WERA Ergonomic Risk Assessment | Workplace Ergonomics Guide
WERA (Workplace Ergonomic Risk Assessment) is a structured method for evaluating physical ergonomic risks in manufacturing workplaces. It assesses 9 body regions (shoulder, wrist, back, neck, leg, etc.) plus 5 additional factors (force, vibration, contact stress, task duration, work pace) to produce a risk score that guides intervention priorities.
Anatomy of the Chart
- Nine body regions
- Shoulder, wrist, back, neck, leg and others — each scored separately.
- Five additional factors
- Force, vibration, contact stress, task duration, work pace.
- Region score
- Posture severity for one body part over the observed cycle.
- Overall risk level
- The combined score that places the task in a risk band.
- Threshold
- The line above which a region is flagged for intervention.
How to Create
- 1
Select a representative work cycle
One full cycle under normal conditions. A cycle chosen because it looked bad scores the exception, not the job.
- 2
Score each of the nine body regions
Shoulder, wrist, back, neck, leg and the rest — posture is assessed region by region, not as an overall impression.
- 3
Score the five additional factors
Force, vibration, contact stress, task duration and work pace.
- 4
Read the risk level
The combined score places the task in a risk band and highlights which regions exceed the acceptable threshold.
- 5
Export and act on the highest region first
The assessment orders the intervention; the region above threshold is where the redesign starts.
Example
An electronics assembly plant used Yamazo Studio's WERA module to assess 12 workstations. Three stations scored 'High Risk' for wrist and shoulder — repetitive micro-assembly tasks with poor tool positioning. After workstation redesign, follow-up WERA assessments showed all stations within acceptable risk levels.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Take the template with you
We will email you the element time study template — station, element, category and five cycle columns, with worked example rows already filled in. The same email carries the Yamazo Studio demo links, in case you want to measure the same thing from video instead.