VIBRATION AND NOISE AT WORK

MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE

AND OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

MARCH 2010

1.0INTRODUCTION

Exposure to noise and vibration can lead to serious illness and can have a detrimental affect on an employees’ life.

Six Town Housing have produced a policy, which should be read in conjunction with this guidance document, on how to manage exposure to noise and vibration. The policy outlines the management system that Six Town Housing will put in place to manage the risks from exposure to noise and vibration.

In order to control exposure, a colour coded tool tagging system has been introduced which will clearly identify to employees how long a particular tool may be used for, over a working day.

It is important that all employees and managers understand the colour coding system and abide by the time frames given.

It is also imperative that hearing protection is worn during all tasks where noise is generated, regardless of the amount of time spent on the task. Even if a task takes only a few minutes, it is still necessary to wear the appropriate hearing protection, as noise is addictive and even small exposures will add up over the course of the working day. This is necessary as the majority of the tools we use have noise levels above the lower exposure limit.

2.0GENERAL PROCEDURE

Six Town Housing will identify all equipment within the workplace and this will be compared to national statistics for the measurements of the same or similar tools operating under normal working conditions undertaken by INVS. This information will be maintained on a database and will include the measured, exact, similar or generic vibration and noise readings for these tools, the A(8) rating or m/s2 and the times to reach the upper limits.

The database will be kept and maintained by the Health and Safety Advisor.

Using data from the database, the Health and Safety Advisor will analyse which tools pose the biggest problem taking in account hearing protection.

Each individual tool used by Six Town Housing’s employees will then be adequately identified and will have attached to it a Hand Arm Vibration/Noise Data Tag, which will be colour coded and contain a time frame for safe use of that tool.

All employees will be asked to keep a mental or written log of time spent on each type of “Tagged” tool and to advise their line manager if they consider that they may have reached the maximum daily exposure before the end of their working day and where continuity of work cannot be achieved by job rotation.

It will be each employee’ and team leaders’ responsibility to minimise exposure through job rotation and the deployment of best practice.

3.0EMPLOYEES WITH SUSCEPTIBILITY

Employees who through medical screening have been identified as having symptoms of either hand arm vibration or noise induced hearing loss or other medical conditions, which may give a predisposition to the ill-nesses, may have extra restrictions with regard to exposure placed upon them. All such employees will be individually counseled and instructed on levels of exposure and control measures.

Employees who have been informed by Occupational Health that they have symptoms of Hand Arm Vibration or Noise Induced Hearing Loss, or similar, must discuss this with management.

4.0TOOL TAG PROCEDURE

  • When a new tool is purchased, appendix 1 should be completed and forwarded to the Health and Safety Advisor at Point Blue.
  • The Health and Safety Advisor will then check the database to determine whether there is any measurement information for that tool.
  • If there is no information, the Health and Safety Advisor will arrange for the tool to be measured under normal operating conditions
  • Once this is complete, or if there is measurement information, the Health and Safety Advisor will add this to the analysis spreadsheet and will complete the calculations to determine the tag code and suitable hearing protection.
  • The Health and Safety Advisor will then advise the relevant manager of the tag colour code.
  • The Manager should then order the relevant tag and arrange for it to be fixed to the tool.

5.0TOOL TAG COLOUR CODES

Six Town Housing have purchased a database which contains information of the majority of tools that are used within the organisation and compares this with actual measurements taken from the actual or similar tools measured under field operating conditions. This database will be regularly updated as and when new equipment is purchased.

Each piece of plant will be colour coded with a tag, dependent on the vibration and noise measurements taken as follows:

Red=Up to approximately 30 mins*

Purple=Up to approximately 1 hour*

Yellow=Up to approximately 2 hours*

Blue=Up to approximately 4 hours*

Green=Over 4 hours

  • These are maximum figures – so you can use a range of green tools for up to 4 hours per day and a range of purple tools for up to 1 hour. Where a high tool i.e. red, is used for 10 minutes you will need to reduce the amount of time spent on other tools.

Some employees may have a heavy usage of tools and may need to use the HSE points system, which is more accurate for multiple tool usages. However, individual records for noise and vibration will have to be produced in these cases, using the forms Appendices 2 and 3, Vibration and Noise Daily Exposure Sheets. This system will involve calculating exposure using the HSE noise and vibration calculators see Appendices 4 and 5. If you feel this might be relevant to you, please contact your line manager.

Each employee is responsible for managing his own exposure to vibration.

Rotated usage must be considered when using vibrating plant or equipment.

All plant will be measured by a competent person on a regular basis.

6.0RISK ASSESSMENT AND SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK

In some cases, the tool tag system will not be sufficient, on its own. Examples of such situations involve prolonged use of vibrating or noisy equipment and some types of tools such as Pneumatic drills and other similar equipment.

In these cases, the analysis must still be carried out, but it will likely be more appropriate to arrange for two persons and/or job rotation for these tasks. Some of these tasks have already been identified and are outlined in section 8.0 below.

Some employees who may already be suffering from vibration or noise related illness may not be able to follow the above procedure and a risk assessment for these employees, along with guidance from Occupational Health should be carried out (see section 3.0 above).

6.0AN OVERVIEW OF THE NOISE AND VIBRATION REGULATIONS

6.1Control Of Vibration At Work Regulations 2005

Exposure Limits

The regulations permit an 8-hour daily exposure limit value of 5.0 m/s2 for hand/arm vibration and an action limit of 2.5 m/s2. This means that no employee can be exposed above 2.5 m/s2 without certain arrangements being put in place including health surveillance and that no employee can be exposed to over 5.0 m/s2 over an 8-hour working day.

Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is required under the regulations. This means that the organisation should determine whether there is significant risk from hand arm vibration, who may be at risk and to what degree. Once a risk assessment has been completed, it is then necessary to implement controls to reduce the risk. This may be by changing work methods, purchasing lower vibration tools or replacing old tools. It will also be necessary to implement good maintenance programmes. In some cases it will be necessary to use job rotation or two people to carry out some tasks.

Health Surveillance

Health surveillance is required under the regulations where employees are regularly exposed above the action level of 2.5 m/s2. The purpose of health surveillance is to: -

  • Identify anyone exposed or about to be exposed to hand arm vibration who may be a particular risk, for example people with blood circulatory diseases such as Raynauld’s Disease;
  • Identify any vibration related disease at an early stage in employees regularly exposed to hand arm vibration;
  • Help to prevent disease progression and eventual disability;
  • Help people to stay in work;
  • Check the effectiveness of the vibration control measures

Information and Training

The regulations require that employees should be provided with information on: -

  • The health effects of hand arm vibration;
  • Sources of hand arm vibration;
  • Whether employees are at risk, and if so whether the risk is high (above the Exposure Limit), medium (above the Exposure Action Value) or low;
  • The risk factors (e.g. the levels of vibration, daily exposure duration and regularity of exposure over weeks, months and years)
  • How to recognise and report symptoms;
  • The need of health surveillance, how it can help employees remain fit for work, how it will be provided, how the results will be used 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 worm and massaging fingers, and if possible, cutting down on smoking

6.2An Overview Of The Control Of Noise At Work Regulations

Exposure Limits

The regulations permit a daily or weekly lower exposure action value of 80dB and an upper exposure action value of 85dB, with a daily or weekly exposurelimit value of 87dB. There is also a peak sound pressure of 135 dBat the lower exposure action value and 137 at the upper exposure action value. This means that no employee should be exposed over a working day or week to values over 80dB without certain arrangements being put in place such as health surveillance and the provision of hearing protection and that no employee should be exposed over a working day or week to values over 87dB. Normally this level is set at 85dB for simplicity. Employees must not also be exposed to a single instantaneous noise level of 137dB.

Risk Assessment

The regulations require that a risk assessment be carried out to: -

  • Identify where there may be a risk from noise and who is likely to be affected;
  • Contain a reliable estimate of employees exposure and compare the exposure with the exposure action values and limit values;
  • Identify what the organisation needs to do to comply with the law, e.g. whether noise-control measures or hearing protection are needed and if so, where and what type and;
  • Identify any employees who need to be provided with health surveillance and whether any are at particular risk

Once the risk assessment is complete, measures must be taken to control the risk. This may involve providing hearing protection, the use of quieter processes or equipment, purchasing less noisy tools, introduction of engineering controls, erecting enclosures and limiting the amount of time spend using noisy machines.

Health Surveillance

Health surveillance (hearing checks) is required for all employees who are likely to be frequently exposed above the upper exposure action values, or are at risk for any reason, e.g. they already suffer from hearing loss or are particularly sensitive to damage. The purpose of health surveillance is to:-

  • Warn the organisation when employees might be suffering from early signs of haring damage;
  • Give the organisation an opportunity to do something to prevent the damage getting worse;
  • Check that control measures are working.

Information, Instruction and Training

It is important that employees understand the risks they may be exposed to. The regulations require that where employees are exposed above the lower exposure action value the following information, instruction and training is required: -

  • The likely noise exposure and the risk to hearing this noise creates;
  • What the organisation is doing to control risks and exposures;
  • Where and how people can obtain hearing protection;
  • How to report defects in hearing protection and noise-control equipment
  • What the employees duties are under the regulations;
  • What employees should do to minimise the risk, such as the proper way to use hearing protection and other noise-control equipment, how to look after it and store it, and where to use it
  • The organisations health surveillance systems

7.0HEALTH AFFECTS OF VIBRATION AND NOISE

7.1Health Affects of Vibration

What is Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)?

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is a widespread industrial disease. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimate that over 1 million people are exposed to high levels of vibration and over 36,000 people are believed to be suffering from the advanced stages of Vibration-induced White Finger (VWF), which is the most common effect of the syndrome. The attacks are painful and can result in the loss of the ability to grip properly.

HAVS is a general term embracing various kinds of damage, including:

  • Vascular disorders such as VWF causing impaired blood circulation and blanching of affected fingers and parts of the hand;
  • Neurological and muscular damage leading to pain and numbness and tingling in the fingers and hands, reduced grip strength and dexterity, and reduced sensitivity to touch and temperature; and
  • Other passive kinds of damage leading to pain and stiffness in the joints of the wrists, elbows and shoulders. These forms of change and the factors contributing to them are less well understood than the vascular and neurological effects.

In the first stages of vibration injury, the worker may notice a tingling sensation or 'pins and needles' in the fingers; this is most noticeable at the end of a working day and may be accompanied by numbness. With continued exposure, the person may suffer periodic attacks in which the fingers change colour when exposed to the cold. In mild cases, the whiteness and numbness only affect the tips of the fingers but as the condition becomes more severe, the whole finger down to the knuckles becomes white.

The first noticeable symptoms may occur some time after regular exposure to vibration has begun. In the early stages, improvement may occur when the worker gives up activities associated with vibration, particularly at a younger age. In the later stages, however, the condition is likely to become permanent.

HAVS is a reportable disease under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).

What is Whole Body Vibration?

Whole body vibration is caused by vibration transmitted through the seat or the feet by workplace machines and vehicles. Exposure to high levels of whole-body vibration can present risks to health and safety and are reported to cause or aggravate back injuries. The risks are greatest when the vibration magnitudes are high, the exposure durations long, frequent and regular and the vibration includes severe shocks or jolts.

Work that involves exposure to whole body vibration occurs commonly in off-road work such as farming, construction and quarrying, but It can occur elsewhere, for example on the road in lorries and trucks, at sea in small fast boats and in the air in some helicopters. Whole-body vibration is not restricted to seated workers such as drivers, but may also be experienced during standing operations such as standing on a concrete crushing machine.

Maintaining Blood Circulation

Keeping the hands and body warm will help to maintain good blood flow to the fingers and reduce the risk of injury. Where people have to work in cold conditions, specific measures might include:

  • Wearing gloves (NB gloves will help to keep the hands warm but are not effective in reducing the amount of vibration reaching the hands);
  • Using proprietary heating pads to keep hands warm;
  • Using tools with heated handles;
  • Avoiding pneumatic exhausts which discharge towards the workers hands (a flexible hose to lead exhaust away might also help with noise control);
  • Arrangements to allow workers to warm up before starting work, and if necessary to help them keep warm, such as a shelter for outdoor workers to use during rest breaks;
  • Wearing warm, weatherproof clothing for work in cold or wet areas;
  • Avoiding or cutting down smoking and massaging or exercising fingers during rest breaks.

7.2Health Affects of Noise

Hearing Loss

Noise at work can cause hearing loss, which can be temporary or permanent. People often experience a temporary deafness after leaving a noisy place. Although hearing recovers within a few hours, this should not be ignored. It is a sign that if you continue to be exposed to noise your hearing could be permanently damaged. Permanent hearing damage can be caused immediately by sudden, extremely loud, explosive noises, e.g. from guns or cartridge-operated machines.

But hearing loss is usually gradual because of prolonged exposure to noise. It may only be when damage caused by noise over the years combines with hearing loss due to ageing that people realise how deaf they have become. This may mean that their family complains about the television being too loud, they cannot keep up with conversations in a group, or they have trouble using the telephone. Eventually everything becomes muffled and people find it difficult to catch sounds like “t”, “d” and “s” so they confuse similar words.