The HSE has developed a body mapping tool to help workers report and discuss any musculoskeletal aches or pains that may be caused or made worse by work activities.

It will also help businesses to proactively engage with their workers to identify workplace tasks or activities that may cause MSD discomfort and provide a forum to discuss practical solutions to reduce risk.

Musculoskeletal injuries and conditions can affect the back, joints and limbs. The aim of body mapping is to prevent any aches or pains from becoming worse or chronic, potentially leading to long-term discomfort or sickness absence.

Body mapping is very simple. Using coloured pens or sticky notes, workers are encouraged to mark on a body chart where they suffer pain or discomfort while they are working.

The body mapping tool provides guidance on how to run a successful body mapping workshop. The aim of the workshop is to discuss any potential musculoskeletal aches and pains, to offer workers the opportunity to make workplace improvements and to record the findings. This will help the organisation understand whether there are any common patterns of MSDs in particular roles or tasks. If there are, this may highlight where potential improvements in work design might be made or where existing risk management systems, such as risk assessment, may have failed to adequately address MSD risk.

Workers can use their knowledge and expertise to:

• Inform the data collection process by using the body mapping tool.
• Highlight possible underlying causes of musculoskeletal disorders caused or made worse by work.
• Highlight role- or task-specific issues.
• Help to focus interventions on the most relevant work areas and tasks.
• Discuss practical solutions.

Example questions to encourage discussion might include:

• Are there any specific tasks, elements of task or workplace activities that you believe contribute to any aches or pains?
• Do your aches or pains get worse during your shift?
• Do they get worse by the end of the working week?
• Have they got progressively worse over time?
• Do they get better when not at work (e.g. at weekends or holidays)?
• Do you feel your aches or pains have an impact on the way you do your work (e.g. do they affect productivity)?
• Do they affect your home life (e.g. sleep, leisure activities, housework)?
• Do you need to wear a support to reduce discomfort?
• Have you discussed your aches or pains with a supervisor, manager or union rep?
• Are you subject to high workloads and/or tight deadlines?
• Do you have a lack of control over your work that may make any aches or pains worse?

Manual handling is a key health and safety concern in the workplace as almost every organisation will have some form of manual handling activities. Manual handling covers a wide variety of tasks, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying. When any of these tasks are not carried out properly, then there is a risk of injury. More than a third of all reported injuries that result in someone being off work for more than three days are caused by manual handling.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended 2002) require employers to conduct risk assessments of manual handling activities that they undertake and to provide appropriate training for their employees.

International Workplace's Manual handling course helps learners understand the risks and dangers associated with lifting and handling in the workplace and identify the steps that can be taken to reduce and control the risks and likelihood of injury. This course is designed to be suitable for anyone who is required to lift or move objects at work. Find out more here.