1. Managing Hand-Arm Vibration in Construction
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Managing Hand-Arm Vibration in Construction
James Barnes
Park Health & Safety Partnership |

2. A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
The Headlines
Management of hand-arm vibration remains a challenge within the industry
Formal training methods seem to have little effect on increasing knowledge of the problem
Access to occupational hygiene support is limited
A more pro-active and formalised approach to eliminating and reducing exposure to hand-arm vibration has been introduced on larger projects
This approach reduces ownership of the risk management from the “health specialist” and gives it back to the design and construction teams |

3. Using a top-down approach
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Using a top-down approach
Health by Design
Health Risk Assessment
Health Risk Register
Essential Standards
Workplace Monitoring
Interactive Training
The aim - to change understanding, attitudes and behaviours |

4. Guidance, training and support provided to designers
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Health by Design
Guidance, training and support provided to designers |

5. Health Risk Assessment
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Health Risk Assessment
Updated as the project progresses |

6. A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Health Risk Register
Highlights health risk by trade, forms basis of monitoring and health surveillance plan |

7. “Cheat Sheets” produced to help engineers author RAMS
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Essential Standards
“Cheat Sheets” produced to help engineers author RAMS |

8. Measurement based on task-based trigger times
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Workplace Monitoring
Measurement based on task-based trigger times |

9. A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Workplace Monitoring
CENTRAL
Month
Total Health Hits
Hours Worked
HIFR
Rolling HIFR
Jul-16 13
55,493
23.4
Aug-16 10
40,486
24.7
24.0
Sep-16 6
54,504
11.0
19.3
Oct-16 7
58,165
12.0
17.3
Nov-16 20
64,566
31.0
20.5
Dec-16
77,051
16.9
19.7
Jan-17 12
55,719
21.5
20.0
Feb-17 16
76,805
20.8
20.1
Mar-17 15
77,620
Apr-17 23
93,719
24.5
20.6
May-17
63,423
Jun-17
111,248
6.3
18.7
Total
155
828799
Health Impact Frequency Rate -documented site visits identify trends and behaviours |

10. Prevention Led Training for HAVS
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Prevention Led Training for HAVS
Park is licenced by Loughborough University to use Loughborough University Sensory and Kinaesthetic Interactive Simulations (LUSKInS)
Range of courses tailored to specific needs:
- Occupational Health Risks in Construction for Managers/Supervisors
- Occupational Health Risks in Construction for Operatives
- Tool Box Talks
Engaging, fun but above all… memorable! |

11. Visual simulations illustrating the potential progression of HAVS
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Real or not real?
Visual simulations illustrating the potential progression of HAVS |

12. What would HAVS feel like?
A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
What would HAVS feel like?
Three gloves illustrating mild, moderate and severe symptoms |

13. A healthy worker, in a healthy workplace,
making healthy lifestyle choices
Conclusions
More focus on eliminating and reducing HAV exposure is necessary to challenge the status quo
Scalable, cost-effective options are available to improve management
Measurement and monitoring still have a place in HAV management, but their impact is limited in comparison to elimination and reduction |