RULA calculator

Score a work posture using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method, and get the action level straight away.

This tool gives general guidance only. It is not a substitute for an assessment by a qualified professional, or for consulting your workers as required under work health and safety law.

The calculator runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere. It uses the scoring tables from the original 1993 paper, and shows every intermediate score so you can check the working against a paper worksheet.

What is RULA?

Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) is a posture analysis method for screening the risk of upper limb disorders in a work task. It was published by Lynn McAtamney and Nigel Corlett in 1993 (Applied Ergonomics, 24(2): 91–99), and was designed for work where the arms, neck and shoulders do most of the work, such as assembly, packing, checkout and computer work.

RULA scores the body in two groups, then combines them:

• Group A scores the upper arm, lower arm, wrist and wrist twist in Table A. Muscle use and force are added to give Score C.
• Group B scores the neck, trunk and legs in Table B. Muscle use and force are added again to give Score D.
• Table C combines Score C and Score D into the final RULA score.

The final score runs from 1 to 7, and each score has an action level:

How to do a RULA assessment

1. Watch the task first. Observe several work cycles before you score anything.
2. Pick the posture to score. Choose the worst posture, the one held longest or the one repeated most often. If you're unsure, score more than one and compare them side by side.
3. Use photos or video. Pause on the posture you've chosen so you can judge joint angles, rather than estimating them as the worker moves.
4. Score both arms if they differ. RULA scores one side of the body at a time. If the right and left arms do different work, tick "Score the right and left arms separately". The calculator scores each side and reports the higher result.
5. Score muscle use and force twice. RULA adds muscle use and force to the arm group and to the neck, trunk and legs group separately, because a load can sit in the hands while the trunk stays relaxed, or the reverse.
6. Record what you saw. Print the worksheet, and keep it with the photo or video and the task details.

RULA vs REBA

RULA and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) were developed by overlapping authors and work in a similar way. RULA, published in 1993, looks closely at the arms, wrists and neck, and suits seated or largely static work such as assembly, packing or computer use. REBA, published in 2000, scores the whole body, including the legs and the quality of the grip, so it suits tasks where workers bend, twist, kneel or handle loads, such as patient handling or warehouse picking.

If the task is mostly hands and arms at a bench or desk, use RULA. If workers move around or lift, use REBA.

The limits of RULA

RULA is a quick screening tool, not a full risk assessment.

• It scores one posture at a time. It doesn't measure how long the task lasts, or the cumulative load over a shift.
• The leg score is coarse, so it under-rates tasks that load the legs, such as kneeling or squatting.
• Results vary between assessors, especially when angles are estimated by eye.
• It doesn't account for the worker's own capacity, the work environment or psychosocial factors such as time pressure.

Use RULA alongside a full manual task risk assessment, which looks at the whole task, its duration and frequency, and the people doing it.

What to do with a high RULA score

A score of 3 or more means the task needs a closer look. Redesign the task first, because changing the task removes the risk for everyone who does it:

• bring the work closer and lower, so the elbows stay near the body and the hands work below shoulder height
• set the work height so the wrists stay straight, and angle bins and parts towards the worker
• support the arms, or use jigs, fixtures and tool balancers to take the weight
• swap tools that need a pinch grip or a twisting wrist for ones that don't
• rotate tasks, and build in breaks from held or repeated postures.

For computer work, our desk height calculator and workstation self-assessment cover the common fixes.

Training workers in technique has a place, but it won't fix a task that's badly designed. Our task analyses measure the risk in each manual task, and our ergonomics team redesigns the work and workstations with your teams.

Frequently asked questions

What does a RULA score mean?

It's a measure of the risk of upper limb disorders in one posture, from 1 to 7. Each score has an action level, from 1 (acceptable if the posture isn't held or repeated for long periods) to 4 (investigate and change now).

What is a high RULA score?

A score of 7 is the highest, and means you should investigate and change the task now. Scores of 5 or 6 call for change soon. Scores of 3 or 4 mean you should investigate further, and change may be needed.

Should I score the left or the right side?

Score the side doing the most work, or the side in the more awkward posture. If you're not sure, score both. The calculator reports the higher of the two scores as the result.

Is RULA used in Australia?

Yes. Physiotherapists, ergonomists and WHS professionals in Australia use RULA as one of several posture analysis methods, especially for seated and upper limb work. It isn't required by WHS law, which leaves the choice of risk assessment method to the employer.

Can RULA replace a manual task risk assessment?

No. RULA scores a single posture. A manual task risk assessment also looks at how long and how often the task is done, the forces and loads involved, the work environment and the workers themselves. Use RULA as one input to that assessment.