11.3 Assessing posture-related risk using the REBA and LUBA methods

The REBA and LUBA methods use conceptually different approaches to assess the risk associated with adopted postures. REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) is based on the level of exertion required to maintain a posture and considers factors such as handled loads, number of repetitions, applied forces, and postures adopted throughout the body. LUBA (Loading on the Upper Body Assessment), in contrast, focuses on the subjective assessment of perceived discomfort in different torso and upper-extremity segments.

This difference means that REBA provides a more direct estimate of objective physical risk, whereas LUBA more closely reflects the discomfort reported by people performing the activity. The latter can be particularly useful where perceived comfort affects task sustainability or the progressive development of musculoskeletal disorders.

LUBA has several limitations. First, it does not directly consider the handled load or the duration of a sustained posture. It also excludes the lower extremities from its analysis, making it unsuitable for assessing tasks in which the legs or feet are substantially involved, such as squatting, kneeling, or prolonged standing. Nevertheless, the LUBA approach can identify postures that may be uncomfortable or unsustainable for workers over the long term even when other methods classify them as biomechanically acceptable.

In general, LUBA should be used to assess the comfort of static postures that must be sustained over time rather than dynamic postures that change continuously.