ABSTRACT
REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) and RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) provide a quick
analysis of the demands on a person’s musculoskeletal system when performing a specific task. Both
tools are required to be used as part of a full ergonomic workplace assessment and have proved
popular in providing a simple, visual indication as to the level of risk and need for action associated
with the task. REBA was developed to provide a quick and easy observational postural analysis tool
for whole body activities (static and dynamic) giving a musculoskeletal risk action level (Hignett and
McAtamney, 2000). RULA was developed earlier (McAtamney and Corlett, 1993) to provide a rapid
objective measure of musculoskeletal risk caused by mainly sedentary tasks where upper body
demands were high. Both tools use body part diagrams to assist with the coding of joint angles and
body postures, with additional coding for load/force, coupling and muscle activity. They both
produce risk level scores on a given scale to indicate whether the risk is negligible through to very high.
