Occupational Health experts face a tough challenge in guarding against the onset of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Around 300,000 UK employees are estimated to have advanced symptoms of HAVS, and over one million users of hand-held or hand-guided power tools face increased risk of the syndrome because they are exposed to HAV above the level set by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
Help is at hand. Stewart McNaughton, Health and Safety Consultant for Reactec, has outlined seven reasons why occupational health experts should be looking to the HAVmeter as the solution to their HAV management challenges, resulting in reliable prediction and prevention of HAVS.
It’s more than just data.
Reactec’s HAVmeter solution provides timely and accurate digital data relating to the individual, the tool, and trigger times. Such detailed information can be used to inform an occupational health professional’s risk assessment of HAVS by quantifying the risk in terms of employee, tools and activities, and to tailor an intelligent, targeted, and personalised health surveillance programme for each employee.
Reporting for service.
Fully integrated with the HAVmeter, Reactec’s digital reporting service is designed to report on key areas, including employee vibration exposure levels, action levels breached, and the tools and activities causing the highest levels of hand arm vibration.
It rests on your shoulders.
Employers assume responsibility for their employee’s vibration exposure and HAVS history, so it is critically important to be able to quantify their health status from the outset, and to continually assess safe tool usage. The HAVmeter supports this requirement for each individual user by producing timely and accurate data.
Engagement is key.
Occupational health practices are often considerably more effective when both employer and employee are engaged and properly educated as to their benefits. Reactec’s HAVmeter solution shares the responsibility of vibration exposure monitoring whilst reducing the workload. Employees are encouraged to support their own health surveillance, using the HAVmeter to digitally record individual trigger times – it’s as simple as the flick of a switch.
Discussing with tool users what the data means for each of them, individually, will also go a long way towards securing their buy-in for the importance of HAV management. In this way, employers and employees can work together to find joint solutions to common problems.
A poor workman always blames his tools.
Actually, he could be right. The data produced by the HAVmeter solution assesses tool efficiency as well as vibration exposure. It’s a good indicator as to which tools are susceptible to excessive vibration and might require servicing or replacement.
Time is money.
With the HAVmeter, the entire monitoring process is captured digitally, thus saving time and resources that can be valuably spent elsewhere. Using Reactec’s specialist technology to support their responsibilities and their workforce’s needs, occupational health experts are also likely to avoid long-term periods of absence from employees, which often result in costly disputes and even court battles over HAVS claims.
It’s simple.
Consistent use of the HAVmeter by tool users and timely analysis of data by occupational health experts will effectively predict and prevent HAVS.
