OCRA Method
OCRA Method – Assessing Repetitive Upper Limb Movements
❓ What Does OCRA Mean?
The OCRA method (Occupational Repetitive Actions), developed in the 1990s by Colombini, Occhipinti, and Grieco in Italy, was created to meet the growing need for a precise assessment of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risks related to repetitive upper limb movements.
It is particularly suited to sectors involving repetitive tasks—such as industry or craftsmanship—and requires a detailed analysis of work cycles.
📚 Key Concepts to Understand
To use the OCRA method effectively, it is essential to master a few core notions:
OCRA Index: A calculated value reflecting the level of risk for the upper limbs.
Work Cycle: The period during which a series of actions is repeated identically.
Technical Action: A specific movement of a body segment, such as a wrist rotation or object grasp.
🧾 What Factors Are Analyzed?
The OCRA method stands out for the breadth of variables it considers in the analysis:
The number of technical actions per minute (which may vary depending on the task).
Daily exposure duration to these movements.
Constrained postures involving the wrist, elbow, or shoulder.
Force exertion level, whether perceived or measured.
Recovery times (breaks, task alternation).
Aggravating factors such as vibration, cold, or local pressure.
All these variables are combined to generate a final index, enabling informed decision-making.
✅ When to Use the OCRA Method
This method is particularly recommended for:
Highly repetitive, paced activities.
Detailed risk assessments, workstation by workstation.
Analyses based on video recordings or on-site time measurements.
It is therefore perfectly suited to complex industrial contexts requiring in-depth ergonomic expertise.
However, it is less relevant for small companies or tasks with high variability.
⚠️ Limitations to Consider
While comprehensive, the OCRA method also has some constraints:
It is more complex and time-consuming than tools like RULA.
It is less suitable for non-repetitive tasks.
It requires prior training and task-specific analysis, which limits generalization.
🛠️ Examples of Practical Applications
The OCRA method is used in many fields, including:
🏭 Automotive or electronics assembly
📦 Manual packaging (food, pharmaceutical industries)
🥩 Meat processing and slaughterhouses
🧵 Sewing, textile work, laboratory pipetting
🛠️ Prolonged use of light hand tools
It helps identify high-risk tasks and recommend concrete ergonomic improvements.
💻 Two Approaches Available with CAPTIV Score
Within CAPTIV Score, you can choose between two OCRA variants:
Full OCRA Index – for a detailed task-by-task analysis, integrating movement frequency, constrained postures, and strain factors (force, recovery, environmental conditions, etc.).
OCRA Checklist – a simplified version ideal for quick preliminary assessments, with or without EMG data.
👉 The evaluation can be performed separately for the right or left arm, specifying the type of grip used.
To enhance the objectivity and accuracy of the OCRA analysis, CAPTIV allows integration of motion sensors (MOTION) synchronized with video capture. This facilitates automatic detection of postures and counting of technical actions per minute.
Additionally, real-time muscular effort can be measured using EMG sensors, providing a fine evaluation of actual physical workload.
When EMG sensors are not available, a Borg scale can be used to estimate perceived exertion.
✔️ CAPTIV Score fully integrates the OCRA method, in both its comprehensive (OCRA Index) and simplified (OCRA Checklist) forms, offering a thorough and internationally compliant ergonomic assessment.
📈 By combining field data with ergonomic expertise, OCRA stands out as an essential tool for reducing MSDs and improving quality of work life.
📩 Want to learn more or try this feature?
Contact our team for a personalized demonstration.
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