HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome) assessment are conducted to identify and evaluate the risks of developing HAVS in workers who are exposed to vibration through the use of hand-held power tools or other vibrating equipment. HAVS is a serious and potentially debilitating condition that can cause symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and loss of strength in the hands and arms.
Working with Vibration can quite easily become a real pain for you and your workers. Investing in getting the problems fixed will put your workers at ease from any symptoms that could become a problem, but also help you answer any criticism you may be facing from staff or authorities.
In order to identify the sources of vibration exposure in the workplace, the assessor will need to review relevant documentation, such as equipment maintenance records, and may also need to conduct site visits and interviews with workers.
Once the sources of vibration exposure have been identified, the assessor will evaluate the risks associated with those sources. This may include evaluating the intensity and duration of the vibration exposure, as well as the potential for workers to develop HAVS.
Based on the results of the assessment, the assessor will recommend controls to manage or eliminate the identified risks. These controls may include measures such as providing protective equipment, implementing safe work practices, and training workers on the proper use of vibrating equipment.
We have helped so many companies and individuals with HAVS and WBV . Please get in touch if you think we can help.
Since the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations were introduced in 2005, there have been some landmark cases and fines imposed including:
✅ The first prosecution was of Peugeot in 2006 and resulted in a £10k fine.
✅ In June 2018 Balfour Beatty were fined £500K for failing to adequately control the risks and for failing to report cases of Vibration White Finger (VWF) as required by RIDDOR .
✅ In August 2018, Nordam Europe were fined £400K when 100 employees were found to have been exposed to Vibration.
✅ In October 2018 British Airways Engineering were fined £80k for failing to adequately assess the risk from the use of vibrating tools.
✅ Since 2016 fines for Vibration-related prosecutions have totalled in excess of £2.3m
HAVS is the medical term for those who have been exposed to high vibration levels, typically powered tools, that causes damage to the fingers, hands and arms.
Typical symptoms include Numbness, Tingling, Parts of the fingers turning white, Pain, Loss of grip and Motor Skill and Weakness. There is another term called Reynaud`s disease which is sometimes diagnosed.
✅ To identify if you have any vibrating tools in the workplace
✅ To carry out an assessment
✅ To eliminate the risk or reduce exposure so far as is reasonably practicable
✅ To provide training to employees on the risks
✅ To implement health surveillance
✅ To record exposure.
✅ Eliminate vibration exposure by changing the work processes
✅ Reduce exposure by mechanistic
✅ Reduce exposure by good process control
✅ Avoid high-vibration tools, machines and accessories
✅ Maintain machines and accessories
✅ Reduce the transmission of vibration into the hand
✅ Reduce the duration of exposure (including job rotation)
✅ Keep warm and dry