HAND ARM VIBRATION
HAND ARM VIBRATION SYNDROME
What is “Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome”?Also known as “Dead hand”, “Dead finger”, “White finger”, “Vibration white finger”, “White finger disease” and “Raynaud’s phenomenon, Hand arm Vibration Syndrome is a deterioration of a persons hand function caused by transmitted vibration.Vibration transmitted to the sufferers hand causes (vascular) damage to blood vessels, (neurological) damage to the nervous system and (muscoskeletal) damage to muscles and bones.
Symptoms include tingling, numbness, loss of grip, loss of dexterity and pain.
All of these symptoms grow in intensity with continued exposure to vibration.
Sufferers face long term and increasingly profound disablement.
Hand arm Vibration Syndrome is not a new disease.
People have been exposed to it for as long as they have been exposed to vibrating, equipment.
In 1918, Alice Hamilton MD (pictured), a doctor working in Bedford Indiana, when treating a patient who was suffering from the symptoms described above, noted ". . .the trouble seems to be caused by the vibrations of the tool, and cold. If these features can be eliminated the trouble can be decidedly lessened."
Almost one hundred years ago, a connection was made between vibrating equipment and classic HAV’s symptoms. However, for many years very little else was done and workers were offered scant protection from exposure to vibration.
As a result of the Robens report of 1972, the introduction of the Health & Safety at Work act 1974 gave employees in Great Britain the right to carry out their work without being unnecessarily put at risk of harm.
This was a ground breaking piece of legislation that changed the culture of working practices for ever in our country and saved many lives.
The Construction (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1996 offered further, much needed protection to those working in Britain’s most dangerous industry sector but still did not offer any specific protection against the effects of exposure to vibration.
The Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 was a significant step forward in ensuring that workers were entitled to be provided with equipment that was safe and suitable for the work being carried out , and the Management of health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 offered further protection measures , but it wasn’t until the introduction of the Control of Vibration regulations 2005, that employees were offered protection, specifically from the emissions of vibrating equipment.
Control of Vibration regulations 2005 sets out to protect workers from risks to their health & safety from exposure to vibration.
The solution to HAV’s is quite simple. Eliminate all human exposure to vibratory equipment.
In many cases, it is possible to automate the work process, eliminating the need for human contact with the source of vibration emissions.
Pictured right is an example of equipment designed to semi automate a drilling process, isolating the operator from vibration emissions.
Pictured below are examples of remote controlled equipment that can totally remove the operator from vibration exposure
Lawn mowers Road rollers
However, it is not always possible to completely eliminate an employee’s exposure.
In these instances, the Control of Vibration Regulations 2005 dictate that where complete isolation is not reasonably practical, measures must be taken to reduce exposure.
As a result, the marketplace has begun to demand equipment that produces less vibration emissions and consequently reduce exposure of the workforce.
Manufacturer’s response to this demand has been exceptional. Significant improvements have been made, not only in reduction of vibration emissions, but in efficiency, performance, ergonomics and quality of a whole range of products.
Changes to the methods used to establish the emissions by vibratory equipment has resulted in more accurate and reliable data that, in turn, enables more robust prevention planning at the workplace.
Resultant reductions in equipment vibration emissions have gone a long way to reducing the risks to end users but more can still be done.
There are many other factors which can affect and alter the risk end users are exposed to.
Environmental variables include humidity/moisture, temperature, the properties of the media being worked on and the ergonomics of the work location.
The health of the end user introduces another set of variables, including the operator’s blood pressure, circulation, diet, smoking and drinking habits.
The operational habits of the end user introduces more variables, such as being left or right handed, or light/ heavy handed.
In recent years the hire industry has done a terrific job in raising awareness of HAVs as an issue with our customers. Individual companies, trade associations and industry publications have all made great efforts under the guidance of the Health & Safety Executive. Information leaflets have been distributed and articles written, seminars have been held, training has been given.
When viewed as a whole, it is clear that there has been a mammoth effort by all industry partners and all of this effort has been aimed at minimising the risk to the end user and ensuring his or her continued good health and safety.
Martin Plant Hire Ltd has been at the vanguard of these developments and will continue to be. Our knowledgeable staff are here to assist and give the best guidance to our customers. We will continue to provide the best equipment, with the most appropriate consumables and protective equipment for the job.
We will continue to educate & inform our customers, who themselves can play a significant part in the education process. It is in the interests of employers and employees to learn & understand the nature, causes and symptoms of Hand Arm Vibration syndrome. Whenever possible, eliminating end user exposure through automation should be the employers preferred option. Obtaining the correct emissions data for equipment being used is crucial to ensuring that accurate end user exposure limits can be set. Long term health monitoring of employees will help to identify health problems at an early stage should an employee contract HAV’s.
Optimising, where possible, the ergonomic conditions of the end user, will further reduce exposure levels and continued provision of training, education & information will generate increased awareness of the workforce.
Martin Plant hire are Members of the Hire Association of Europe and provide HAV’s data using their HAV ‘traffic light system’. Vibration emission data, action & exposure limits are displayed in hours/minutes and in the points format used by HSE, along with practical advice for mitigating end user risk.
In addition, we can offer a method of measuring that will enable an employer or site manager to continuously monitor and protect his employee by means of the ToTm HAV’s management tool, which can provide accurate, real time vibration data, collected live, on site, on the job, by the end user, that can warn of impending exposure limits and record exposure histories for each end user, for use in individual long term health monitoring, helping our industry to ensure that Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome is soon consigned to the history books.
Posted on 21/12/2009
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Hand Arm Vibration
What is “Hand Arm Vibration Hand arm Vibration Syndrome is a deterioration of a persons hand function caused by transmitted vibration. more 21/12/2009