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Whole Body Vibration

Whole Body Vibration is caused by prolonged use of mobile machines and work vehicles and can lead to permanent health effects.

This exposure to vibration is most likely when frequent use of a machine/vehicle is a regular part of a person’s job. Occasional exposure is unlikely to cause ill health.

Whole Body Vibration (WBV) is transmitted through the seat or feet of employees who drive mobile machines, or other work vehicles, over rough and uneven surfaces, as a main part of their job. Large shocks and jolts may cause health risks including back pain.

In 2005 the Government introduced regulations to protect employees from the health effects of vibration they encounter during their work.

What causes Whole Body Vibration?

Drivers of some mobile machines, including certain tractors, fork lift trucks and quarrying or earth-moving machinery, may be exposed to WBV and shocks.

What are the Symptoms?

Exposure to WBV is most commonly associated with back pain. However other work factors, such as posture and heavy lifting, also contribute to back problems for drivers, and it is widely thought that significant further study is needed into the long term impact of WBV before we can properly understand the long term effect of significant exposure.

What Should I Do?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) require companies to take the following steps to reduce instances of exposure to WBV:

• Measure – Quantify the vibration exposure of your employees. Depending on your company’s use of vehicles, this can be by a full programme of measurement or by a desktop assessment.
• Mitigate – Take all reasonable steps to reduce the vibration exposure of your staff either by using lower vibration equipment, or by reducing the amount of time they are in that workplace.
• Monitor – Monitor your employee’s health and vibration exposure over time to try and spot any damage at an early stage.

Employer Responsibilities

Employers have to take action to prevent risk from exposure to vibration. They need to consider whether there are other ways or machines that would eliminate the exposure to the vibration, especially where large shocks and jolts are involved. If this is not possible the exposure should be reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable. This includes:

• introducing control measures whenever your employees' daily exposure to vibration is likely to exceed the exposure action value;
• not exposing your employees above the exposure limit value.

Risk is likely to be low for exposures at or just above the exposure action value while exposures closer to the exposure limit value will need more control.

Some controls may take time to put in place, particularly where machines must be replaced or new ways of doing things have to be developed. This would normally require an action plan. The plan should state clearly which managers, supervisors and employees are responsible for its delivery and by when. It should also include the need to test the controls.

What are the Regulations?

The regulations are the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.

These include:

• avoiding risks;
• evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided;
• combating the risks at source;
• adapting the work to the individual, especially with regards to the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment and the choice of working methods;
• adapting to technical progress;
• replacing any dangerous vehicles with non-dangerous vehicles;
• developing a prevention policy which covers technology, organisation of work, working conditions and the influence of factors relating to the working environment;
• giving appropriate instructions to employees.

What will we do?

We will ensure that your company has done all it can to ensure it has fulfilled all its obligations to its employees. Our approach is detailed and comprehensive, providing your firm with the tools it needs to protect its staff.

Our Approach

Many consultants will assess the vibration exposure of your employees. Our approach is to assess the needs of your business and your employees and provide you with a solution that is truly tailored to your vibration problems.

The assessment of workplace vibration is important; get it wrong and you may find that you have not only exposed your staff to avoidable health risks, you have also exposed your company to the risk of enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive and fines by the courts.

In More Detail

Firstly we do the following to assess the situation:

1. We take vibration measurements on the seats/footplates of all relevant items of plant or equipment being used by your employees.
2. We interview each relevant employee (or they complete a short questionnaire). This is to quantify what vibration they are typically exposed to during a normal working day.
3. We calculate their vibration exposure over a normal working day.

Our work will quantify for you whether the daily vibration exposure of your employees reaches their action values and, if so, we can then advise you on the actions you should take to reduce their exposure and reduce the risk.

Vibration control is often not a simple process. There are many products on the market that suggest they can reduce the vibration exposure of employees. Many of these are ineffective.

Our assessments identify not only the vibration exposure of employees, they also identify any vibration control measures that can be put in place, taking account of all the practical and operational needs of the company.

Our recommendations take account of the practicalities of your company’s operations. We can provide guidance on correct use, the procurement of replacement machines/vehicles and how to ensure continued compliance with the regulations once our assessment is complete.

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