# OCRA vs NIOSH vs REBA: how to choose the right ergonomic assessment method

> Pick the wrong method and you get a precise score that misses the real risk. This guide explains what each method measures, how to choose between them task by task, and how to apply them so the results hold up.

- Type: free guide · 8 chapters
- Topics: NIOSH, OCRA, REBA, Methods
- Author: Postura Ergonomics team
- Published: 2026-10-29 · Updated: 2026-11-10
- Overview: https://postura.vision/resources/guides/ocra-vs-niosh-vs-reba/
- Read online: https://postura.vision/resources/guides/ocra-vs-niosh-vs-reba/read/

## Why getting the method right matters

Every assessment starts with a choice that is easy to get wrong. A lifting task scored with a posture method misses the load; a repetitive task scored with a lifting method misses the repetition that is wearing out the shoulder. The cost of those blind spots is large.

- **3 in 5** workers in the EU report musculoskeletal complaints — the most common work-related health problem in Europe. (Source: [EU-OSHA, Work-related MSDs, facts and figures (2019)](https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/msds-facts-and-figures-overview-prevalence-costs-and-demographics-msds-europe))
- **$13.7 bn** a year: what overexertion from lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying costs US employers, the costliest cause of serious workplace injuries (2022 data). (Source: [Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index 2025](https://www.libertymutualgroup.com/about-lm/news/articles/us-companies-spend-50.87b-year-top-ten-causes-serious-workplace-injuries-according-2025-liberty-mutual-workplace-safety-index))
- **937,620** musculoskeletal cases with days away, restricted work or job transfer in the US private sector in 2023–2024. (Source: [National Safety Council, Injury Facts (BLS data)](https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/safety-topics/musculoskeletal-injuries/))
- **26 days** median time away from work after a shoulder injury in 2023–2024, against 8 days for all lost-time cases. (Source: [National Safety Council, Injury Facts (BLS data)](https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/safety-topics/musculoskeletal-injuries/))

## Which method does your task need?

Answer up to four questions about one task. It’s the same decision tree the guide walks through, with the reasons behind each branch.

1. Does the operator lift or lower a load with both hands, 3 kg or more, as a regular part of the task? If yes → **NIOSH**: Two-handed lifting and lowering is the scope of the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation; ISO 11228-1, which applies the same approach, covers objects of 3 kg or more.
2. Does the task repeat the same arm and hand actions, in cycles or recurring patterns, for an hour or more per shift? If yes → **OCRA**: Repetitive upper-limb work over a shift is the scope of OCRA, the method referenced in ISO 11228-3 and EN 1005-5.
3. Does the operator bend, twist, kneel or reach into awkward postures during the task? If yes → **REBA**: REBA scores whole-body postures — trunk, neck, legs and arms — with corrections for load, grip and activity.
4. Does the operator push or pull a load on wheels, such as a trolley or a pallet truck? If yes → **Snook & Ciriello**: Pushing and pulling are assessed with the Snook & Ciriello tables (ISO 11228-2), outside the three methods in this guide. Carrying falls under ISO 11228-1.

If none applies: None of the four signals applies. Screen the task with REBA to confirm, then revisit if the task changes.

## Who it is for

- **HSE:** HSE managers who need to justify which method they use in an audit, and why.
- **Ergonomics:** Ergonomists who want a shared reference for assessors across shifts and plants.
- **Industrial engineering:** Industrial engineers redesigning stations who need to know what moves the score.

## Contents

1. **What each method was designed for** — The question each one answers, the body region it protects and what none of them measure.
2. **Which method for which task** — A four-step decision tree, the signals that you picked the wrong one and a checklist before you start.
3. **NIOSH in practice** — The load constant, the six multipliers, the Lifting Index and how to measure H, V, D and A properly.
4. **OCRA in practice** — Checklist or Index, the five factors it scores, the colour bands and how to count technical actions.
5. **REBA in practice** — Group A and Group B scores, load, coupling and activity, and the five action levels.
6. **Three worked examples** — Picking from a low pallet, assembly at a bench and closing boxes, with the inputs and scores step by step.
7. **Mistakes that skew results** — The five errors behind most unreliable scores, with a checklist to run after every assessment.
8. **Combining methods on one workstation** — How to assess tasks with several demands and in which order to map a whole line.

## FAQ

**What is the difference between OCRA, NIOSH and REBA?**
They answer different questions. NIOSH sets a recommended weight limit for two-handed lifting and lowering and compares it with the real load. OCRA scores repetitive work of the arms and hands over a shift, for each side. REBA scores a single whole-body posture from 1 to 15. Choose the method from what the operator actually does; many stations need more than one.

**Can I use REBA instead of OCRA for repetitive tasks?**
No. REBA scores one posture at one moment, with a coarse correction for repeated actions. It does not weigh the frequency of technical actions, force over the cycle, recovery or the duration of repetitive work, which is what OCRA measures. Use REBA to flag awkward whole-body postures and OCRA for repetitive upper-limb work.

**When should I use the NIOSH Lifting Equation?**
When an operator lifts or lowers a load with both hands as a regular part of the task; ISO 11228-1 applies from 3 kg. The equation starts from a load constant of 23 kg, reduces it with six multipliers for the geometry, frequency and grip of the lift, and compares the result with the real load to give the Lifting Index.

**What is a good REBA score?**
In the original method, a score of 1 is negligible risk and no action is necessary. From 2 to 3 the risk is low and action may be necessary; from 4 to 7 it is medium and action is necessary; from 8 to 10 it is high and action is necessary soon; from 11 to 15 it is very high and action is necessary now.

**Is OCRA part of an ISO standard?**
Yes. ISO 11228-3, on repetitive movements and exertions of the upper limbs, refers to the OCRA method, with the OCRA Index as its preferred detailed tool; its second edition was published in 2026. OCRA is also referenced in EN 1005-5, and ISO TR 12295 points to the OCRA Checklist for screening and mapping repetitive work.

**Can I use more than one method on the same workstation?**
Yes, and many stations need it. Split the job into tasks, assess each demand with its own method (NIOSH for lifts, OCRA for repetitive arm work, REBA for awkward postures, Snook & Ciriello for pushing and pulling) and report the results side by side. Do not average them into a single number.

**Is the guide free?**
Yes. The full guide is free to read online and to share inside your organisation. Leave your work email on the guide page to get access; we use it only for your request and never add you to a newsletter without your consent.

---

## Introduction

Every ergonomic assessment starts with a choice that is easy to get wrong: which method to use. Pick the wrong one and the score you get back is precise, defensible-looking and beside the point. A lifting task scored with a posture method will miss the load; a repetitive assembly task scored with a lifting method will miss the repetition that is actually wearing out the operator's shoulder.

This guide is about that choice. It covers the three methods that industrial teams use most: the **Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation** for manual lifting, the **OCRA** method for repetitive work of the upper limbs, and **REBA** for whole-body postures. For each one you will find what it was designed for, the data it needs, how the score is built and how to read it — and then a way to choose between them, three worked examples and the mistakes that most often skew results.

It is written for HSE managers, ergonomists and industrial engineers who run assessments on real lines, not in a lab. You do not need to know the methods already; if you do, chapters 2, 6 and 7 are where most of the practical value is.

### What you need

- **A short video of each task**, filmed from the right and the left side. Two or three complete cycles are enough.
- **The task data that video cannot give you**: weights of the loads, cycle time, shift length, breaks and how many hours a day the task is done.
- **Someone who knows the task**: the operator or the line leader. Five minutes of conversation will tell you about the hard cycles that the video missed.

## 1. What each method was designed for

The three methods answer different questions. That is the most important thing to know about them.

**NIOSH** asks: *how heavy can this lift be?* It was developed by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to prevent low-back pain from two-handed lifting and lowering. It gives you a Recommended Weight Limit for the specific conditions of the task and compares it with the actual load.

**OCRA** — Occupational Repetitive Actions — asks: *how much repetitive effort can the arms and hands sustain over a shift?* It was developed in Italy by Colombini and Occhipinti for tasks that repeat the same actions in cycles or recurring patterns, such as assembly, packing and machine feeding, and it is the method referenced in ISO 11228-3 and EN 1005-5. It weighs how often the hands act, how hard, in which postures and with how much recovery time.

**REBA** — Rapid Entire Body Assessment — asks: *how risky is this posture?* It was published by Hignett and McAtamney in 2000 to score whole-body postures quickly, including the trunk, neck and legs, with corrections for load, grip and activity. It is a snapshot method: you score the worst or most frequent posture, not the whole shift.

| <span class="sr-only">Criterion</span> | NIOSH | OCRA | REBA |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Designed for** | Two-handed lifting and lowering | Repetitive upper-limb tasks | Whole-body postures |
| **Main body region** | Lower back | Shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand | Trunk, neck, legs, arms, wrists |
| **Key inputs** | Load, H, V, D, A, frequency, grip | Action frequency, force, posture, recovery, additional factors, duration | Joint angles, load, coupling, activity |
| **Result** | Recommended Weight Limit and Lifting Index | Checklist score or OCRA Index, with risk bands | Score from 1 to 15 and an action level |
| **Reference** | NIOSH Applications Manual, 1994 | ISO 11228-3 · EN 1005-5 | Hignett & McAtamney, 2000 |



### What none of them do

None of the three assesses vibration exposure as such (OCRA only adds points for vibrating tools), fatigue over a whole day of mixed tasks, or psychosocial load. And none of them replaces a conversation with the people doing the work. They are screening and prioritisation tools: they tell you where the risk is and how big it is, so you can decide what to change first.

## 2. Which method for which task

Choose the method from what the operator actually does: NIOSH if they lift or lower loads with both hands, OCRA if the arms and hands repeat the same actions in cycles or recurring patterns, REBA if the problem is the posture of the whole body, Snook & Ciriello if they push or pull a load on wheels. Many stations need more than one.

### The decision tree

Ask the four questions in order, for one task at a time. Every "yes" adds a method.

| Question | If yes |
| --- | --- |
| **1. Does the operator lift or lower a load of 3 kg or more with both hands, as a regular part of the task?** | NIOSH Lifting Equation (ISO 11228-1 covers objects of 3 kg or more) |
| **2. Do the arms and hands repeat the same pattern of actions, in cycles or recurring patterns, for an hour or more per shift?** | OCRA (ISO 11228-3) |
| **3. Does the operator bend, twist, kneel or reach into awkward postures?** | REBA |
| **4. Does the operator push or pull a load on wheels?** | Snook & Ciriello tables (ISO 11228-2); for carrying, ISO 11228-1 |

If none applies, screen the task with REBA to confirm, and reassess if the task changes.

### Two clarifications that change the answer

- **Repetitive does not mean machine-paced.** An operator preparing orders of different sizes, with no fixed cycle time, does repetitive work if the actions are always the same. OCRA applies.
- **Occasional handling is not a NIOSH task.** In Postura's practice, a load moved once every few months is treated as an injury risk, not biomechanical overload. Record it in the risk assessment with a short note instead of computing an index.



### Signs you picked the wrong method

- **The score is low, but operators complain about the same joint.** The method may not look at that joint: a lifting index says nothing about the wrists.
- **A lifting task comes out fine with REBA.** REBA scores one posture with a coarse load correction; it does not weigh frequency, distance or duration of lifting.
- **OCRA was run on a task with occasional heavy lifts.** The lifts need their own NIOSH assessment.
- **Every station in a line has the same score.** The method is probably not sensitive to what differs between them.

### Checklist before you start

| Check | Why |
| --- | --- |
| **One task at a time** | Each method scores a task, not a job made of several |
| **Typical operator, normal production** | The score describes the station as it normally runs |
| **Loads weighed, not estimated** | The weight enters the formula directly |
| **Cycle time and shift data at hand** | OCRA and NIOSH both depend on duration and breaks |
| **A video of several cycles** | Angles, actions and timing are read from it |

## 3. NIOSH in practice

The Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation computes a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) for the specific lift and compares it with the actual load. The ratio between the two is the Lifting Index (LI).

**RWL = LC × HM × VM × DM × AM × FM × CM**

**LI = load lifted ÷ RWL**

### The load constant

The **load constant (LC)** is the heaviest load that can be lifted under ideal conditions. The NIOSH value is **23 kg**, set to protect about 99% of men and 75% of women. ISO 11228-1 and EN 1005-2 allow reference masses adapted to the working population, such as 25, 20 or 15 kg.

### The six multipliers

Each multiplier is 1 under ideal conditions and falls towards 0 as the lift gets worse.

| Multiplier | What it measures | Formula or rule | Ideal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **HM**, horizontal | Distance of the hands from the body | 25 ÷ H (cm) | H ≤ 25 cm; 0 above 63 cm |
| **VM**, vertical | Height of the hands at the start | 1 − 0.003 × \|V − 75\| | V = 75 cm |
| **DM**, distance | Vertical travel of the load | 0.82 + 4.5 ÷ D (cm) | D ≤ 25 cm |
| **AM**, asymmetry | Angle of twist off the sagittal plane | 1 − 0.0032 × A (°) | A = 0°; 0 above 135° |
| **FM**, frequency | Lifts per minute and duration | From the frequency table | Low frequency, short duration |
| **CM**, coupling | Quality of the grip | 1.00 good, 0.95 fair, 0.90 poor | Good handles |

The **horizontal multiplier** is often the one that dominates; the **distance multiplier** rarely does, because its range is narrow. The **frequency multiplier** is the only one that captures work organisation.



### Duration of lifting

The frequency table uses three duration categories:

- **Short**: lifting blocks of up to 60 minutes, each followed by at least as much recovery.
- **Medium**: blocks of up to 120 minutes, followed by recovery of at least 30% of the block.
- **Long**: anything else.

Pushing and pulling count as lifting time, not as recovery.

### Reading the Lifting Index

| Lifting Index | Band | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Up to 0.85 | Green | Acceptable, no action |
| Above 0.85, below 1.0 | Yellow | Borderline: improve when possible |
| 1.0 to below 2.0 | Light red | Low risk: redesign by priority, train, start health surveillance |
| 2.0 to below 3.0 | Red | Moderate risk: redesign as soon as possible |
| 3.0 and above | Purple | High risk: redesign immediately |

The five bands follow Colombini et al. (*Manual Lifting*, 2012) and ISO TR 12295, which add the 0.85 borderline. NIOSH itself treats an LI above 1 as increased risk for part of the working population.

### Measuring H, V, D and A properly

- **H** is measured from the midpoint between the ankles to the midpoint between the hands, at the start of the lift, and also at the destination when the load has to be placed with control.
- **V** is the height of the hands above the floor at the start.
- **D** is the difference between the hand heights at origin and destination.
- **A** is defined by the position of the load relative to the sagittal plane, not by where the feet point.
- **Weigh the loads** and count the lifts over a representative period. An estimated weight goes straight into the index.

### Beyond a single lift

When the same operator lifts different loads or from different geometries, use the **Composite**, **Variable** or **Sequential Lifting Index** instead of a single LI. One-handed lifting needs the one-hand multiplier of EN 1005-2 (0.6); team lifting needs a person multiplier, defined differently in EN 1005-2 and ISO 11228-1.

## 4. OCRA in practice

OCRA scores repetitive upper-limb work over the shift, for each side, in two instruments: the OCRA Checklist for mapping and prioritising, and the OCRA Index for detailed analysis. Its High-Precision version, the HP Checklist, builds the Checklist score from measured times.

### Checklist or Index

| <span class="sr-only">Criterion</span> | OCRA Checklist (and HP Checklist) | OCRA Index |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Output** | One score per side, five bands | Ratio of actual to recommended technical actions |
| **Built for** | Mapping many workstations | Job redesign, return to work, medico-legal cases |
| **Detail** | Per side | Per limb and shift, from a detailed analysis of the actions |

Both are validated and assess the same risk: choose by what the output is used for.

### The five factors

The Checklist adds five factors into a **Partial score**:

- **Frequency**: technical actions per minute, dynamic and static.
- **Posture**: time spent by shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand outside neutral; the highest of the joints counts.
- **Stereotypy**: very short cycles or the same actions repeated for most of the cycle.
- **Complementary factors**: gloves, vibration, impacts, cold, precision, and a work rate set by the machine.
- **Force**: perceived effort on the Borg CR-10 scale, with its duration in the cycle.

The Partial score is then multiplied by a **recovery multiplier**, from the hours without adequate recovery in the shift, and by a **duration multiplier**, from the net minutes of repetitive work.



### The five bands

| OCRA Checklist score | Band | Risk level |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Up to 7.5 | Green | Acceptable |
| Above 7.5, up to 11.0 | Yellow | Borderline |
| Above 11.0, up to 16.0 | Orange | Low |
| Above 16.0, up to 22.5 | Red | Medium |
| Above 22.5 | Purple | High |

The boundary between low and medium risk moved from 14 to **16** after a validation on 11,734 workers, consolidated in the 2026 OCRA dossier. The yellow band is borderline, not safe: only green is evidence-based as acceptable.

### Counting technical actions

A **technical action** is one task-oriented action of one upper limb: take, position, screw, insert. Count them per limb, from video, over complete cycles. Actions that recur once every few cycles, such as a refill every ten pieces, are part of the count.

Acyclic phases inside the task, such as restocking, machine time and waiting, belong to the task. Treating them as non-repetitive time leaves only the dense part of the work and overestimates the risk.

The companion guide [OCRA High-Precision Checklist](/resources/guides/ocra-checklist-guide/) explains every factor, the multipliers and the 2026 update.

## 5. REBA in practice

REBA scores one whole-body posture from 1 to 15: it combines the posture of the trunk, neck and legs (Group A) and of the arms and wrist (Group B), corrects them for load, grip and activity, and maps the result to five risk levels.

### Group A: trunk, neck and legs

| Body part | Base score | Adjustments |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Trunk** | 1 upright; 2 for 0–20° flexion or 0–20° extension; 3 for 20–60° flexion or more than 20° extension; 4 above 60° flexion | +1 twisted, +1 side-bending |
| **Neck** | 1 for 0–20° flexion; 2 above 20° or any extension | +1 twisted, +1 side-bending |
| **Legs** | 1 bilateral weight bearing, walking or sitting; 2 unilateral or unstable | +1 knees 30–60°, +2 above 60° (standing only) |

The three scores are combined in **Table A**, then the **force/load score** is added: 0 below about 5 kg, +1 for 5–10 kg, +2 above 10 kg, and +1 for shock or a rapid build-up of force. The result is **Score A**.

### Group B: arms and wrist

| Body part | Base score | Adjustments |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Upper arm** | 1 from 20° extension to 20° flexion; 2 for 20–45° or extension above 20°; 3 for 45–90°; 4 above 90° | +1 shoulder raised, +1 abducted or rotated, −1 supported or leaning |
| **Lower arm** | 1 for 60–100° flexion; 2 below 60° or above 100° | none |
| **Wrist** | 1 for 0–15° flexion or extension; 2 above 15° | +1 bent from midline or twisted |

Group B is assessed one side at a time. The scores are combined in **Table B**, then the **coupling score** is added: 0 good, +1 fair, +2 poor, +3 unacceptable. The result is **Score B**.



### Activity and final score

Score A and Score B are combined in **Table C**. The **activity score** is then added:

- +1 if one or more body parts are held static for more than one minute;
- +1 for small-range actions repeated more than four times per minute (not including walking);
- +1 for rapid, large changes in posture or an unstable base.

### The five risk levels

| REBA score | Risk | Action level | Action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Negligible | 0 | None necessary |
| 2–3 | Low | 1 | May be necessary |
| 4–7 | Medium | 2 | Necessary |
| 8–10 | High | 3 | Necessary soon |
| 11–15 | Very high | 4 | Necessary now |

Risk and action levels as published by Hignett and McAtamney (2000).

### Which posture to score

REBA is a snapshot. Score the posture that is **held longest** or the **worst** one that recurs, and say which you chose. When the worst trunk and the worst arm postures happen at different moments, combining each group at its worst gives an upper bound: it can overstate the risk by pairing postures that never occur together. Say so in the report, or score the frames where the postures actually coincide. For cumulative exposure over a cycle, REBA is not the right tool: use OCRA for repetitive arm work and NIOSH for lifting.

## 6. Three worked examples

Three common tasks, each assessed with the method it needs. The numbers are illustrative: they show how the inputs become a result, not the risk of any real station.

### 1. Picking from a low pallet: NIOSH

An operator lifts 12 kg boxes from a pallet to a conveyor, twice a minute, in blocks of up to two hours, each followed by at least 36 minutes of light work (medium duration). The boxes have fair hand holds.

| Input | Value | Multiplier |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Horizontal distance H | 40 cm | HM = 25 ÷ 40 = 0.625 |
| Start height V | 20 cm | VM = 1 − 0.003 × 55 = 0.835 |
| Travel D | 60 cm | DM = 0.82 + 4.5 ÷ 60 = 0.895 |
| Twist A | 30° | AM = 1 − 0.0032 × 30 = 0.904 |
| Frequency | 2 lifts/min, medium | FM = 0.84 |
| Coupling | Fair, V below 75 cm | CM = 0.95 |

**RWL** = 23 × 0.625 × 0.835 × 0.895 × 0.904 × 0.84 × 0.95 = **7.75 kg**

**LI** = 12 ÷ 7.75 = **1.55**: light red, low risk. The horizontal and vertical multipliers drive it: raising the pallet and bringing the boxes closer would do more than any other change.



### 2. Assembly at a bench: OCRA

An operator assembles components in a short, repetitive cycle. Scored with the OCRA Checklist, right side:

| Step | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Partial score (frequency, posture, stereotypy, complementary factors, force) | 7.5 |
| Hours without adequate recovery | 3, so recovery multiplier 1.20 |
| Intrinsic score | 7.5 × 1.20 = 9.0 |
| Net repetitive work | 454 minutes, so duration multiplier 1.00 |
| **Final score** | **9.0, yellow (borderline)** |

On its own, the task would be green: it is the distribution of breaks that pushes it into yellow. A better break pattern is the first lever.

### 3. Closing boxes on a low table: REBA

An operator folds and tapes boxes on a table that is too low, holding a 3 kg box and repeating the motion many times a minute.

| Body part | Posture | Score |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trunk | 30° flexion, twisted | 3 + 1 = **4** |
| Neck | 25° flexion | **2** |
| Legs | Both feet on the floor, knees straight | **1** |
| Load | 3 kg, below 5 kg | **0** |
| Upper arm | 50° flexion | **3** |
| Lower arm | 70° flexion | **1** |
| Wrist | 20° extension, deviated | 2 + 1 = **3** |
| Coupling | Fair | **+1** |
| Activity | Small-range actions more than 4 per minute | **+1** |

| Step | Result |
| --- | --- |
| Table A (trunk 4, neck 2, legs 1) + load 0 | **Score A = 5** |
| Table B (upper arm 3, lower arm 1, wrist 3) + coupling 1 | 5 + 1 = **Score B = 6** |
| Table C (Score A 5, Score B 6) | **7** |
| + activity | 7 + 1 = **REBA score 8: high risk, action necessary soon** |

The arms and wrist (Score B) weigh slightly more than the trunk here. Raising the table straightens the trunk and brings the wrist back towards neutral, lowering both groups.

## 7. Mistakes that skew results

Most unreliable scores come from the input, not from the method. Five mistakes account for most of them, and every one of them is invisible in the result.

### 1. Estimating the weight

The load enters NIOSH directly as the numerator of the Lifting Index. A weight estimated by the operator, or copied from an old assessment, goes straight into the risk band, and no step of the calculation can detect it. **Weigh the loads** and count the lifts over a representative period.

### 2. Recording a segment that is not the cycle

A clip that covers two pieces declared as one cycle doubles the declared cycle time, and everything computed from it follows. A clip that stops before refills or packaging leaves out the lighter part of the work and scores only the dense part. Find the first and last frame of **one complete repetition** before you compile.

### 3. Filming only the worst condition

If a station runs light and heavy variants and the video shows only the heaviest, the analysis treats it as the whole job and overstates the risk. Decide which conditions represent the station **before** you record.

### 4. Cutting acyclic time out of the task

Restocking, machine time and waiting inside a repetitive task are part of it. Moving them to non-repetitive time leaves only the dense part and overestimates the OCRA score. Likewise, the cycle times of a time-and-methods study include allowances and line saturation: **reconcile them** with OCRA's net repetitive time before comparing.



### 5. Scoring the wrong operator

A trainee is slow and uncertain; a veteran with decades on the same job has personal shortcuts nobody else uses. Neither represents the station. Score the **typical trained operator**, at normal pace, with the station's usual handedness.

### Checklist after every assessment

| Check | Question |
| --- | --- |
| **Method** | Does the method look at the joint and the demand that matter here? |
| **Weight** | Was every load weighed, not estimated? |
| **Cycle** | Does the declared cycle time match one complete repetition? |
| **Condition** | Does the video show how the station normally runs? |
| **Operator** | Typical, trained, normal pace, usual handedness? |
| **Time** | Are acyclic phases inside the task, and breaks counted once? |
| **Result** | Does the score match what operators and the occupational physician report? |

## 8. Combining methods on one workstation

When a station combines several demands, assess each with its own method and report the results side by side: a NIOSH index for the lifts, an OCRA score for the repetitive arm work, a REBA level for the worst postures. Do not average them into one number.

### One station, several tasks

Split the job into **tasks**: the parts of the shift with a stable pattern of work. A packing station might have a repetitive packing task, scored with OCRA, and a palletising task every hour, scored with NIOSH. Each task gets its own method, and each result says what it covers.

| Demand | Method | What the result tells you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifting and lowering | NIOSH | Whether the load is too heavy for the geometry and frequency |
| Repetitive arm work | OCRA | Whether the arms and hands are overloaded over the shift |
| Awkward postures | REBA | How risky the worst or most held posture is |
| Pushing and pulling | Snook & Ciriello | Whether the forces exceed the acceptable limits |

### Rotations

If the operator rotates between several repetitive tasks, the score of each task is an intermediate result. The overall exposure comes from the **OCRA multitask** procedure for repetitive work and from the **Sequential Lifting Index** for lifting. Never report a single-task score as the exposure of someone who rotates.



### Mapping a whole line

Map in this order, from the widest to the most detailed:

1. **Screen every station** with the decision tree in chapter 2 and list the demands of each.
2. **Map repetitive work** with the OCRA Checklist across the line: it is fast and gives a colour for every station.
3. **Assess the lifting tasks** with NIOSH, starting from the heaviest and most frequent.
4. **Add REBA** where postures stand out, and **Snook & Ciriello** for trolleys and carts.
5. **Go deeper** with the OCRA Index or the composite lifting indices on the stations that come out red.

### When the work changes from day to day

If lifting changes from day to day and no single day represents the task, Postura's practice is to produce **two analyses**, one on a representative day and one on the worst day. For more precision, build a monthly multitask analysis over the typical days, weighted on the real product mix.

## Your next step

Take one station you know well and run the decision tree in chapter 2. Write down which methods it needs and what data each one asks for. That list is the plan for your next assessment, and usually the first sign that one method was never going to be enough.

### With Postura

From the videos of a station, Postura computes the OCRA High-Precision Checklist for repetitive work, with AI-counted technical actions and awkward postures, and REBA for whole-body postures where it is enabled on your account. NIOSH (lifting) and Snook & Ciriello (pushing and pulling) are computed from the weights, parameters and forces you measure and enter. Time and methods analysis runs on the same videos.

- **See it on your own footage**: [book a demo](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ1vaRyHk2DvHW84TDK4rpDfgwOFSYqkmYbXOn_17BZ2S8BvLTSLYXhy7wdXo_DlMxpu61AJvnxv).
- **Going deeper on OCRA**: read [OCRA High-Precision Checklist](/resources/guides/ocra-checklist-guide/).
- **Pushing and pulling**: read [Pushing and pulling](/resources/guides/push-pull-risk-assessment/).
- **Recording the video**: read [How to film a workstation for an ergonomic assessment](/resources/guides/video-recording-ergonomic-assessment/).