Information and training to give to employees

You should provide your employees with information on:

  • The health effects of hand-arm vibration;
  • Sources of hand-arm vibration;
  • Whether they are at risk, and if so whether the risk is high (above the ELV), medium (above the EAV) or low;
  • The risk factors (eg the levels of vibration, daily exposure duration, regularity of exposure over weeks, months and years);
  • How to recognise and report symptoms;
  • The need for health surveillance, how it can help them remain fit for work, how you plan to provide it, how you plan to use the results and the confidentiality of the results;
  • Ways to minimise risk including:
    • Changes to working practices to reduce vibration exposure;
    • Correct selection, use and maintenance of equipment;
    • Correct techniques for equipment use, how to reduce grip force etc;
    • Maintenance of good blood circulation at work by keeping warm and massaging fingers and, if possible, cutting down on smoking.

Make sure you give information in a way the employee can be expected to understand (for example you might need to make special arrangements if the employee does not understand English or cannot read).

Further information on vibration[61]

Employee and safety representatives

Consulting with trade union appointed safety representatives or other employee representatives is a legal requirement. Working with safety representatives and employees representatives is a very useful means of communicating health and safety matters in your workplace. For example consult them over your proposals for training and information and your health surveillance programme.

Remember: involving your employees in decisions can help improve working relationships, make your employees more receptive to new ideas and help you control exposure to hand-arm vibration.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/index.htm
  2. Hand arm vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/index.htm
  3. About this websitehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/about.htm
  4. Key messageshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/keymessages.htm
  5. Worried about your handshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/yourhands.htm
  6. Overview - Advice for employershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/index.htm
  7. Employers responsibilitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/responsibilities.htm
  8. Assess riskhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/assessrisks.htm
  9. Overview - How to protect workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/protect.htm
  10. Control riskhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/controlrisks.htm
  11. Information and traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/information.htm
  12. Health surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/healthsurveillance.htm
  13. Overview - Good practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/index.htm
  14. Overview - Foundrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/index.htm
  15. Eliminate fettling by improving casting qualityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/fettlingelimination.htm
  16. Machining as a substitute for fettlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/machining.htm
  17. Automatic fettlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/automaticfettling.htm
  18. Jig-mounting of grindershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/jigmounting.htm
  19. Semi-automatic cut off machinehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/cutoffmachine.htm
  20. Isolated casting cut offhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/isolatedcasting.htm
  21. Installation of hydraulic cropping machinehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/hydrauliccropping.htm
  22. Shell knockout 1https://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/castingshell.htm
  23. Shell knockout 2https://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/contactcastingshell.htm
  24. Hydraulic pushouthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/furnaceliningremoval.htm
  25. Ladle slag chippinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/foundries/chippingslag.htm
  26. Overview - Constructionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/index.htm
  27. Preparing a code of practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/tunnelling.htm
  28. Construction Industry Council guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/cicguidance.htm
  29. Mounted breakerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/mountedroadbreaker.htm
  30. Directional drillinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/directionaldrilling.htm
  31. Crushing concretehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/crushingconcrete.htm
  32. Bursting concretehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/burstingconcrete.htm
  33. Diamond wire cuttinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/diamondwire.htm
  34. Water jettinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/waterjetting.htm
  35. Codes of Practice from the Water Jetting Associationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/codeofpractice.htm
  36. Grit blastinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/gritblasting.htm
  37. Paint-on retarderhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/paintonmaterial.htm
  38. Special formworkhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/construction/specialformwork.htm
  39. Overview - Steel fabricationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/fabrication/index.htm
  40. Machininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/fabrication/cncmachining.htm
  41. Laser cuttinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/fabrication/lasercutter.htm
  42. Plasma cuttinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/fabrication/plasmacutting.htm
  43. Noise reduction in the ship repair industry – research report 1992https://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/fabrication/noisereduction.htm
  44. Abrasive blastershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/campaign/fabrication/abrasiveblasters.htm
  45. Overview - Regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/regulations.htm
  46. Inspector briefinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/inspectorbriefing.htm
  47. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/information.htm
  48. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/publications.htm
  49. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/research.htm
  50. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/statistics.htm
  51. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/links.htm
  52. Vibration calculatorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/calculator-guide.htm
  53. Overview - Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/casestudies/index.htm
  54. (HAVS) in two motor companieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/casestudies/enforceex.htm
  55. Monitoring exposure to Hand-Arm Vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/casestudies/mhav-carlwest.htm
  56. Overview - Supply project eventshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/project-events.htm
  57. Controlling vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/controlling-vibration.htm
  58. Q & A on hand toolshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/hand-tools-qa.htm
  59. Q & A on using a vibration consultanthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/qa-consultant.htm
  60. Q & A on health surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/qa-surveillance.htm
  61. Further information on vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/information.htm
  62. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/publications.htm
  63. Vibration calculatorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/calculator-guide.htm

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2021-05-19