Ergonomic Risk Assessment Services
An ergonomic risk assessment examines how a task is performed and identifies the physical factors that may contribute to discomfort, fatigue or work-related musculoskeletal problems. Rather than looking at one element in isolation, the assessment considers the worker, the task, the equipment, the environment and the way the work is organised.
Ergo Global carries out ergonomic risk assessments for organisations that need a clear, practical understanding of where risk is coming from and what to change. Assessments can be used for an individual task, a group of similar jobs, a production process or a set of priority roles identified through a wider ergonomic audit.
When an Ergonomic Risk Assessment Is Useful
employees report recurring discomfort or fatigue;
a task involves repeated bending, reaching, twisting or overhead work;
manual handling is frequent or difficult;
production or workflow changes have altered physical demands;
a new workstation, machine or process is being introduced;
health and safety teams need evidence to prioritise controls;
injury or absence data points to a particular role or task;
management wants to validate whether an existing control is effective.
What We Look At
The assessment is tailored to the work being performed. Common risk factors include posture, repetition, force, task duration, frequency, load position, grip, reach distance, workstation dimensions, working height, static loading and recovery time. We also look at how materials move through the task, whether the worker can adjust the setup, and whether the process creates avoidable exposure.
Where the job involves multiple risk factors, the ergonomist may use more than one assessment method. A score is useful only when it reflects the real task and leads to practical decisions.
Our Assessment Process
1. Scope the concern.
We identify the task, roles, locations and reason for assessment.
2. Observe the work.
We review how the task is actually completed rather than relying only on written procedures.
3. Identify risk factors.
We document posture, force, repetition, manual handling, task duration and other relevant exposures.
4. Select the right method.
Depending on the task, this may include RULA, REBA, manual-handling tools, the NIOSH Lifting Equation or a structured professional analysis.
5. Prioritise findings.
We distinguish higher-priority risks from lower-priority improvement opportunities.
6. Recommend controls.
We provide practical actions covering equipment, layout, process, work method, training or further specialist review.
7. Reassess where needed.
After significant changes, the task can be reviewed again to confirm whether exposure has been reduced.
RULA, REBA and Other Assessment Methods
No single tool is appropriate for every job. RULA is useful for upper-limb, neck and trunk posture; REBA considers the whole body and suits many dynamic tasks; manual-handling analysis focuses on lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling; and the NIOSH Lifting Equation may be useful for suitable two-handed lifting tasks. The ergonomist selects the method based on the task, not the keyword.
What You Receive
a clear description of the task and risk factors;
assessment findings and, where relevant, method scores;
risk prioritisation;
practical corrective actions;
recommendations for workstation, equipment, process or work-practice changes;
training or education recommendations where appropriate;
a basis for follow-up and reassessment.
Risk Assessment vs Ergonomic Audit
An ergonomic risk assessment is normally task-specific. If you need to understand risk across a whole facility, department or programme, an ergonomic audit is the better starting point. The audit identifies where deeper assessment should be focused.
Industrial and Multi-Site Programmes
Risk assessments can be delivered as one-off projects or as part of a wider industrial ergonomics programme. For multi-site organisations, a common assessment framework helps teams prioritise comparable risks across locations while still allowing for local task and regulatory differences.
Talk to an Ergonomist
If you already know the task causing concern, send us a short description of the work, the location and the reason for the review. We can help determine whether a focused risk assessment, RULA, REBA, lifting analysis or wider audit is the right next step.
