The Control of Vibration at work regulations 2005 and HSE guidance on HAV risk management do not require the measurement of a tools vibration to BS EN ISO 5349 in order to carry out a risk assessment.
This is the case because it is impractical to carry out a measurement in compliance to BS EN ISO 5349 in normal tool use. Rather the legal requirement and the HSE guidance requires the use of a “representative” vibration magnitude for a risk assessment. As a duty holder, it is challenging to identify what is a representative vibration magnitude.
The HSE accept reliable sources such as various data bases and an “appendix 3 sources of vibration magnitude” published on their website. One source of vibration magnitude is a tool measurement to BS EN ISO 5349, however given this is unlikely to be during the real tool use, the challenge remains to be sure that how the testing is carried out reflects the real tool use. As per appendix 3 from the HSE, tools vary greatly during real tool use.
HAVWEAR was developed to address the challenge of understanding real tool use. HAVWEAR through the use of tool tags with a preset vibration level will determine HAV daily exposure points fully in compliance with HSE guidance and their latest FAQ on HAV management. Daily exposure from a preset tool tag vibration is referred to as Tool Exposure Points (TEP) by Reactec.
In addition the vibration level sensed by the HAVWEAR on the user’s wrist which has been compensated for transmissibility through the hand gives a real use determination of daily exposure, referred as Sensed Exposure Points (SEP) by Reactec. The effectiveness of the HAVWEAR'S SEP data was independently assessed by the IOM. The IOM are a respected research institute with a deep understanding of occupational risks. After extensive analysis and independent tool testing across a range of tools, they have concluded that HAVWEAR'S SEP data would inform a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
Reactec’s HAVWEAR was purposely not designed to measure a tool’s vibration magnitude in compliance with BS EN ISO 5349, mainly due to the limitations which are listed in this standard.
