The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set out requirements and offences relevant to vibration that workers may be exposed to at work.
This includes 'hand-arm vibration' (mechanical vibration which is transmitted into the hands and arms during a work activity), 'mechanical vibration' (vibration occurring in a piece of machinery or equipment or in a vehicle as a result of its operation) and 'whole-body vibration' (mechanical vibration which is transmitted into the body, when seated or standing, through the supporting surface, during a work activity).
The regulations set out the need for the organisation to:
The health damage caused by vibration at work can be long-term, painful and debilitating. Workers involved in using hand-held power tools, such as road breakers, hand-guided equipment and powered lawnmowers, or workers holding materials that are being fed into machines, are at risk of illnesses affecting blood vessels, nerves and joints; the key ones being ‘hand-arm vibration syndrome’ (HAVS) and ‘carpal tunnel syndrome’ (CTS). Workers who are driving or riding on vehicles and machinery used off-road, such as earth-moving machines, vehicles used for construction, mining, quarrying and agricultural purposes, are all at risk of ‘whole-body vibration’ (WBV). Here the vehicle jolts and shakes the whole body which can lead to back problems.
The vibration health risks caused to the hands by frequent and regular use of hand-held power tools must be managed in the workplace. Although HAVS is preventable, once the damage has been done, it is permanent and irreversible. If the fingers get cold, they may experience ‘blanching’, which is where they go white. When they recover, as the blood flow is restored, they become painful. Workers may also experience tingling and numbness in the fingers and lose strength in their hands, which may affect their ability to grip things or work safely. If workers regularly operate hammer action tools for more than about 15 minutes per day or operate rotary or other action tools for more than about one hour per day, there is a high risk of vibration damage.
There are hundreds of different types of hand-held power tools that can cause ill health from vibration. Examples of some common ones include:
Vibration exposure can be high in many industries. The following industries are examples of where workplace vibration can be particularly high:
