Moving and handling in health and social care
• HSG220 (Second edition) Health and safety in care homes
• The guide to the handling of people National Back Pain Association
• HSIS3 Getting to grips with hoisting people

Motor vehicle repair

• Manual handling in the motor vehicle repair industry
• TRISAG (Tyre and Rubber Industries Safety Action Group) publications on tyre handling

Papermaking, corrugated and recovered paper

• Manual handling in papermaking, corrugated and recovered paper

Ports and docks

• MSDs in ports and docks
• Whole-body vibration in ports
• INDG446 A quick guide to health and safety in ports
• INDG242 Control back-pain risks from whole-body vibration: Advice for employers
• INDG404 Drive away bad backs: Advice for mobile machine operators and drivers

Printing and publishing

• Manual handling in printing
• INDG470 Handling newspaper and magazine bundles

Retail

• Manual handling in the retail industry
• INDG439 Reducing manual handling risks in carpet retail
• INDG269 Managing musculoskeletal disorders in checkout work
• INDG470 Handling newspaper and magazine bundles

Textiles

• Manual handling in the textiles industry

Warehousing

• HSG76 Warehousing and storage – a guide to health and safety

Waste and recycling

• MSDs in waste management and recycling
• Manual handling in refuse collection HSL/2002/21
• Manual handling in kerbside collection and sorting of recyclables HSL/2006/25
• RR1141 Comparative analysis of manual handling practices in kerbside collection of recyclable waste
• GEIS4 Conveyor belt workstation design

Woodworking

• Manual handling in woodworking
• INDG318 Manual handling solutions in woodworking

Workplace transport

• Vehicles at work
• Manual handling in logistics
• HSG136 Workplace transport safety (includes risks from manual sheeting)
• INDG379 Health and safety in road haulage

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

Return on investment tool including the following interventions:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), including exercise – lower back pain
• STarT Back (Stratified risk assessment and care) – lower back pain
• Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs

• BackCare  
• British Chiropractic Association
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF)
• Equality and Human Rights Commission
• European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
• Faculty of Occupational Medicine
• Fit for Work 
• General Osteopathic Council
• Get Back Active (DVD)
• Getting help with manual handling risks in your business
• Healthy Working Lives Scotland
• Healthy Working Wales 
• National Back Exchange
• NHS back pain guide
• NHS Health Scotland
• Royal College of General Practitioners
• Royal College of Nursing
• Royal College of Physicians
• Society of Occupational Medicine
• The Back Book (2nd edition)
• USDAW Body Mapping

• There are useful case studies about how to avoid MSDs at work on HSE’s #Workright campaign site
• HSE’s ‘Risk-reduction through design’ Award highlights how ergonomics–based design changes can reduce the risks of MSDs at work