HAVS refers to a series of permanent, but preventable, conditions in which damage to the nerves, blood vessels or joints of the hand, wrist and arm occur.
HAVS conditions can be disabling and painful, such as Vibration White Finger, which limits a person’s ability to do fine detailed work and causes painful finger blanching.
HAVS is associated with the regular use of hand-held or hand-guided vibrating power tools which generate significant vibration exposure to the operator. Approximately two million workers in the UK use handheld/guided vibrating power tool.
Operative exposure is a combination of the vibration magnitude of the tool and the exposure duration. For example, a low-vibrating tool used over extended periods of time can produce significant daily exposure. Whereas a tool with high vibration used for a short duration may not present a risk to health. When determining exposure duration, the ‘finger on the trigger’ time is used. It is important to note that some operatives may use a range of tools, so their daily exposure is a combination of all tool vibration exposures.
You are at risk if you regularly use hand-held or hand-guided power tools and machines such as:
- Concrete breakers,
- Sanders, grinders, disc cutters;
- Hammer drills;
- Chainsaws
- Scabblers or needle guns.
How to reduce the risks:
- Use suitable low-vibration tools.
- Check tools before using them to make sure they have been properly maintained and repaired to avoid increased vibration caused by faults or general wear.
- Reduce the amount of time you use a tool in one go, by doing other jobs in between.
- Avoid gripping or forcing a tool or workpiece more than you have to.
- Store tools so that they do not have very cold handles when next used.
- Keep warm and dry to encourage good blood circulation.
Learn to recognise the early signs and symptoms of HAVS and report any symptoms to your employer or the person who does your health checks.
What are the legal requirements?
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk to the health of employees created by vibration at the workplace including assessment of whether they are likely to be exposed above the Daily Exposure Action Value (EAV) of 2.5 m/s² A(8) or the Exposure Limit Value (ELV) of 5 m/s² A(8).
- Introduce a programme of controls to eliminate risk, or reduce exposure to as low a level as is reasonably practicable by means of a programme of organisational and technical measures.
- Provide health surveillance to those employees who continue to be regularly exposed above the action value (EAV).
- If they are likely to be exposed above the daily exposure limit value (ELV) and take immediate action to reduce their exposure below the limit value.
- Provide information and training to employees on the health risks and the actions being taking to control those risks.
- Keep a record of the risk assessment and control actions.
- Keep health records for employees under health surveillance.
- Review and update the risk assessment if it’s no longer valid or there has been significant change in the work to which the assessment relates; the HSE recommend at least every 3 years.
Validate Consulting can determine operator daily vibration exposures and compare them with the legal limits set down in the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations (2005). If the Exposure Action Value (EAV) is exceeded, then actions are required to reduce daily exposure. The Exposure Limit Value (ELV) is the maximum daily vibration exposure an operator can receive. An operative daily exposure is also determined using calculations of exposure time.
Get in touch with Validate Consulting, on 01246 541951, or fill in our enquiry form to discuss your requirements.