hand arm vibration laws

HSE issues new guide for hand-arm vibration

The Health and Safety Executive has recently published a guide for its inspectors to use to assess compliance with the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (CVWR) during inspections.

Hand-arm vibration is a health hazard associated with the prolonged and repeated use of vibrating tools and equipment which can lead to permanently disabling conditions.

What the new guide includes

The guide, available freely on the HSE website, sets out the steps an inspector will follow when assessing the risks from vibrating tools.

The first step will involve the inspector estimating the daily vibration exposure which is a product of the vibration data for the specific equipment and the amount of time it’s in use every day.

The inspector will then assess how the company is managing the risk. This will involve reviewing any risk assessments and what actions have been taken to eliminate or reduce the exposure of staff to vibration. If there are any issues identified by the inspector, the final stage will be enforcement action to rectify these.

How should hand-arm vibration risks be managed?

Companies where staff use vibrating tools and equipment need to actively manage the risk relating to hand-arm vibration. Under CVWR this means:

  • Assessing the risk
  • Taking steps to eliminate or reduce the risk
  • Inform and train staff
  • Carry out health surveillance where hand-arm vibration risk is identified
  • Keep records of risk assessments, actions taken and health surveillance

Aegis has staff who are qualified in assessing and managing the risks linked to hand-arm vibration. If you need help with hand-arm vibration contact us on 01772 736522.