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http www hse gov uk msd uld art index htm

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The HSE’s ART tool

What is it?

The tool is called the Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) and it’s designed for the assessment of tasks involving repetitive movement of the arms. ART is based on similar principles to the HSE’s manual handling assessment chart (MAC) tool. It’s provided as a paper-based tool within a leaflet which explains how to conduct each stage (see The next step).

What’s it for?

The types of task which could be assessed include pressing, assembly, processing, packaging etc. In other words, anything which involves a repetitive action every few minutes or so and continues for an hour or more per day. Normally the individual actions are very low risk, but the cumulative effect of repeating the tasks very frequently over a period of time creates a risk of upper limb disorders, i.e. aches and pains affecting the hands, arms, wrists, shoulders etc.

How to use the tool

Before completing the paperwork you should observe the task for a while, talk to staff about the work and any problems they’ve come across, and read the guidance notes for the tool. The first section involves the completion of a task description including the weight of the items handled, tools used, the production rate and details of the way in which the work is managed. There’s also an opportunity to complete an analysis of the timing of work and breaks. The next stage is to carry out the assessment looking at each risk factor.

Calculated risk

You’re asked to assess the level of risk for each element by comparing your results against the HSE’s guidance. For example, the Stage A questions consider the frequency of arm movements and the number of times per minute that a similar pattern of movement is repeated. There are a further three stages covering force, awkward postures and additional risk factors. The levels of risk to select from are: Green = low, Amber = medium, Red = high. The purpose of colour coding is to identify the risk factors which need the most attention. Once you’ve selected a colour band, the tool gives you a numerical score.

At the end of the process you total up the scores you’ve allocated and the tool tells you whether the risks are broadly acceptable or not. For example, we used ART to assess a processing task which took place over an eight-hour day and involved light but repetitive movements and the score was eleven - scraping into the low risk category.

Should you use it?

Clearly a great deal of thought has gone into producing the assessment tool and, unlike some others from the HSE, at least it gives clear direction about whether the resulting score is high, medium or low.

Tip. If staff have reported injuries to their upper limbs which they believe are connected with repetitive tasks, the ART tool can show which aspects of the task might be causing the problem, and it will therefore be easier to find a solution.

For a weblink to the HSE’s ART tool, visit http://healthandsafety.indicator.co.uk (HS 08.16.03).