HOW
I
KNOW IF MY EMPLOYEES ARE AT RISK?
DO
The documentation supplied by the equipment manufacturer should warn you of risks
from vibration.You can also check yourself to see if hand-held power tools, hand-guided
and hand-fed machines are regularly used, and if so, whether anyone is, in particular:
▼ using hammer action equipment for more than half an hour each day;
▼ using rotary or other action equipment for more than 2 hours each day.
rotary action
hammer action
If so, your employees are probably at risk. Even
where employees are using vibrating tools or
machines for less than these times, there may still
be a risk and you should regularly (at least every six
months) ask them if they are getting any symptoms
of HAVS. Some simple questions you could ask are:
▼ Have your fingers gone white on exposure to cold?
▼ Have you had any tingling or numbness in your fingers after using vibrating equipment?
▼ Are you experiencing any problems with muscles or joints in your hands or arms?
▼ Do you have any difficulty picking up small objects such as screws or nails?
If the answer to any of these questions is `yes', assume that there is a risk from HAV to
your employees.You should refer the employee to a doctor and take action to reduce
exposure.
9
There is more detailed guidance on what you can do to assess the risk in HSE's
publication Hand-arm vibration (see page 13).