Through our ongoing work with local authorities and other public bodies across UK, we’ve become aware of a major oversight in the tender processes for projects and services involving power tools.
Having reviewed a number of these tender documents over the course of the past year, it’s evident that the current procurement process fails to take into account any Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) risk management, despite the fact that all contractors are required by HSE regulations to address this risk.
The downsides of ineffective HAV risk management are clear. Ineffective management incurs unnecessary time and costs resulting in prolonged project timelines and increased tool and operator overhead costs.
So awarding bodies could quite easily be helping local businesses avoid these unnecessary costs simply by including, within their tenders, a requirement for electronic monitoring and management of HAVS risk.
Why should contractors bother shifting from paper to electronic if the current system is working just fine? Well, the whole point is that paper monitoring really isn’t working just fine. The traditional method of managing HAV risk using paper based monitoring is both time and cost consuming and proven to provide highly inaccurate data. HSE regulations require actions to be taken based on data collected in lowering HAVS exposure which can frequently misguide companies into actions that incur unnecessary cost and time. Such actions can often include removing operators from tools during a project or replacing tools.
The upsides of electronic monitoring stand in stark contrast to the downsides of paper monitoring. Electronic monitoring of HAV exposure not only removes unnecessary costs by more accurately monitoring operator and tool activity but can also improve tool workforce efficiency by an average 25%. Electronic monitoring is lower cost than using a paper system and helps contractor’s pass on further cost savings through improved identification of redundant or poor performing tools plus unnecessary maintenance cost.
And what are the benefits for the procuring organisation? By addressing HAVS risk through the tender process, public organisations can ensure that that are supporting best practice for HAVS worker welfare and helping to reduce carbon footprint due to reduced tool inventory and project duration. And finally, it offers recognition to those contractors who have taken the time to switch to electronic management of assets, operators and HAVS risk as a means to improving both worker welfare and their own business intelligence.
Only by reviewing these tender processes will contractors be incentivised to switch from paper to electronic monitoring. And only then will they realise the true business benefits of an effective HAV risk management plan.
