What KIM are
KIM stands for Key Indicator Methods, developed in the context of Germany’s Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, BAuA. In German they are called Leitmerkmalmethoden or LMM. Their aim is to identify and assess physical workload in a structured way to guide prevention. They are not a single questionnaire that can be applied indiscriminately to any activity.
Which types of work they distinguish
The family covers lifting, holding and carrying loads; pushing and pulling; manual operations; whole-body forces; awkward body postures; and body movement. This distinction matters: fine assembly and moving a trolley may require different assessments. Analysis starts by identifying the forms of workload present, even where several occur during the same working day.
What data are needed
The activity is described and exposure time or frequency is recorded alongside the indicators specific to the selected method. Depending on the case, these include loads, forces, posture, working conditions and temporal organisation. BAuA’s instructions explain the steps and weightings. Information should come from representative work, rather than assessing only a brief demonstration or a particularly comfortable cycle.
How to interpret scores
The result allows workload to be classified and helps decide where action or a more detailed assessment is needed. It should not become a universal weight limit or individual medical clearance. A score makes sense alongside the method version, the task description and recorded conditions. Workers with particular sensitivities may require further analysis and specific adjustments.
Variable tasks and extended methods
BAuA provides extended KIM-E variants with functions for interpolating weightings and summarising subtasks according to their instructions. Simply adding numbers obtained from different methods is incorrect. When loads or time vary between subtasks, the prescribed procedure must be followed and the data retained. This traceability makes it possible to understand why a measure was prioritised.
Hypothetical example
A warehouse combines placing boxes on shelves with transport using trolleys. Lifting is studied using the relevant tool and pushing with another. The first analysis directs improvements towards placement height; the second towards wheels and the route. The assessment is then repeated under comparable conditions. This avoids reducing the whole working day to a single maximum weight.
