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SCOPE AND STANDING OF DOCUMENTATION:
Legislation - Regulation
PURPOSE OF DOCUMENTATION:
The aim of the regulations is to protect people against the risk to their health arising from exposure to vibration at work. To improve safety procedures to workers who operate machinery etc which causes vibration.
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ACTION:
The Employer is responsible for ensuring that risks are managed.
OVERVIEW OF CONTENT:
Implementation Date - 6 July 2005
Vibration referred to in the regulations is mechanical vibration arising out of or in connection with work.
Where there is a risk of exposure the employer is required to assess the daily exposure to vibration of their employees. The assessment should include control measures required to meet the requirements of the regulations. When completing the assessment the employer should take into account the magnitude, type and duration of exposure including exposure to intermittent vibration or repeated shocks, effects of vibration on employees, workplace and work equipment, information provided by the manufacturers of the equipment, specific working conditions, alternative equipment and health surveillance information.
The regulations define daily exposure as the quantity of mechanical vibration a worker is exposed to during a working day, normalize to an 8 hour reference period, which takes into account the magnitude and duration of the vibration.
There are 2 levels of exposure that require identification and action:Exposure action value - when the level of daily exposure for any worker if reached or exceeded requires specified action to be taken to reduce the risk. For hand arm vibration this is 5 m/s2 A(8). For whole body vibration this is 1.15 m/s2 A(8).
Exposure limit value - the level of daily exposure for any worker must not be exceeded, except where other levels are defined. For hand-arm vibration this is 2.5 m/s2 A(8). For whole body vibration this is 0.5 m/s2 A(8).
Within the regulations there are details on how to calculate the exposure levels.
The employer is required to eliminate the vibration at source or reduce it to as low a level as reasonably practicable.
The employer is required to ensure that employees are not exposed to vibration above the exposure limit value.
Where the vibration level is usually below the exposure action value but varies markedly, it may occasionally exceed the exposure limit value provided that any exposure averaged over one week is less than the exposure limit value, there is evidence that the risk from the actual pattern of exposure is less than the corresponding risk from constant exposure at the exposure limit value, the risk is reduced and the employees affected have increased health surveillance.
Health surveillance should take place on employees exposed to vibration.
Appropriate information and training should be provided to employees at risk from exposure to vibration.
PRIORITY RISK FOR THE BUSINESS:
Where there is a risk of vibration exposure the company should prioritise this and consider action to be taken without delay.
For other companies this should be used for information and consideration if a risk of exposure to vibration is introduced into the business.
IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
Where there is a risk of exposure to vibration a full review of policies, practices and assessments is required. Vibration monitoring should be carried out to identify exposure levels within the workplace to ensure that the action and exposure levels are not exceeded.
Compiled by:
Perry Scott Nash Associates Ltd
Date: September 2005
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