were put in the first group. The second group included all other operators regardless of how high their posture score was. While postural discomfort is frequently used as a guide to evaluating working postures and workplace fit, there is a wide variation in the length of time before operators perceive discomfort and in the level of discomfort which they report. To have conducted these trials over a longer period would have provided higher score:; however, it is known that operators adjust their working post&e to relieve loading on areas which are uncomfortable. A large number of subjects wouid have been required if this study was to test the relationship of the magnitude of a RULA score to the magnitude of pain, ache or discomfort. The aim of this study was to establish if the RULA scoring could reflect whether or not a working posture was in the acceptable range as defined earlier.