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The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005

The above Regulations came into force on 6 th July 2005. They impose duties on the University to protect employees who may be exposed risks from either hand-arm or whole-body vibration at work, and others who might be affected by the work.

The Regulations introduce an exposure action value(EAV) and an exposure limit value (ELV) for daily exposure to vibration (see below).

The exposure action value (EAV) is a daily amount of vibration exposure above which employers are required to take action to control exposure. The greater the exposure level, the greater the risk and the more action needed to reduce the risk.

The exposure limit value (ELV) is the maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed on any single day.

 

The Regulations:

  • require risk assessment;
  • require elimination or, where elimination is not reasonably practicable, reduction of exposure to as low a level as reasonably practicable;
  • require action to be taken when exposure is at a limit value;
  • allow weekly averaging of exposure to vibration in specific circumstances;
  • require health surveillance; and
  • require information, instruction and training to be provided to staff who may be exposed to vibration at work.

The Regulations allow a transitional period for the exposure limit value untilJuly 2010 (or until 2014 for the agricultural and forestry sectors). This only applies to machines or vehicles first supplied to staff before July 2007. The exposurelimit value may be exceeded during the transitional periods so long as you have complied with all the other requirements of the regulations and taken all reasonably practicable actions to reduce exposure as much as you can.

 

Hand-arm vibration daily exposure

 

a) exposure limit value (ELV) is set at 5m/s 2 A (8), where A(8) represents the time weighted average over eight hours;

b) exposure action value (EAV) is set at 2.5 m/s 2 A(8)

 

Whole-body vibration daily exposure

 

a). exposure limit value (ELV) is set 1.15 m/s 2 A (8);

b). exposure action value (EAV) is set at 0.5 m/s 2 A(8)

 

The exposure values are based on the vibration total value, a figure obtained from vibration measurements in three perpendicular directions, using a method given in BS EN ISO 5349-1:2001

 

Action by Heads

Heads of Schools/Units should arrange for the following action to be taken:

i) Identification of all School/Unit equipment which may give rise to a hand-arm or whole-body vibration risk;

ii). Ensure that appropriate control measures are put in place for any equipment which may expose a user to vibration which exceeds any statutory vibration exposure limit;

iii) If necessary seek advice from the Director of Environmental, Health sand Safety Services.

 

Further Guidance

Guidance on the Regulations is given in the following HSE publications:

 

  • Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 - Guidance on the Regulations (L140) - (HSE Books, ISBN: 0 7176 6125 3);
  • Hand-Arm Vibration - Advice for Employees (INDG 296 rev1) (HSE Books, ISBN: 0 7176 6118 0);
  • Drive away bad back s - Advice for mobile machine operators and drivers (INDG 404) (HSE Books ISBN: 0 7176 6120 2);
  • Control the risks from hand arm vibration - Advice for employers on the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (INDG 242 rev1) (HSE Books ISBN: 0 7176 6119 9);
  • Vibration Solutions - Practical ways to reduce the risk of hand arm vibration injury (HSG 170) (HSE Books ISBN: 0 7176 0954 5).