Health & Safety
The number of new cases of Vibration White Finger (VWF) assessed for Industrial Injuries Disability Benefit was 510 in 2006/07 down from 645 in 2005/06. This is the lowest number of new cases in the last ten years. It is estimated that there were around 288,000 sufferers from VWF in Great Britain in 1997/98. The number of new cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) assessed for disablement benefit has decreased from 520 cases in 2005/06 to 435 in 2006/07.
Managing the Issues
Quantifying personal exposure provides accurate data on which the level of risk can be determined and the most suitable risk control measures can be selected. Opting for personal exposure monitoring surveys is not always a legal requirement, and they can prove to be expensive in the short-term. Nevertheless the long-term gains of undertaking a good quality, bespoke survey will assist employers in making informed decisions regarding the control measures to put in place. For example, the noise regulations do not require a noise survey to take place, however this will be required if elevated noise levels are experienced. Health surveillance may also be required if noise levels are above the upper exposure action values, or people are at risk for any reason (for example they already suffer from hearing loss or are particularly sensitive to damage).
It is imperative that risk assessors are fully competent, or supported by competent advisors. This advice could be provided by a health and safety practitioner who has undergone specific training; an occupational health advisor, nurse or physician; or an occupational hygienist.
Adopting EU directives and taking heed of the vast body of research undertaken across Europe ensures that the UK raises its game in protecting health and safety at work by imposing increasingly tougher standards. Employers can rise to this challenge by ensuring they have competent advice and effectively manage the workplace by adopting robust risk assessment procedures to ensure that the most appropriate and efficient controls are implemented to safeguard their employees and businesses together.
Sources of statistical data:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overpic.htm http://osha.europa.eu/en
http://osha.europa.eu/en/riskobservatory/teaser/european_workers_ face_new_increasing_health_risks_hazardous_substances_01.11032009
About the Author
Michelle is a health and safety consultant for Sypol Limited specialising in chemical and asbestos management. Michelle began working with Sypol in 1998 after working for Magnox Electric in the chemistry team. She began working on Sypol’s CMS (COSHH Management System) team progressing to a field consultant focusing on occupational health and hygiene strategies in construction and asbestos management. She went to work as health and safety advisor for British Waterways in 2004 before returning to Sypol last year.
AUTHOR DETAILS
Michelle Twigg BA(Hons) MSc CMIOSH
Sypol Ltd-Health and Safety Consultants Elsinore House, Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK. HP20 2NQ Tel: 01296 415715 Email:
sales@sypol.com Web:
www.sypol.com
51
Unique Vortex Hand-Held Unit
The new vortex hand-held unit HVA, produced by Höntzsch GmbH (Germany), is suitable for use in gases and gas mixtures. This handy instrument lends itself to portable application, for instance for test or check measurement. It operates together with the manufacturer’s vortex flow sensors – be it with sensors designed as probes or measuring tubes, with or without integrated temperature probes or with a separate temperature probe. The HVA records the flow rate and temperature in addition to the flow velocity. The high-contrast LCD display shows the measured value for the flow velocity in m/s with 13 mm high digits. The flow rate is shown in m³/h or l/min and the temperature in °C. The display updates the measured values every second and can be switched to the respective measurable variable. The instantaneous values are also retrievable in long-term measuring mode.
Just how versatile this unit is, is reflected in the application range: in connection with the sensor, the HVA can be used for measuring in air, exhaust
air, clean gases, and process gases as well as in gas mixtures of unknown or variable composition. This allows problem-free recording of emissions in small and large chimneys. Reliable measurements in emissions charged with particles or condensation or vehicle exhaust gases have become possible. This robust measuring system, which functions without moving parts, can cope with impurities such as sooty, dust, cement, carbon or toner particles. Even measuring in air with a dust content of up to approx. 900 g/m³ or with a high condensation content such as humid biogas, landfill gas or in superheated steam is possible.
The HVA is suitable for flow measurement in all industrial sectors, municipal facilities and public authorities, in research and development and particularly for the velocity area method for determining the flow rate or the average flow velocity in acceptance inspection and for warranty verification according to VDI/VDE 2640.
Reader Reply Card no 178 Probe Detects Electric Fields from 100 kHz to 6 GHz
Narda Safety Test Solutions (Germany) has just unveiled a new probe for the NBM series of wideband field strength meters. It can be used for safety measurements on the electric fields emanating from transmitting equipment, covering the entire range from long wave up to the latest generation of mobile phone base station frequencies.
With its frequency range from 100 kHz to 6 GHz, the new probe detects the high frequency electric fields output by radio and TV transmitters, telecommunications equipment, and industrial installations. The dynamic range covers 65 dB without any need to switch measurement ranges when used with the NBM basic unit. The sensitivity of 0.35 V/m means that fields emanating from WLAN and WiMAX installations can be measured reliably. The probe exceeds the requirements of EN 50492 for safety assessments of mobile phone base stations and is ready for the forthcoming IEC 62232 standard. The probe is isotropic, which means it gives the correct measurementregardless of the direction of the field. The sensors comprise three dipoles with detector diodes arranged in an orthogonal configuration. The NBM basic unit automatically calculates the field strength resulting from the three spatial components measured by the sensors. The probe is calibrated at several frequencies. The individual calibration data are stored in an EPROM in the probe and are taken into account automatically by the NBM basic unit. Calibrated accuracy is thus guaranteed with every combination of probe and NBM basic unit. This applies to a further twelve probe types that are offered by Narda for the NBM series of field strength meters, covering applications with frequency ranges up to 60 GHz.
Reader Reply Card no 179
Diffusion Tube Technology Ultimate Solutions For Environmental Monitoring
Gradko Environmental are amongst the market leaders in the preparation, supply and analysis of diffusion tube environmental monitors.
Our success has been built on providing a flexible and cost effective service that tailors the application capabilities of the monitors to exact customer requirements – The Ultimate Solution for Environmental Monitoring.
Our application range now covers external ambient air, indoor ambient air, contaminated soils, occupational hygiene and workplace monitoring, plus the analysis of contaminated groundwater.
Low Cost, Easy to use Monitors Timely Analysis Comprehensive Backup Service Customer driven quality objectives
Gradko Environmental
St Martins House, 77Wales Street,Winchester. Hampshire. England. SO23 0RH. Tel: +44 (0)1962 860331 Fax: +44 (0)1962 841339 Email:
diffusion@gradko.co.uk Website:
www.gradko.co.uk
Reader Reply Card no 180
Annual Buyers Guide 2009
IET
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