This article reports the results of a national questionnaire survey of 66 occupational health staff regarding the circumstances of nurse injury. Eight causative factors were identified as either a frequent direct cause or major contributory factor. Three circumstances were identified when nurses are most at risk of injury. The most frequently cited effect of the introduction of Manual Handling Operations Regulations (HSE 1992a) was more training and updating. Having an increased complement of lifting aids and more widespread use was the second most common.