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
- Musculoskeletal (MSD) Online Assessment Tool
- 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
- Body mapping tool
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
- Health services, equipment fit for purpose
Motor vehicle repair
Manual handling in the motor vehicle repair industry
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
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
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
- 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