Musculoskeletal (MSD) Online Assessment Tool
Back Injury Risks in Driving (BIRD) Tool
The assessment part of the MAC, ART and RAPP Tools are now available to use for free.
Register for our webinar on: Thursday 13th February 2025
Webinar link - Register your details.
On-demand
Overview of the risk management tools: What are they and how should they be used? watch on-demandlink opens in a new window
Musculoskeletal (MSD) Online Assessment Tool demonstration watch on-demandlink opens in a new window
MSD Tool overview
The MSD assessment tool is the latest tool in the range from the HSE. It combines the popular MSD assessment guides MAC, ART and RAPP and transformed them into an all-in-one digital solution.
Employers and safety representatives can use the MSD tool to easily assess the risks posed by physical, strenuous activities. The assessor can then understand, interpret, categorise and communicate the level of risk.
It has been designed to simplify the process of completing each assessment, with a logical step by step approach, saving your assessors time in populating the results manually.
Please note: There have been no changes to the content of the MAC, ART and RAPP tools. This is an enhanced digital version to remove the administrative burden and make it easier for you to complete an assessment.
Case studies
Free Single Assessment Version v Full Premium Version
The Tool is available for free so organisations can conduct individual MAC, ART and RAPP assessments. However, for organisations who conduct multiple assessments throughout the year for all three tools or want to be able to analyse their assessments; a premium option is available.
The table below provides an outline of the differences between the two options:
| MSD Tools | Free Single Assessment | Full Premium Version |
|---|---|---|
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Fully Secure ISO27001 (data stored in the UK) | Yes | Yes |
| Assessment | Free Single Assessment | Full Premium Version |
|---|---|---|
| Built in easy to follow process | Yes | Yes |
| Suggested control measures based on scores | Yes | Yes |
| Emailed copy of completed assessment | Yes | Yes |
| Assessment mobile compatible via browser | Yes | Yes |
| Assessment via mobile app (offline mode) | - | Yes |
| Organisational set demographics | - | Yes |
| Personalisation including company logo | - | Yes |
| Administration portal | Free Single Assessment | Full Premium Version |
|---|---|---|
| Set up multiple assessments | - | Yes |
| Shared and linked accounts | - | Yes |
| Set up organisational demographics | - | Yes |
| Ability to download raw data | - | Yes |
| Auto report | Free Single Assessment | Full Premium Version |
|---|---|---|
| Auto report with priority/focus areas | - | Yes |
| Ability to filter auto reports by demographics | - | Yes |
| Ability to download and share auto reports | - | Yes |
| Ability to access and save individual assessments | - | Yes |
Free Digital MSD Assessment Tools
Free Single Assessment RAPP Tool
The assessment side of the solution is available for free.
Free Single Assessment ART Tool
The assessment side of the solution is available for free.
Full Premium Version
For larger organisations who conduct multiple assessments throughout the year or want to be able to analyse their assessments; a premium option is available.
The full premium version of the MSD tool includes:
- The ability to tailor and set demographics to fit your organisational structure
- A bespoke mobile app to complete the assessments offline
- Easily access all tasks/assessments completed
- An overall organisation report to examine the assessments - Example report (PDF 247KB)
- An intuitive filtering system to analyse results based on the various demographics, such as location, assessor and department
Analysing the reports for effective risk management
Once assessments have been completed, the MSD Tool consolidates all the assessments in one central system, so they can be easily reviewed and analysed.
Monitoring
The report categorises the completed assessments, showing what the tasks were, e.g. lift, carry or team task, the locations for where the assessments were completed, the assessors within the organisation, and date stamps to see when they were completed. This enables central management to monitor those assessments and ensure they are being completed correctly.
Prioritisation
Integrates the same structure used by HSE inspectors to prioritise tasks:
- Actual risk of serious personal injury - critical
- Significant / probable / substantial - high priority
- Significant / possible / moderate - medium priority
This data enables organisations to focus their efforts on the highest risk activities first.
Common themes
The report outlines the most common risk factors associated with each type of manual handling task. This helps identify common themes across multiple tasks and empowers organisations to identify control measures that can reduce the overall risk factor.
Adaptable reporting
In addition to the organisation report, the system includes the functionality to filter based on the demographics or task. This helps to extract the reports and send them to managers responsible for health and safety at a local level, with details of the priority areas to be addressed.
Ultimately, the MSD Tool will save central management time and effort, and will help achieve a robust manual handling risk management programme.
Demonstration
How much is the premium version of the MSD tool?
These prices allow administrative and user rights to the MSD Tool (all prices are excluding VAT). For example, you could pay for 100 assessments and complete 50 MAC, 25, ART and 25 RAPP.
For those conducting more than 1,000 assessments per annum a price is available on request.
| Licence tier (no. of MSD assessments permitted per year) | Licence fee (exc. VAT) per year | No. of administrator accounts* | No. of access to the online course** |
|---|---|---|---|
| up to 50 | £400 | 1 | 1 |
| 51-100 | £775 | 1 | 1 |
| 101-200 | £1,500 | 2 | 2 |
| 201-300 | £2,175 | 2 | 2 |
| 301-400 | £2,800 | 2 | 2 |
| 401-500 | £3,250 | 3 | 3 |
| 501-1000 | £4,875 | 5 | 5 |
| 1000+ | £POA | TBA | TBA |
Licence permits use of the tool according to the appropriate number of assessments completed. Should the number of assessments increase, or you wish to expand the licence to cover other parts of the organisation, you will be required to upgrade to the next band.
*Max. number of administrator accounts refers to the number of distinct customer logins created at each licence tier. Additional account logins can be purchased at any licence tier level by contacting the helpdesk and are charged at £100 + VAT for each additional login.
**Max. number of free access to the online course refers to the distinct logins to the MSD eLearning course for 12 months, these are non-transferable. Additional online course access can be purchased by contacting hseorders@tso.co.uk and are charged at £82.50 + VAT for each additional login.
To enquire or purchase the full premium version
Confirm the number of the assessments you require per year and contact us for an official quote:
Related information
MSD Tool Terms and Conditions (PDF 1.3MB)
TSO HSE Tools Supplier Form (PDF 133KB)
MAC Tool auto-report example (PDF 248KB)
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