HAND ARM VIBRATION

JRL Solutions Ltd carries out assessments of the risk to health caused by vibration affecting the hands and arms.

Hand-arm vibration is vibration transmitted from work processes into the hands and arms of employees. It can be caused by operating hand-held power tools or by holding materials being processed by machines.

Hand-arm vibration can cause a range of conditions collectively known as handarm vibration syndrome (HAVS). It can also cause specific diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome and a form of Reynaud's disease known as vibration white finger (VWF). The symptoms of HAVS include tingling and numbness in the fingers, inability to feel things properly, loss of strength in the hands, the fingers tirning white and becoming red and painful on recovery.

Examples of tools and equipment that can cause risks to health include chainsaws, concrete breakers/road breakers, hammer drills, hand-held grinders, impact wrenches, jigsaws, needle scalers, pedestal grinders, polishers, power hammers and chisels, powered lawn mowers, powered sanders, scabblers, strimmers/brush cutters.

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to:-

• carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the vibration risk to employees.
• decide if employees are likely to be exposed above the daily exposure action value
  (EAV) and if they are:-
• introduce a programme of controls to eliminate risk, or reduce exposure to as
  low a level as is reasonably practicable.
• provide health surveillance to those employees who continue to be regularly exposed above the action value or otherwise continue to be at risk.
• decide if they are likely to be exposed above the daily exposure limit value (ELV)
  and if they are take immediate action to reduce their exposure below the limit value.
• provide information and training to employees on health risks and the actions
  being taken to control those risks.
• consult trade union safety representative or employee representative on the proposals to control risk and to provide health surveillance.
• keep a record of the assessment and control actions
• keep health records for employees subject to health surveillance
• review and update the assessment regularly

For the assessment to be suitable and sufficient it must:-

• identify where there may be a risk from handarm vibration.
• provide a soundly based estimate of employee exposure compared with the exposure action value and the exposure limit value.
• identify the available risk controls.
• identify those at greater risk.
• recommend measures to control the risk and monitor the risk.
• record the assessment.

JRL Solutions Ltd is competent to carry out suitable and sufficient assessments of the risk from vibration.

The assessment must assess daily exposure to vibration by:-

• observation of specific working practices.
• reference to relevant information on the probable magnitude of vibration of the equipment in the particular working conditions.
• if necessary, measurement of the magnitude of vibration to which employees are likely to be exposed

The assessment should include:-

• the magnitude, type and duration of exposure.
• the effects of exposure to vibration on those at particular risk.
• any effects of vibration on the workplace and work equipment.
• any information provided by manufacturers of work equipment.
• the availability of replacement equipment designed to reduce exposure to vibration.
• relevant working conditions such as low temperature.
• information from health surveillance.

For hand-arm vibration the exposure action value (EAV) is a daily exposure of 2.5 m/s/s A(8). For hand-arm vibration the exposure limit value (ELV) is a daily exposure of 5 m/s/s A(8). It represents a high risk above which employees should not be exposed. The Regulations allow a transitional period for the limit value until July 2010. This only applies to work equipment already in use before July 2007.

Elimination or control of exposure to vibration should consider:-

• other working methods which eliminate or control vibration.
• selection of work equipment of designed to reduce vibration.
• provision of auxiliary equipment which reduces the effects of vibration.
• maintenance of equipment, workplace and systems.
• design and layout of workplaces, work stations and rest facilities.
• information and training for employees.
• limitation of duration and magnitude of vibration exposure.
• work schedules which include adequate rest periods.
• provision of clothing to protect employees from cold and damp.