Control of Vibration at Work Regulations

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations became law on 6 July 2005. The purpose of the regulations is to ensure workers don’t suffer ill health from vibration.

This ill health relates mainly to workplace hand-arm vibration. The regulations also cover whole-body vibration.

Background

A European Union Directive required each member country to pass laws that protect workers from the effects of vibration. The Directive was part of a general health and safety remit.

The regulations use the advice in this Directive. The law, however, applies only to work situations (therefore is classed under the term Occupational Health). It is not relevant to the general public engaged in non-work activities.

The overall aim of the regulations is to stop disability caused by hand-arm vibration. The target date for this is 2015.

A further intention of the regulations is to prevent workers suffering from advanced vibration diseases.

Technical Limits

The regulations give technical limits to the exposure of workers to vibration.

The first of these is an “exposure action value”. The regulations set this at 2.5m/s2 A(8). Once a piece of machinery or tool reaches this limit, employers must reduce workers’ exposure to vibration. They should do this by making technical changes and by managing the work environment more effectively.

The second technical limit is an “exposure limit value”. This is 5.0m/s2. Employers must never exceed this.

The regulations gave employers five years to meet the exposure limit value. During this time, companies could replace or adapt old machinery and tools. From 2010, the exposure limit value applies across the board.

Advice for Employers

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued advice to employers about the hazards of vibration at work and how to control them. The advice applies to every employer who has a business that uses hand-held or hand-guided machines, powered equipment and power tools.

Employers need to be aware that the regular use of vibrating equipment can lead to health problems. Doctors refer to some of these problems as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Hand-arm vibration can also cause disease, including carpal tunnel syndrome.

To avoid health problems, employers should keep an eye open for certain symptoms among their workers. The earlier an employer spots these, the better.

Such symptoms include lack of feeling in fingers and hands; numbness and tingling in fingers; loss of strength in hands; and fingers turning white then red.

Some workers experience these symptoms after exposure to vibration for just a matter of months. Other workers don’t have the symptoms for years. If neglected, the symptoms can be permanent.

If workers complain of pain in their fingers and hands, inability to sleep, clumsiness with their fingers, lack of strength in their hands, or whitening of fingers particularly in cold and damp weather, they may be over-exposed to vibration.

Advice for Workers

Workers who use machines and power tools should take note of the above symptoms. If they detect any symptoms, they should report the matter to their employers and consult a doctor.

General Advice

General advice is to use only well-maintained, low vibration tools and equipment, and not to use the same tool for a prolonged time. Workers should also keep their blood circulating by staying warm and dry wherever possible, and by exercising their fingers throughout the day.