10.6 HAND-ARM AND WHOLE-BODY VIBRATION

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (The Vibration Regulations) are designed to protect employees from the ill health effects of hand-arm vibration (HAV) and whole-body vibration (WBV) at work.

The biggest risk is to those working in construction, agriculture and grounds maintenance. However, there may be a small number of Buckinghamshire Council employees who may be at risk due to the nature of their work, for example Caretakers/Site Managers, street cleansing operatives, grounds maintenance operatives, mechanics and technicians.

The types of equipment and tools that could cause a health risk from HAV include strimmers, lawn mowers, and handheld power tools. WBV may be a risk from operating off road vehicles including ride-on mowers, golf buggies and tractors, plus forklift trucks, telehandlers and mechanical sweepers used on roadways or hard surfaces. Ill health is caused by regular and frequent exposure to hand-arm and/or whole-body vibration; occasional exposure is unlikely to cause ill health.

Health risks to those exposed to hand-arm vibration include tingling and numbness in the fingers, inability to feel things properly, loss of strength in the hands, the fingers going white (blanching) and becoming red and painful on recovery, reducing ability to work in cold or damp conditions, e.g. outdoors. These effects can lead to two forms of permanent ill-health known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Both can severely affect work and social activities.

The risk to health of those exposed to whole-body vibration via the seat and/or feet are principally back pain caused or made worse by work activities.

The legislation requires employers to: -

• Make sure that risks from vibration are controlled.

• Provide information, instruction and training to employees on the risk and the actions being taken to control risk.

• Provide suitable health surveillance.

The Vibration Regulations include an exposure action value (EAV), and an exposure limit value (ELV).

For HAV this is based on a combination of the vibration at the grip point(s) on the equipment or workpiece and the time spent gripping it. The exposure action and limit values are as follows where m/s² is the exposure in units of metres per second squared, and A(8) means the limits are for an average over 8 hours:

• A daily EAV of 2.5 m/s² A(8) that represents a clear risk requiring management.

• A daily ELV of 5 m/s² A(8) that represents a high risk above which employees should not be exposed.

Employers must reduce the risks from vibration to the lowest level reasonably practicable and to reduce exposure to as low as is reasonably practicable if it is above the EAV. Exposures must not exceed the ELV.

For WBV the exposure action and limit values are:

• A daily EAV of 0.5 m/s2 A(8). WBV risks are low for exposures around the action value and only simple control measures are usually necessary.

• A daily ELV of 1.15 m/s2 A(8). Operators of some off-road machines and vehicles may exceed the limit value but this will depend on the task, vehicle speed, ground conditions, driver skill and duration of the operation.

You can reduce vibration exposure by reducing one or both of:

• the vibration transmitted to the hand or body; and

• the time spent driving off-road vehicles or vehicles which are driven over uneven surfaces; holding vibrating equipment or workpieces.

Manager Responsibilities

Managers are responsible for identifying those tasks which may expose employees to vibration (a list of the types of equipment which may cause a problem is listed in Appendix 1). Where a risk has been identified, by carrying out a risk assessment a decision can be made about what action is needed, developing a plan to control the risk, and acting accordingly. Please refer to Health and Safety Policies and Procedures section 2.1: Risk Assessment Policy on BucksNet or SchoolsWeb.

If employees are exposed: -

• Carry out a more detailed survey of the equipment in use in collaboration with relevant staff, to include

• Record the type of equipment/machinery/vehicle in use.

• The age and condition of the equipment/machinery/vehicle.

• Whether the manufacturer warns of risks of HAV or WBV in the equipment/machinery/vehicle handbook.

• Whether it is regularly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

• The duration of use whilst the equipment/machinery/vehicle is vibrating and whether it is being used or driven correctly.

• Whether employees are being jolted, continuously shaken, or visibly rising in the seat when driving over bumps.

• Whether road-going vehicles are being driven regularly off-road or over poorly paved surfaces for which they are not suitable, or the road surface is significantly potholed, cracked or covered in rubble.

For hand-arm vibration:

• Ask employees if they have any existing symptoms of HAVS or CTS or have a health condition which may make them more susceptible, such as arthritis and diabetes, or hand injuries such as frostbite. If they do, you will need to take steps to stop their symptoms getting worse, even if they are exposed below the EAV.

• Ask employees if they feel tingling or numbness during or after exposure to vibration. If they do, their exposure to vibration may be causing them harm.

• Where there is a possibility that the Exposure Action Value may be reached, arrange for a formal vibration exposure assessment to take place to confirm the actual exposure to employees.

For whole-body vibration:

• Ask employees if they have any existing health conditions that would put them at risk from unusually high vibration or jolting, such as musculoskeletal disorders or are recovering from back surgery. If they do, you will need to take steps to stop their symptoms getting worse, even if they are exposed below the EAV.

• If the employee is a new or expectant mother, you will need to carry out a risk assessment in accordance with the Buckinghamshire Council New and Expectant Mothers at Work policy on SchoolsWeb New and expectant mothers at work | SchoolsWeb or BucksNet health-and-safety-new-and-expectant-mothers.docx

• Ensure young and inexperienced workers receive comprehensive information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure they understand the risks and control measures associated with WBV.

• Based on your findings of the vibration exposure to employees introduce control measures which will comply with the Vibration Regulations.

For hand-arm vibration:

• Provide information, training, and instruction on the health risks and controls, with appropriate supervision.

• Explore ways of working that avoid or reduce the need to hold vibrating equipment or workpieces.

• Reducing vibration at source by purchasing or hiring equipment with lower vibration alternatives.

• Maintaining equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

• Plan work schedules to minimise vibration exposures and ensure they are below the ELV.

• Ensure employees wear warm clothing, including gloves as appropriate, to maintain good blood circulation. Please note however that wearing gloves will not reduce the amount of vibration transmitted into and through the hands.

• When purchasing handheld equipment check that it will be suitable for the task and compare vibration emission information for different brands and models (noise levels should be checked in the same way). Take into account equipment efficiency and your specific requirements. Bear in mind equipment may have a higher vibration emission level but do the job in a quarter of the time of a lower vibration model leading to a lower exposure to HAV overall. Manufacturer’s information must be checked before purchase.

• Ensure health surveillance is carried out for any employees likely to be exposed at or above the EAV, and for employees who have a diagnosis of HAVS or CTS and exposure continues below the EAV.

For whole-body vibration:

• Refer to vehicle/equipment/machinery handbooks for advice on the risks from WBV and how to reduce them.

• Instruct and train drivers about the risks of WBV and how to operate vehicles safely and efficiently.

• Train and instruct operators and drivers to adjust the driver weight setting on their suspension seats, seat position and controls, if available.

• Ensure drivers follow worksite routes to avoid travelling over rough surfaces and adjust the vehicle speed to suit the ground conditions to avoid excessive bumping and jolting.

• Select vehicles/equipment/machinery with appropriate size, power and capacity for the work and ground conditions.

• Maintain the surface of site roadways and paved surfaces as far as is reasonably practicable to remove potholes and ridges.

• Maintain vehicle suspension systems correctly and ensure suspension seats are replaced according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Replace solid tyres on any machinery (e.g. fork-lift trucks, sweepers, floor scrubbers) before they reach their wear limits.

• Ensure work schedules avoid long periods of WBV exposure in a single day and incorporate regular breaks, particularly for those who may be at higher risk from WBV.

• Monitor the health of employees exposed to WBV and refer those with back or musculoskeletal problems to your service or school occupational health service.

• You must report new cases, or significant worsening of existing symptoms of HAVS and CTS under RIDDOR (see Section 3.1 Accident/Incident Reporting Policy).

• Retain health records containing information on the outcome of health surveillance and fitness for work. Health records must be kept confidential.

• Contact the Health and Safety Team for further advice and assistance.

Employee Responsibilities

If you regularly use vehicles, equipment or machinery causing whole-body vibration, handheld or hand-guided power tools or machines (examples of the types of work vehicles/equipment/machinery are listed in Appendix 1):

• Make sure your manager has carried out an assessment of the risks of WBV and HAV.

• Report to your manager any existing back or musculoskeletal problems which may be made worse by WBV, if you have had recent back surgery or are a new or expectant mother.

• Report possible vibration damage to your manager, early signs include:

• Tingling or numbness in the fingers.

• Not being able to feel things with your fingers.

• Loss of strength in your hands.

• In cold or wet conditions, the tips of your fingers going white then red and being painful on recovery.

• New or increased back pain.

• Make sure you understand and follow the control measures listed in any HAV or WBV risk assessment.

• Follow the guidance set out in Appendix 2 ‘Hand-arm vibration advice for employees’ and HSE publication Drive away bad backs: Advice for mobile machine operators and drivers INDG404