Maintenance products supplier Brammer has issued a warning to industry about the need to limit employees’ exposure to hand-arm vibration caused by older equipment, in the light of legislation effective from July this year.



The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to ensure their staff are not exposed to a daily ‘exposure action value’ above 2.5m/s2, or an overall exposure limit value of 5m/s2. According to the company, equipment purchased since 6 July 2007 must already comply with these limits; however, for equipment purchased before that date, the new regulations take effect from 6 July 2010. 



The Regulations apply to a number of areas, including the use of hand-held powered tools and equipment.

Vibration is usually calculated via a sensor, positioned on the tool or its handle, which calculates the accelerations along the three principal axes, says Brammer – with vibration-exposure limits determined by averaging exposure over an eight-hour period.

Jeremy Salisbury of Brammer explained: “Since 2005, companies have been able to allow their employees to use older equipment that may cause vibration above the level prescribed by the Regulations, but older equipment must now be modified or replaced if it does not comply.”

Advice on the Regulations can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/hav/regulations.htm