The hand-arm vibration exposure calculator

Our hand-arm vibration calculator can assist you in calculating exposures. Before using the calculator please read the information and guidance leaflet below.

How to use the calculator

  1. The calculator is a spreadsheet file (Microsoft Excel) which may be downloaded and saved on your computer.
  2. Click on the white areas and enter a representative vibration magnitude (in m/s2) and an exposure duration (in hours and/or minutes). You can do this for up to six different machines or processes. Information on tool types may be entered directly into the tools/process names columns, or selected from a drop-down list of common tools with HSE's recommended initial value.
  3. The following values will then be calculated and displayed in the yellow cells on the right:
    • partial exposure (shown in both m/s2 A(8) and exposure points) for each tool or process, as calculated from the vibration magnitude and the exposure duration.
    • daily exposure, also in m/s2 A(8) and exposure points, as calculated from the partial exposures.
  4. In addition to the partial and total exposure values, the calculator also uses the vibration magnitudes to produce the following values:
    • exposure points per hour. The number of exposure points for every hour of exposure time for the individual machine or process.
    • time to reach EAV (exposure action value). This is the total exposure time required for the individual machine or process, before the EAV (2.5 m/s2 A(8) or 100 points) is reached.
    • time to reach ELV (exposure limit value). This is the total exposure time required for the individual machine or process, before the ELV (5 m/s2 A(8) or 400 points) is reached.
  5. The cells can be cleared for another calculation by clicking on the Reset Options in the bottom left-hand corner.

You can use the hand-arm vibration exposure calculator

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2024-04-18