Employers' responsibilities - legal duties

What do the Regulations require employers to do?

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations require employers to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety from exposure to vibration at work. Employees have duties under the regulations too. The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations require you as an employer to:

  • Assess[64] the vibration risk to your employees;
  • Take action[65] to reduce vibration exposure that produces those risks
  • Decide if employees are likely to be exposed above the:
    • Daily exposure action value (EAV) and if they are:
      introduce a programme of controls to eliminate risk, or reduce exposure to as low a level as is reasonably practicable;
    • Daily exposure limit value (ELV) and if they are:
      take immediate action to reduce their exposure below the limit value;
  • Make sure the legal limits on vibration exposure are not exceeded;
  • Provide information and training[66] to employees on health risks and the actions you are taking to control those risks;
  • Carry out health surveillance[67] (regular health checks) where there is a risk to health;
  • Consult your trade union safety representative or employee representative on your proposals to control risk and to provide health surveillance
  • Keep a record of your risk assessment and control actions;
  • Keep health records for employees under health surveillance;
  • Review and update your risk assessment regularly.

Vibration Levels

What are the exposure action and limit values (EAV/ELV)?

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 require you to take specific action when the daily vibration exposure reaches a certain action value.

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 employers will need to take to reduce the risk. For hand-arm vibration the EAV is a daily exposure of 2.5 m/s2 A(8).

The actions you need to take are described in the rest of the employers' web pages.

There is also a level of vibration exposure that must not be exceeded. This is called the exposure limit value.

The exposure limit value (ELV) is the maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on any single day. For hand-arm vibration the ELV is a daily exposure of 5 m/s2 A(8). It represents a high risk above which employees should not be exposed.

How vibration level and duration affect exposure

Figure 1 How vibration level and duration affect exposure

The Regulations allow a transitional period for the limit value until July 2010. This only applies to work equipment already in use before July 2007. The exposure limit value may be exceeded during the transitional period as 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.

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. Health surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/healthsurveillance.htm
  62. How to assess the riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/assessrisks.htm
  63. How to protect your workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/protect.htm
  64. Assesshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/assessrisks.htm
  65. Take actionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/controlrisks.htm
  66. information and traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/information.htm
  67. health surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/healthsurveillance.htm
  68. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/publications.htm
  69. Vibration calculatorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/calculator-guide.htm
  70. Regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/regulations.htm
  71. How to protect employeeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vIBRAtIon/hav/advicetoemployers/protect.htm

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2024-02-29