FEATURE TOOLS & TOOLING
POTENTIAL HAVS RISKS of badly maintained tools
Badly maintained air tools which cause hand-arm vibration are leaving British industry to walk a legal tightrope, says John Buckley, UK air tooling programme manager for Trescal
R
egular tool maintenance and testing is not only essential to ensure
equipment is working effectively and to expose faults to put them right but can have a crucial impact on the health and well-being of tools users. In addition to ensuring the effective and compliant operation of air tools, industry has a duty of care to protect tool users from injuries related to hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Taking an intelligent approach to understanding air tool vibration issues and the need for maintenance, calibration and HAV testing is therefore key across all levels of industry which if ignored prosecution will likely follow. The Health and Safety Executive
estimates that more than a quarter of a million people in the UK now have injuries related to HAVS which is caused by prolonged use of vibrating hand-held machinery. Symptoms include a tingling 'whiteness' or numbness of the fingers in its mildest form through to fingers changing colour or in its most severe form considerable pain and loss of manual dexterity. This is a real problem not only for the long-term physical damage users may experience but for employers who are at risk of litigation and if the correct procedures and measurements have not been followed, prosecution and fines. The lack of understanding about air
tool vibration issues has resulted in major companies with multiple damages cases resulting in significant pay-outs, upward of £30,000 for the employees concerned. In addition, the Control of
Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 introduced limits values for hand-arm and whole-body vibration. The regulations introduced exposure limits which will require employers to put in place organisational measures to protect the health and safety of their employees.
SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE With clear legislative backing the pressure on industry to take action is mounting so it is important that employers get to grips with what is expected and acceptable. For instance, while larger equipment such as grinders, chainsaws and hammer tools are often clearly identified as presenting a danger to employees, nut runners, engravers and hammer drills may not be identified as sophisticated
INDUSTRIAL STRAIGHT D-HANDLED IMPACT WRENCHES
Chicago Pneumatic has launched two straight impact wrenches with D-handle to complete its industrial maintenance range. The robust CP6763- D18D ¾” and CP6773-D18D 1” wrenches were previously available in pistol version only but have now been designed in a straight version with D-handle to give users more flexibility and choice. The four impact wrenches in the range deliver the best value for money in this class of products and the ¾” straight impact wrench is one of only a few products on the market with a D-handle. These rugged pneumatic tools offer maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) users in heavy industries
6 MAY 2016 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
including metal fabrication, oil and gas, machinery, petrochemical, mining and minerals processing exceptional performance and excellent ergonomics for optimum safety and user comfort. The CP67X3-D18D impact wrenches have an
outstanding power-to-weight ratio, providing a high maximum torque of 1300
ft.lbs (1760 Nm) for 14.5 lbs/6.6 kg (CP6763) and 14.7 lbs/6.7 kg (CP6773) respectively. A short and compact body allows good access to tight areas, enabling users to work with more precision and efficiency.
Chicago Pneumatic
www.cp.com
Lack of understanding about air tool vibration issues has resulted in multiple damages cases resulting in significant pay-outs
pieces of equipment but do require servicing, HAV testing and in many cases calibrating. If the shaft of an air tool is bent for example, the bearings haven’t been cleaned or there is condensation in the airline which can lead to rust build- up in the tool, there is a potential for increased vibration exposure and risk of physical injury to employees. An untested tool will inevitably be subject to wear and tear which has the capacity to increase vibration, for example, wear and tear on a bearing will increase vibration significantly. If an employer is found not to have put in place simple procedures to spot and rectify this sort of simple maintenance issue it will inevitably, impact on its ability to fight any claim.
ACCREDITED CALIBRATION PROVIDER My advice to industry is to consult with an independent and accredited calibration provider such as Trescal to give peace of mind and assurance that all air tools are being serviced in accordance to national standards. It is essential that air tools are serviced,
HAV tested and calibrated to the OEM specification at least until there is 12 months of data on tool usage which can be analysed. I would recommend that the air tool is stripped down, cleaned and key components replaced if necessary. Services come in many forms and to suit the needs and demands of customer operations and requirements. Some choose to send equipment away for testing at a laboratory but for those facilities where this may not be possible, Trescal offers a mobile air tool calibration service throughout the country providing the entire service and repair procedure on-site with no disruption to production. Ultimately, the industry has a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of tools users and by taking a serious approach to the ongoing maintenance, calibration and HAV testing of air tools, will ensure that both employees and employers are mutually protected.
Trescal T: 01252 533 300
www.trescal.com
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