What is hand-arm vibration and what is my responsibility as an employer?
Hand-arm vibration is the transmission of vibration from work processes into workers' hands and arms. It can be caused by using hand-held power tools like road breakers and hand-guided equipment like powered lawnmowers, or by holding materials that are being processed by machines like pedestal grinders. Regular and frequent exposure to hand-arm vibration can have long-term health consequences such as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome.
The control of hand-arm vibration regulations came into place in the UK in 2005 requiring all employees to to control vibration exposure in the workplace. As an employer, you are required by law to assess and identify measures to eliminate or reduce risks from hand-arm vibration exposure in order to protect your employees' health.
When the risks are low, you can take simple and inexpensive actions, but when the risks are high, you should manage them with a prioritised action plan to control exposure to hand-arm vibration. You must ensure that: vibration control measures are properly implemented; and you provide information, training, and health surveillance. If anything changes that may affect vibration exposures, you must review what your safety measures are.
What are the legal requirements and consequences of not complying?
The regulations state an:
“An employer who carries out work which is liable to expose any of his employees to risk from vibration shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk created by that work to the health and safety of those employees and the risk assessment shall identify the measures that need to be taken to meet the requirements of these Regulations” (2005. No. 1093). You can read the full list of measures to be taken here
Failing to take appropriate safety measures could result in your business being at risk of personal injury claims by affected staff, as well as investigation and potential fines from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). On average 435 claims for compensation relating to hand-arm vibration injuries are reported every year in the UK and fines are increasing with a property company being issued a £0.6m fine in 2019. On average, micro organisations (with turnovers below £2m) can be fined £0.45m, small organisations up to £1.6m, medium organisations up to £4m and large organisations up to £10m.
Avoid detrimental fines and protect your employees by ensuring your business is legally compliant with relevant UK health and safety laws with our FREE, no obligation, legal compliance review. Contact us today for more information!
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