| Calculating daily hand-arm vibration exposure |
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome has become one of the most commonly reported diseases under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR). New UK legislation now lays down action levels and control measures for differing amounts of vibration exposure. However, calculating daily exposure to employees who use different pieces of equipment can prove difficult and time-consuming.
At this long-established Cornish quarry, an exercise was conducted to evaluate and measure actual vibration levels of hand tools used by stone masons and quarry men. A unique exposure points system was then introduced which is used to mark equipment with colour-coded plastic tags according to the vibration levels they emit i.e. green for low, amber for medium and red for high. Exposure points shown on the tags attached to each tool used during the day are simply added together by the operators to estimate and manage their own vibration exposure. They are then recorded on a form.
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