Managing the risk of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)

There is increasing awareness of the dangers of contracting HAVS and the debilitating effect this can have on workers. The EEC directive [2002/44/EC] limits the intake of daily vibration by employees and failing to adhere to this has proved very costly in a number of recent cases where employees have been severely affected by HAVS.

HAVS is transmitted into the hands and arms of power equipment users. Exposure over a period of time can lead to potentially disabling health problems as it affects the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and joints. Most concerning is the way that it can build up slowly and increase in severity over months and possibly years. Employees in industries such as construction, quarrying, agriculture, transport and maritime are likely to be most affected.

With over 5 million people in the UK exposed to vibration on a regular basis it is estimated that in excess of 2 million of these are sufficiently exposed to serious risk of contracting HAVS. It is therefore vital that control measures are in place to both monitor the workforce for signs of HAVs and to control their exposure to minimise the risks of damage.

An increasing number of management tools have come to market. These measure the likely exposure of workers to vibration during the day and indicate when the recommended daily exposure limit has been reached. These include the Curo from Curotec International, which has the flexibility to encompass either HAVS or WBVS; the HAVI from Havi and the HAVMETER from Reactec both of which focus on HAVS only.