What is hand arm vibration?
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) can affect anyone who is exposed to any working machinery that vibrates. The most commonly known form is called vibration white finger, but other forms can damage blood vessels in the fingers, reducing the supply of blood. It can also damage nerves, leading to a loss of feeling in the fingers and hands, reducing the sufferer’s ability to grip, coupled with extreme pain.
How to minimise the risks
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 introduced statutory limits on exposure of workers to vibration. Employers are required to assess and manage the risk to their workforce’s health and provide suitable equipment that is designed to limit the exposure level of vibration. Guidelines for minimising the risk of vibration include:
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Seek alternatives to using equipment which vibrates
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Do not exert too much grip pressure when holding the tool
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Ensure the equipment is maintained and in good working order, with a valid test certificate
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Make sure the tool you select is suitable for the task it is used for
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Look out for specially designed low-vibration equipment
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Keep all attachments sharp, including drill bits, points and chisels
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Use protective clothing, especially on the hands to keep them warm
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Ensure that regular breaks are taken, and that the employees exercise their fingers.
How to manage the risks
The vibration magnitude of a tool can be measured by taking the sum of the vibration in 3 axes, and is represented by a value in metres per second squared. The most accurate figures are those produced from ‘real-life’ testing by establishments such as OPERC. Established at Loughborough University, OPERC is a non-profit making independent body dedicated to sharing information gained from research. OPERC also exists to assist in the promotion of plant and equipment science. Please click here to download and print a summary of the OPERC test results.
A simple indicator of the vibration risk from hand tools is the traffic light system of colour coding, designed to give guidance to distinguish low, medium and high risk products (see figure 1 to the right)
However, Hire Station recommends the use of the points system introduced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The vibration calculator on HSE’s web-site (www.hse.gov.uk/vibration) enables you to keep a tally of the points an operator has amassed during any working day, using a variety of tools. This will enable operators and supervisors to quickly know how many points they have amassed. The HSE recommends that the Exposure Action Value (EAV) should not exceed 100 points in any one day; the Exposure Limit Value (ELV) must not exceed 400 points in a day, but steps should be taken to remove operators from jobs if they exceed 100 points regularly.
Hire Station has produced a generic information chart, incorporating both the traffic light and HSE points systems, giving you a quick reference point, no matter which system you are using, (see Figure 2 to the right)
How to monitor the risks
When managing vibration risks, it is imperative to keep records of all exposure in order to protect both the employee and employer. A simple log sheet can be maintained for each employee, showing their daily exposure levels in points. This very quickly builds up into a personal record that both parties can keep, and will provide an exposure history for all employees, which will stay with them wherever they go in the future. (see Figure 3 to the right for an example).
Hire Station can supply a vibration monitor and limiter, such as the HAV-SAFE TM unit. This can calculate the amount of points the user is amassing during a working day whilst using a variety of tools, and will actually switch off the tool if the Exposure Limit Value for the operator is ever reached. One advantage of the HAV-SAFE is that it provides on the job figures, so a worker can predict and plan his jobs for a day, aiming to keep below 100 points on all occasions. Another advantage of this unit is that, as it is based purely on trigger time, as opposed to estimated time, productivity can be greatly increased. This ensures, with good monitoring, that no one will be regularly exposed to dangerous levels of vibration. (see Figure 4 to the right)
Hire Station Policy
Hire Station recognises its responsibility in helping to reduce the vibration magnitude and noise levels experienced by our customers. In the first instance, we will always seek alternatives to using equipment that vibrates. If this is not possible, we aim to provide items for hire whose manufacturers have taken active steps to reduce the exposure risk to the user.
It is our policy to ensure that the tools you hire from us are supplied
- Fit for purpose, in that we ensure that you use the right tool for the right job;
- In good working order and regularly maintained;
- With relevant information to assist you when assessing vibration and noise risks;
- With reduced risk of contracting HAVS, through responsible equipment sourcing and supply;
- Able to be measured and limited by specialist equipment, as part of an ongoing management process
Hire Station and You
Health and Safety is the No. 1 priority for us, and we aim to keep you fully informed and up-to-date on all information relating to vibration and other safety matters. We are heavily involved in ensuring that the vibration figures for tools within our fleet are accurate, and we are insisting that all such tools are independently tested, in order to provide transparent, non-biased readings.
Hire Station is here to work with you on any area of safety that you are tackling. We believe that creating partnerships with our customers is the only way forward, where we can share and solve any problems together. We have already shown that we are actively seeking low vibration solutions at every stage of the supply chain, so please ask us to help you with...
Minimising, Managing and Monitoring your risk.
Download our full pdf guide to Hand arm vibration here
For further details of Hav ratings you can also visit the Operc website where details of the Hav rating for many tools can be found.
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