Reducing musculoskeletal disorder risk through ergonomic AI assessments

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remain one of the most significant causes of work‑related ill health in the UK. They’re the second highest cause of new and long‑standing work‑related injuries, with construction, transportation and storage, and administrative and support service activities consistently reporting the highest prevalence.

In 2024/25 alone, an estimated 511,000* workers suffered from work‑related MSDs, resulting in 7.1 million working days lost.

The impact of MSDs extends far beyond lost time. For individuals, injuries can be life‑changing, leading to chronic pain, long‑term medical intervention and reduced quality of life. MSDs are also closely linked to negative psychological and wellbeing outcomes, particularly when pain or restricted movement persists over time. For organisations, the costs can be substantial - reduced productivity, sickness absence, staff turnover, claims and in some circumstances enforcement action by regulatory authorities.

Employers must protect workers from the risks of MSDs being caused or made worse by work. However, many MSD injuries and their impacts can be prevented. Prevention relies on effective design of work activities and processes, meaningful involvement of employees, application of current industry best practice and a robust approach to learning from incidents.

At the foundation of this approach - suitable and sufficient risk assessment.

Understanding Where MSD Risks Arise

Injuries often occur when undertaking activity such as lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, using handheld power tools or spending a long period of time working on a task, where the risk assessment hasn't identified the following hazards:

• poorly designed work activities and process 
• restricted movement
• repetitive work - especially when using the same hand or arm
• use of sustained or excessive force
• employees working beyond their capability
• incorrect equipment provided or correct equipment provided without safe working procedures being informed and trained
• long-distance driving or driving over rough ground
• inadequate information, instruction and training

Traditional ergonomic assessments, while valuable, can sometimes be subjective, time‑consuming and limited by observation alone. This can result in risks being underestimated, particularly where tasks are perceived as “low-risk” or have become part of normal working practice.

Introducing ergonomic AI assessments

To support clients in more effectively identifying and managing MSD risks, we've introduced ergonomic AI assessment software, for use by our in‑house team of risk consultants.

The software uses advanced human motion analytics to analyse video footage of work activities, assessing body posture, joint angles, repetition, force and duration. This enables precise identification, assessment and triage of ergonomic risk factors. This evidence‑based analysis allows consultants to pinpoint where MSD risks exist and to prioritise targeted, practical interventions.

Crucially, the process is faster, more consistent and more objective than many traditional assessment methods, without losing the importance of professional judgement or employee engagement.

Practical Impact: Turning Insight into Action

Here are some illustrative examples of how ergonomic AI assessments can deliver tangible benefits across a wide range of activities.

Warehouse operations

Warehouse operatives undertaking a range of manual handling and picking activities had a large volume of separate tasks assessed one morning. One activity, widely perceived as low risk due to familiarity and absence of reported injuries, was identified by the ergonomic assessment as high risk - driven by poor posture and high repetition. This insight enabled timely interventions to be introduced, reducing exposure and preventing the potential for future injury.

Evaluating new equipment

In another example, new equipment had been introduced into a business, and was initially viewed by operatives as more cumbersome and less ergonomic than the previous design. Assessments were completed on both the old and new equipment, analysing the interaction between the worker and the task. The outcome demonstrated that, despite perceptions, the new equipment presented a lower ergonomic risk, providing reassurance to the business and supporting informed change management.

Enabling safer work and better performance

By combining enhanced AI‑driven analysis with expert consultancy, we're helping clients gain a deeper understanding of MSD risk and how it applies to real work activities.

The introduction of AI ergonomic assessments supports safer work, healthier employees and more resilient organisations. By integrating advanced technology with professional expertise, we’re helping clients to move from reactive management of MSDs to proactive, preventative control - protecting people while supporting sustainable business performance.

_{*https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overview.htm}

_{Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.}