Question 1

What are the most common causes of MSD in food and drink manufacturing?

Accepted Answer

Manual handling and lifting are the primary causes, including repetitive tasks on packaging lines, sustained standing at sorting stations, pushing and pulling loaded trolleys and racks, and heavy lifting of ingredients and finished pallets. According to HSE, WRULDs and chronic back pain are the leading causes of occupational ill-health in the sector.

Question 2

What are my legal obligations for manual handling risk assessment in food manufacturing?

Accepted Answer

Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, employers must avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess risks that cannot be avoided, and reduce the risk of injury. HSE expects assessments using MAC, RAPP, and ART frameworks.

Question 3

What is a MAC, RAPP, and ART assessment?

Accepted Answer

MAC (Manual Handling Assessment Charts), RAPP (Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling), and ART (Assessment of Repetitive Tasks) are HSE frameworks for evaluating manual handling risks. MOVA automates MAC, RAPP, and ART scores using wearable sensor data, replacing subjective observation with objective measurement.

Question 4

How is wearable technology used for manual handling risk assessment in food manufacturing?

Accepted Answer

MOVA MMH uses a wearable sensor to capture biomechanical data across a full shift — tracking spinal load, posture, movement frequency, and force. AI analysis generates HSE-aligned risk scores and mitigation recommendations, giving H&S teams objective evidence that observation-based assessment cannot provide.

Question 5

How does MOVA work in a food production environment?

Accepted Answer

MOVA is IP67 rated, temperature resilient across cold storage, freezers, and high-heat zones, and built to withstand washdowns and wet floors. It has a 12-hour shift battery. MOVA has been deployed at Riverside Bakery, part of The Compleat Food Group, assessing 21 distinct manual handling tasks across 7 production areas.

Question 6

How can I reduce MSD absence rates in my food manufacturing site?

Accepted Answer

Move from periodic, observation-based assessment to continuous, data-led risk monitoring. Identifying the highest-risk tasks objectively allows H&S teams to prioritise interventions, apply the hierarchy of controls, and track improvement over time — shifting from reactive injury management to proactive MSD prevention.

Question 7

How much time does MOVA save on manual handling risk assessment?

Accepted Answer

H&S teams using MOVA report up to 75% reduction in time spent on manual handling risk assessment and reporting. Automated HSE-compliant reports replace manual documentation, freeing H&S resource to focus on intervention rather than administration.

Question 8

How do I make a business case for MSD prevention technology in food manufacturing?

Accepted Answer

MSD-related absence, insurance claims, and HSE enforcement costs represent significant financial exposure for food manufacturers. MOVA provides objective baseline data and audit-ready documentation to quantify risk, justify investment, and demonstrate due diligence to insurers, auditors, and the HSE.

MSD Prevention in Food and Drink Manufacturing

Food production never stops. Neither does the MSD toll.

The Scale of MSD in Food Manufacturing

​According to HSE, food and drink industry injuries largely involve manual handling and lifting, with chronic back pain and upper limb disorders remaining leading causes of occupational ill-health.

High

ABSENCE RATES

Cost

CLAIMS, PREMIUMS

30%

of all food & drink manufacturing injuries are MSD-related (HSE Data).

1,700+

acute injuries recorded annually in UK food processing centers.

CRITICAL FOCUS AREAS

Manual Handling Risk Hotspots

Repetitive tasks and sustained physical demands are the primary MSD triggers in food and drink production. Here's where your workers are most at risk

Manual handling of heavy loads

Constant lifting of ingredients and finished pallets creates high-impact spinal compression risks during peak shifts.

Meat and Drink Manufacturing: Lifting boxes, crates, and sacks is a major cause of back injuries.

Grain and Flour Milling: Heavy sacks and equipment commonly lead to MSDs.

Bakeries: Repeated lifting of flour sacks, dough trays, and products.

Fruit and Veg Operations: Lifting boxes and sacks contributes to ~30% of manual‑handling injuries.

Dairy: Frequent handling of heavy loads and wheeled racks.

Upper limb and fine-motor tasks

Rapid cycle times on packaging lines lead to musculoskeletal strain in upper extremities and wrists.

Meat Processing: Cutting, trimming, boning, jointing, and trussing stress wrists, shoulders, elbows, and hands.

Bakeries: Decorating, tin lidding, dough shaping, and packing involve repetitive motions.

Fruit and Veg Processing: Sorting, packing, peeling, and preparation strain hands and forearms, increasing tendonitis and carpal‑tunnel risk.

Production line

Static loading from standing in fixed positions for 8+ hours at sorting stations causes chronic lower-back fatigue and circulatory issues.

High‑speed production lines create high repetition, a major contributor to MSDs.

​Production lines often require bending, twisting, or leaning forward for extended periods.

Meat boning tasks involve extended arm positions that strain shoulders.

Fruit and veg handling at low or high heights increases spinal and shoulder load.

Movement and Material transport

Pushing, pulling, and repeated material transport expose operatives to high MSD risk.

Pushing and pulling loaded trolleys, racks, and containers, increasing force-related strain

Repeated movement of materials across production areas, contributing to fatigue

Combined force and repetition exposure, amplifying overall MSD risk

How MOVA Reduces MSD Risk in Rail Industry

MOVA uses wearable sensors and AI to continuously track manual handling risk across every shift — giving your H&S team objective data, automated HSE reporting, and the evidence needed to intervene before injuries happen.

Replaces subjective observation with sensor data, tracking fatigue and posture degradation as it happens across a shift.

Our AI interprets risk and industry context, delivering targeted mitigation strategies aligned to the hierarchy of controls and best practice.

Real-time postural feedback replaces classroom sessions, correcting technique where risk occurs and driving lasting behaviour change.

One dashboard. Multi-site visibility, risk hot-spots, prioritisation, and faster compliance at every level.

Automated HSE-aligned reporting — MAC, RAPP, and ART — consistent, auditable, and free from admin burden.

Built for the Factory Floor, Not Just the Lab

Food production environments are demanding. MOVA is engineered to withstand the moisture, temperature extremes, and hygiene requirements of a live food production environment.

Built for washdowns, wet floors, and water jets from any angle.

Reliable across cold storage, and warm production safe use.

Outlasts the longest production shifts, start to finish.

Captures movement multiple times a second — without cameras

Benefits Across Your Organisation

One platform. Measurable outcomes for every team that touches health and safety

Staff

Upto 77%

reduction in injury risk through early intervention

Better posture

real-time, on-the-job feedback corrects technique as it happens

Less fatigue

risk tracked and managed across the full work shift

Health & Safety

75%

less time spent on risk assessment and reporting

Zero admin

automated reporting frees focus for mitigation, not paperwork

Audit ready

objective, HSE-compliant data builds stronger compliance cases

Operations

Less down time

fewer injuries means fewer disruptions to workflows and output

Consistent flow

Safer execution means smoother, more predictable operations

More output

productivity gains unlocked when risk is proactively managed

Leadership

Better performance

lower risk exposure directly improves operational outcomes

Clear compliance

Auditable data makes regulatory compliance easy to prove

Safety culture

According to HSE, food and drink industry injuries largely involve manual handling and lifting, with chronic back pain and upper limb disorders remaining leading causes of occupational ill-health.

Production lines often require bending, twisting, or leaning forward for extended periods.

How MOVA Reduces MSD Risk in
Rail Industry

One dashboard. Multi-site visibility, risk hot-spots, prioritisation, and
faster compliance at
every level.

Automated HSE-aligned reporting — MAC, RAPP, and ART — consistent, auditable, and free from
admin burden.

Built for the Factory Floor,
Not Just the Lab

Upto
77%

Better
posture

Less
fatigue

Zero
admin

Audit
ready

Less
down time

Consistent
flow

More
output

Better
performance

Clear
compliance

Safety
culture

real-world, on-the-job training accelerates time to
competence

data-driven feedback removes variability in how training
lands

From Reactive to Proactive
Manual Handling Safety