Resources
HSE publications
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
Statistics and research
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.
Tools, templates and checklists
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
Industry-specific guidance
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
Catering and hospitality
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
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
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
Warehousing
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
Workplace transport
Public Health England (PHE) resources
Musculoskeletal Health – Applying 'All our health' (Guidance for healthcare professionals)
Return on investment tool including the following interventions:
Useful links
- 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
Case studies
- 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