Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome

Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) can occur as a result of using specific types of equipment or machinery at work.

One of the most likely culprits generally is hand-held or hand-guided power tools. Misuse or overuse of such equipment can lead to severe health problems that can be disabling and painful. These include serious disorders affecting joints, nerves and blood vessels.

Up to 2 million people in UK workplaces may be exposed to disabling health problems as a result of vibrations transmitted through work processes and tools! It’s important to be aware that HAVS is entirely preventable, although its effects can be permanent, and responsible employers will take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and welfare of their workforce.

Health problems associated with HAVS

It is an employer’s responsibility to be mindful of their employees’ risk levels when scheduling work. Employers are also required to be vigilant about dealing promptly with any health issues that arise. Incorrect use of power tools can rob an individual of their normal abilities. Regular and frequent exposure to hand-arm vibration can lead to two forms of permanent ill health known as: hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Symptoms and effects of CTS can also occur and include: tingling, numbness, pain and weakness in the hand which can interfere with work and everyday tasks and might affect the ability to do work safely. Symptoms of both may come and go, but with continued exposure to vibration they may become prolonged or permanent and cause pain, distress and sleep disturbance. This can happen after only a few months of exposure, but in most cases it will happen over a few years.

If you or your work colleagues use core drills then choosing the right drill is important to limit the transfer of vibration.

FACT… many core drills are not equipped with any consideration for these irreversible life changing symptoms!

HAVS is preventable, but once the damage is done it is permanent.

Minimising risk

In 2005, The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations was introduced to improve protection against HAVS. These regulations set out specific values relating to exposure.

The government has set out ways to measure the impact of vibration according to two criteria:

Daily exposure action value (EAV)
Daily exposure limit value (ELV)

In the case of exceeding EAV, it is the employer’s responsibility to introduce a programme of controls that will either eliminate risk, or reduce employees’ exposure to as low a level as is practicable. In the case of exceeding ELV, employers must take immediate action to reduce employees’ exposure until it is below the limit value.

THERE IS NO PRICE ON PREVENTION BUT WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TODAY THERE IS A CHOICE!

Vibration Regulations

The Vibration Regulations include an exposure action value (EAV) and an exposure limit value (ELV) based on a combination of the vibration at the grip point(s) on the equipment or work-piece and the time spent gripping it. The exposure action and limit values are: a daily EAV of 2.5 m/s2 A(8) that represents a clear risk requiring management; and a daily ELV of 5 m/s2 A(8) that represents a high risk above which employees should not be exposed.

Your duties are to reduce the risks from vibration to the lowest level reasonably practicable and to reduce exposure to as low as is reasonably practicable if it is above the EAV. You must not allow exposures to exceed the ELV. If you comply with the Vibration Regulations you will prevent disability from HAVS and vibration-related CTS. Some people will develop early signs and symptoms of HAVS or CTS even at low exposures (for example, if they are susceptible to vibration injury and are regularly exposed to vibration at around the exposure action value, usually for some years). Your health surveillance should identify any harm early on, so appropriate action by you at this point will prevent disability.

Early Signs & Symptoms

If you are worried about long term and permanent risks to your health and you use hand-held or hand-guided power tools regularly, be aware of the early signs that you may have a problem:

Loss of strength in your hands – you may have difficulty picking up or holding heavy objects
Loss of the ability to feel things with your fingers
the fingers going white (blanching) and becoming red and painful on recovery, reducing ability to work in cold or damp conditions.
tingling and numbness in the fingers which can result in an inability to do fine work (for example, assembling small components) or everyday tasks safely.
Persistent numbness and tingling in the fingers, which sometimes causes sleep disturbance

Permanent Problems & Symptoms

Permanent problems can result from these symptoms if you continue to use vibrating power tools, such as:

The strength in your hands may diminish so that it becomes difficult to pick up small objects.
Your hands may become permanently numb so that you are unable to feel things at all

Employers who are worried about their employees partial or total exposure to HAVS should make a point of keeping up with current technological advances, as new products, that could replace some of the more traditional machinery.