HAND/ARM VIBRATION DO THE RIGHT THING
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a serious and disabling condition with more than two million people at risk in the UK. The condition occurs when vibration, generated by regular use of powered tools and machinery, is transmitted to the hands and arms of operatives. Symptoms can include pins and needles, numbness and reduced dexterity and grip. There is no cure for this condition.
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH HAVS MANAGEMENT There are some common misconceptions regarding
the management of HAVS. Some companies that we speak to believe that simply recording operator vibration exposures demonstrates full compliance with the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (CVWR), which it doesn’t. Nor is it necessary for businesses to monitor every operative and every tool permanently. The HSE doesn't advocate this and neither do we.
There are two exposure values that have been outlined by the CVWR, these are ‘action’ and ‘limit’ values, it is these values that businesses need to ensure are not exceeded. Exposure to action value (EAV) represents the daily amount of vibration exposure an employee is exposed to, if this limit is exceeded the employer is required to take action. The exposure limit value (ELV) represents the maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on a single day. Simply staying beneath these exposures does not mean a business is compliant with the law. In order to reduce exposure to vibration in the workplace, we need to apply the principles of continuous improvement.
The HSE, in their guidelines L140, mandate the reduction of risk to ‘as low as reasonably practicable’ (ALARP) and go further by directing organisations to create a suitable and sufficient risk assessment as evidence of this. Of critical importance, this risk assessment must contain an accurate measurement of vibration magnitude of the tool being used (in accordance with BS EN 5349 and BS EN 8041) and also an accurate assessment of the time of exposure (trigger time). The use of a Trigger Timer attached to the tool is the most efficient way of collecting this information.
Effective management begins with understanding of the tools and the tasks to gauge the level of exposure and risk, this allows businesses to put measures in place such as job rotation and tool testing to determine whether the tools could be replaced for lower vibration models.
Most importantly, it is imperative that organisations use the data collected to influence action. Partnering with HAVi will help you quickly identify the tools,
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teams, tasks, regions and individuals that are at the highest risk and our decades of experience will help you find the most appropriate corrective action.
HOW TO ACCURATELY MEASURE EXPOSURE
TO VIBRATION We advise businesses not to rely on the vibration magnitudes (MS2 levels) provided by tool manufacturers in their HAVS risk assessments. These published values may not provide the requisite accurate measurement when assessed against the scale of suitability and sufficiency.
Accurate vibration magnitude (MS2) can be obtained via online databases such as
TheToolAdvisor.com which lists the data and application, alternatively HAVi can arrange a testing day to analyse the tools that your operatives are using and the way in which they use them. Results from a recent testing session for a client working within the rail industry uncovered that by simply swapping a grinding disc for a disc
https://thetooladvisor.com/
www.tomorrowshs.com
HAVi Technologies’ Managing Director Kate Louise Cole addresses some of the key questions about HAVS to help businesses effectively manage the risks.
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