HAVS News - HSE Healthy Handling Initiative - 2005-03-02

HSE GUIDANCE SHOWS EMPLOYERS HOW TO REDUCE HARMFUL VIBRATION AT WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE E117:97 3 July 1997

HSE'S NEW GUIDANCE SHOWS EMPLOYERS HOW TO REDUCE HARMFUL VIBRATION AT WORK

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today launched "Vibration Solutions" - a book which provides practical help to employers on how to deal with the serious risk of hand-arm vibration injury at work. The book - which will form a cornerstone of the third phase of HSE's major occupational health campaign "Good Health is Good Business" which begins in Spring 1998 - includes 51 practical examples. The case studies are taken from 16 different industries in the UK, including construction, forestry, foundry and shipbuilding, which have reduced the risk of hand-arm vibration injury in their premises.

Research indicates that around 170,000 people at work experience high vibration exposures. Without effective controls, they may suffer various forms of damage, collectively known as 'hand-arm vibration syndrome' (HAVS). These painful and disabling conditions include poor blood circulation, damaged nerves and weakened muscles - all reduce normal use of hands and arms. One of the conditions, known as 'Vibration White Finger' (VWF), which is a prescribed disease under the Industrial Injuries Scheme, is estimated to affect around 20,000 people alone, with around 1,400 new cases being reported each year. At the launch of the book today, Dr Peter Graham, Head of HSE's Health Directorate, said: "Reducing vibration at source is the preferred way to reduce the risk of serious damage to workers' arms and hands. The case studies show how companies have reduced exposure to harmful vibration by selecting low vibration equipment. Others show that by changing work processes, the length of time that people are exposed to vibration can be reduced or eliminated altogether. Some of the companies mentioned in the book have not only reduced vibration exposure but have gained other benefits - for example financial savings, increased production and an improvement in the quality of work." "This book demonstrates that reduced risk of vibration injury is achievable and we want to get this message across to managers and decision makers in industry." And that message was reinforced by Kneale Talbot, Technical Director of Terrill Brothers (Founders) Limited, which featured in one of the case studies (number 16, page 30) : "We found that there are many ways to reduce vibration exposure in a fettling shop. I can say with some justification that we have gained lots of benefits from the introduction of new machinery - including the elimination of vibration exposure; the reduction of noise, dust and fume levels; plus an increase in productivity." Dr Graham added: "I hope all employers in industries which use powered hand-held tools, hand-fed, or hand-guided equipment that pass high levels of vibration into workers' hands will buy this book and make good use of the ideas to reduce vibration exposure.

The costs of ignoring this problem can be high - both to the company as well as to the employee. Vibration injuries can be reduced". Copies of the publication 'Vibration Solutions - Practical ways to reduce the risk of hand-arm vibration injury,' HS(G)170, ISBN 0 7176 0954 5 are available, price #13.75, from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS, telephone: 01787-881165, or from booksellers.

The number of workers suffering from HAVS is estimated at 20,000 in Great Britain. The number of reported new cases assessed by the Department of Social Security (DSS) for the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) rose in 1994/95 to 1745 compared to around 1400 in each of the previous two years. DSS estimates that in April 1995 there were only 1830 people receiving payment for VWF, including cases assessed in earlier years. This is because many cases have less than 14 % disability and are therefore not eligible for IIDB.

The case study examples for 'Vibration Solutions' were collected on behalf of HSE by noise and vibration consultants A V Technology Limited. Hand transmitted vibration magnitude is measured in terms of the acceleration of the surface in contact with the hand. The acceleration of the surface is normally expressed in units of meters per second squared (m/s2)

HSC/E's 'Good Health is Good Business' campaign was launched in May 1995. It aims to raise awareness of occupational health and improve employers' competence in managing health risks in the workplace. The overriding objective is to bring about a reduction in the incidence of occupational ill health. Hand-arm vibration is one of the risks to be highlighted in the third phase of the campaign due to start in Spring 1998 for 18 months. 'Good Health is Good Business' will also be a key health and safety theme of the 1998 UK Presidency of the European Union.

EXAMPLES OF CASE STUDIES Four of the case studies are summarised below: (A) One ceramics company replaced the traditional pedestal grinders used to rectify blemishes on ceramic ware with specially designed bench-top belt grinding and polishing machines (linishers). The new machines more than doubled productivity and cost £2,500 each. The vibration magnitude produced was halved from 4 m/s2 to 2 m/s2. (case study 43) (B) Demolishing concrete structures could have been done with small pneumatic breakers which might have caused typical worker vibration exposures of 7 m/s2 A(8). A wall was cut away from a building by drilling lines of overlapping holes using a diamond drill [stitch drilling]. Each section of wall was then broken up by 'biting' off pieces with a hydraulic concrete crusher. The operator's exposure to vibration is negligible. The cost is about 50% more than the cost of using pneumatic breakers on the same job, but noise nuisance to neighbours is removed and structural damage is avoided. (case study 4) (C) In a small alloy steel foundry, runners and risers used to be cut from castings using hand-held disc cutters. This operation produced an average vibration magnitude of 5 m/s2. The company bought an enclosed cut-off machine for £135,000, where the casting is mounted in a simple fixture and cut by a large abrasive disc on a permanent arm. The operators are not exposed to vibration and the exposure to dust, noise and fumes has reduced. The machine paid for itself in 2 years both through improved productivity and greatly reduced disc consumption. (case study 16) (D) A large shipbuilding company used to clean out tanks using needle scalers. This operation exposed staff to vibration magnitudes in the range 11 to 23 m/s2. The needle scalers were replaced with portable vacuum blasting machines costing about #1,000 each, and the operator is exposed to vibration magnitude below 1 m/s2. This has also led to a large reduction in both noise and fumes, and has improved productivity and reduced costs. (case study 23) Public Enquiries: Call HSE's InfoLine, tel: 0541 545500, or write to: HSE Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield, S3 7HQ. HSE information and press releases can be accessed on the Internet http://www.hse.gov.uk/