WHOLE BODY VIBRATION

JRL Solutions Ltd carries out assessments of the risk to health caused by whole body vibration affecting the back.

Whole-body vibration is shaking or jolting of the human body through a supporting surface (usually a seat or the floor), for example when driving or riding on a vehicle along an unmade road, operating earthmoving machines or standing on a structure attached to a large, powerful, fixed machine which is impacting or vibrating.

Whole body vibration can cause back pain and other musculoskeletal problems. However, this is often complicated by other occupational factors such as workplace ergonomics, environment, postures and manual handling.

Examples of equipment that can cause risks to health include construction, mining and quarrying machines and vehicles, particularly earth-moving machines such as scrapers, bulldozers and building site dumpers and tractors and other agricultural and forestry machinery, particularly when used in transportation, tedding (turning hay), primary
cultivation and mowing.

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 whole body 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 whole body 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.
• any additional exposure at the workplace beyond normal working hours including exposure in rest facilities under the supervision of the employer. 
• relevant working conditions such as low temperature.
• information from health surveillance.

For whole body vibration the exposure action value (EAV) is a daily exposure of 0.5 m/s/s A(8). For hand-arm vibration the exposure limit value (ELV) is a daily exposure of 1.15 m/s/s A(8). The Regulations allow a transitional period for the limit value until July 2014 for the agriculture and forestry sectors. 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.