In brief
REBA is an observational ergonomics method that scores the whole body, and RULA one that scores the neck, trunk and upper limbs. Once you have chosen the right posture and measured the angles from a photo, the resulting score corresponds to an action level; the real work is finding the change that will lower the score and scoring again. The legislation does not impose a method but requires the method chosen to be stated in the document.
What are REBA and RULA, and where do they fit in the risk assessment?
Describing the strain on a worker fitting parts on a conveyor line, taking parts from a crate or assembling cable harnesses at a bench as “heavy work” or “light work” is not enough. A REBA RULA analysis turns this strain into a repeatable score based on observation.
- RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) was developed in 1993 for work focused on the upper limbs. It scores the upper arm, forearm, wrist, neck and trunk; the legs are assessed only as “supported or not”. The result is a score between 1 and 7.
- REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) was developed in 2000 to assess whole-body postures. It scores the trunk, neck and legs in detail and includes additional scores for load, coupling and activity. The result is between 1 and 15.
The Regulation on Occupational Health and Safety Risk Assessment requires ergonomic hazards to be identified (Art. 8/3) but does not make a specific method mandatory. Risks are analysed with one or more methods chosen according to the characteristics of the work or national and international standards (Art. 9/2), and the method used is stated in the document (Art. 11). REBA or RULA is therefore a complementary tool used for ergonomic risks within the general assessment carried out with Fine-Kinney or an L-type matrix. For the general process, see our article on how to carry out a risk assessment.
Ergonomic risk analysis methods: which for which job?
| Type of work | Suitable method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Seated assembly, cable harness assembly, sewing, screen work | RULA | Strain is in the arms, wrists and neck; legs are stationary |
| Standing bench work, tightening with a hand tool, fitting parts on a conveyor line | RULA or REBA | RULA if the arms are forward; REBA if there is bending and twisting |
| Taking parts from a crate on the floor, changing dies, warehouse picking | REBA | Trunk bending, knee flexion and standing on one leg are decisive |
| Patient transfer, reaching into tight spaces during maintenance | REBA | Unbalanced and rapidly changing postures |
| Regular lifting and lowering (weight is the main issue) | NIOSH lifting equation | REBA scores the load in rough bands; it does not give a lifting limit calculation |
For work dominated by lifting, the NIOSH lifting equation should be used instead of or alongside REBA. The load created by continuous standing, on the other hand, relates more to work organisation than to posture analysis; we covered this in our article on the risks of standing work.
REBA RULA analysis with observation and photos: how to work on site
The score depends on capturing the chosen posture correctly. Follow this sequence on site:
- Observe the work: Watch at least several complete cycles. Talk to the worker and ask which step they find hardest.
- Choose the posture: Note the most frequently repeated posture, the posture held longest and the most demanding posture. If necessary, score each separately; state in the report which one was scored.
- Take photos or video: The camera should be perpendicular to the plane of the angle to be measured. Shoot from the side for trunk and arm flexion, and from the front for neck and trunk side bending. A photo taken from an oblique angle makes the angle appear smaller than it is.
- Measure the angles: Use a goniometer or an app that measures angles on photos. The trunk angle is measured against the vertical axis, and the upper arm angle against the trunk axis.
- Note additional conditions: Is the shoulder raised, the arm abducted, the trunk twisted, the wrist deviated sideways? These details add +1 to the score.
- Record load and repetition: Weigh the part being handled; count the number of repetitions per minute.
- Get the worker’s consent: Explain the purpose of the photo, take it so that the face is not visible and keep the record only in the risk assessment file.
REBA scoring steps
REBA is scored in two groups that are combined using tables:
| Group | Body region | Score range (basic) | Additional score |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Trunk | 1 (upright) – 4 (more than 60° forward flexion) | Twisting or side bending +1 |
| A | Neck | 1 (0–20°) – 2 (more than 20° or in extension) | Twisting or side bending +1 |
| A | Legs | 1 (on both feet) – 2 (on one foot, unstable) | Knee bent 30–60° +1, more than 60° +2 |
| A | Load/force | 0 (less than 5 kg) – 2 (more than 10 kg) | Sudden or shock force +1 |
| B | Upper arm | 1 (20° extension – 20° flexion) – 4 (more than 90°) | Shoulder raised +1, arm abducted +1, arm supported −1 |
| B | Forearm | 1 (60–100°) – 2 (other) | — |
| B | Wrist | 1 (0–15°) – 2 (more than 15°) | Side deviation or twisting +1 |
| B | Coupling | 0 (good) – 3 (unacceptable) | — |
Group A scores are read from Table A and Group B scores from Table B; load and coupling scores are added. The two results are combined in Table C, and an activity score is added to this: +1 each if one or more body regions are held static for longer than 1 minute, if small movements are repeated more than 4 times per minute, or if the posture changes rapidly and balance is lost.
Example: taking parts from a crate at an automotive supplier
At an automotive supplier plant in Bursa, an operator takes a part weighing about 6 kg from a crate on the floor and places it in a fixture, repeating this more than 4 times per minute.
| Measurement | Current situation | Score | After improvement | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk | 45° forward flexion | 3 | 10° forward flexion | 2 |
| Neck | 25° flexion | 2 | 10° flexion | 1 |
| Legs | Both feet, knee bent about 40° | 1 + 1 = 2 | Both feet, knee straight | 1 |
| Table A + load (6 kg: +1) | — | 5 + 1 = 6 | — | 2 + 1 = 3 |
| Upper arm | 50° flexion | 3 | 30° flexion | 2 |
| Forearm | 70° | 1 | 80° | 1 |
| Wrist | 10° | 1 | Neutral | 1 |
| Table B + coupling | Held by the crate edge (fair: +1) | 3 + 1 = 4 | Handle added to the crate (good: 0) | 1 + 0 = 1 |
| Table C + activity (repetition: +1) | — | 7 + 1 = 8 | — | 2 + 1 = 3 |
As an improvement, the crate was placed on a crate tilter that raises it to about waist height and tilts it towards the operator, and a handle was added to the crate edge. The score fell from 8 to 3. This example shows that a single change lowered the trunk, neck and leg scores together: an adjustment made at source is more effective than training or a back belt.
What is RULA, and where does its scoring differ?
In RULA, Group A covers the upper arm, forearm, wrist and wrist twist; Group B covers the neck, trunk and legs. A muscle use score (posture held static for longer than 1 minute or repeated 4 or more times per minute: +1) and a force/load score (intermittent load of less than 2 kg: 0; more than 10 kg, static or repeated load, or shock: 3) are added to each group. In seated work such as cable harness assembly, the wrist and neck scores are decisive; in this work, bench height, the reach distance to parts bins and fixture designs that bend the wrist are the first things to look at. Other factors in repetitive work (cycle time, breaks, rotation) are not fully reflected in the score; note these separately on the form.
Turning the score into improvement priorities
| REBA score | Risk level | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Negligible | Not necessary |
| 2–3 | Low | May be necessary |
| 4–7 | Medium | Necessary |
| 8–10 | High | Necessary soon |
| 11–15 | Very high | Necessary now |
| RULA score | Action level |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Acceptable if the posture is not repeated for long periods |
| 3–4 | Further investigation needed; change may be needed |
| 5–6 | Investigation and change needed soon |
| 7 | Investigation and immediate change needed |
When turning the score into an action plan, do the following:
- Find the region raising the score: Which body region increases the total score most? The measure should be directed there.
- Engineering solution first: Height adjustment, crate tilter, turntable, balancer arm, tool hanger. Rotation and breaks do not change the source; they are, however, complementary.
- Write down an owner and dates: Art. 10 of the Regulation on Risk Assessment requires a plan for measures including the owner and start and end dates.
- Score again: After the change, score the same posture with the same method and write it in the second column of the form (Art. 10/3).
- Link it to health surveillance: When back, neck and shoulder complaints are assessed together with the workplace physician’s examination records, it becomes clearer which workstation has priority.
We address ergonomic risks, entered in your business’s general risk assessment, within our risk assessment service. For other typical risks in the sector, see our automotive supplier industry page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are REBA and RULA mandatory?
No. The Regulation on Risk Assessment does not make a specific method mandatory; it requires ergonomic hazards to be identified and the method used to be stated in the document. REBA and RULA are among the methods widely used for this purpose.
What is the difference between REBA and RULA?
RULA is designed for work focused on the arms, wrists and neck and gives a score from 1 to 7. REBA also scores trunk and leg postures in detail, adds load and coupling, and gives a score from 1 to 15.
Which posture should be scored?
The most frequently repeated, the longest held and the most demanding posture is chosen. If necessary, more than one posture is scored separately and the report states which one was scored.
Is measuring angles from photos reliable?
If the camera is held perpendicular to the plane of the angle being measured, it gives sufficiently accurate results. A photo taken from an oblique angle shows the angle differently from what it is; so trunk and arm angles should be photographed from the side.
A risk assessment that identifies and scores hazards on site, links each measure to an owner and a date, and has a clear renewal schedule.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.