HAVS

Midland Air Tools have the knowledgeable and experienced professional to help you to assess and reduce your employee's exposure to HAVS.

All our technicians are trained and certified to I.O.S.H. (Institute of Occupational Safety & Health) standards to carry out all Hand Arm Vibration testing, risk assessments and management.

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is a widespread recognized industrial disease affecting tens of thousands of workers caused by excessive, long-term exposure to working with tools that vibrate, or holding materials that are shaking.

Midland Air Tool has substantial experience of measuring real life vibration exposure across a broad section of Industries.
 
A - Measuring vibration on site in actual working conditions has proved to provide far more precise and realistic figures and test results, than those obtained by the manufacturer using laboratory fixed jig tests. Real life assessments are typically 1/3 higher than those supplied by the manufacturer.
B - on site vibration readings can be carried out by our trained, competent personnel, using the latest specialist equipment to obtain readings from the grip surfaces of the tool.
C - A full report will be given on the tools performance quoting serial numbers and listing the MS/2 result for each tool, giving guidance times for operator requirements.
D - Our trained technicians will then advise you of best practice tooling and application procedures to fully meet today’s HSE requirements

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is a widespread recognized industrial disease affecting tens of thousands of workers. It is a disorder, which affects the blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and joints, of the hand wrist and arm normally caused by excessive, long-term exposure to working with tools that vibrate, or holding materials that are shaking.

HAVS is caused by repeated and frequent use of hand held vibrating tools. For example, power drills, chainsaws, pneumatic drills, etc. It may also be caused by holding or working with machinery that vibrates. It is not clear how vibration causes the condition. It is probably due to slight but repeated injury to the small nerves and blood vessels in the fingers. Over time these may gradually lose some of their function and cause symptoms. It has been estimated that up to 1 in 10 people who work regularly with vibrating tools may develop HAVS.

Midland Air Tools have the experience and knowledgeable people to help you to assess and reduce your employee's exposure to HAVS.All our technicians are trained and certified to I.O.S.H. (Institute of Occupational Safety & Health) standards to carry out all Hand Arm Vibration testing, risk assessments and management.

We can perform on site risk assessments using Larson Davis HM100 Vibration equipment. This would entail one of our technicians arriving on site to assess any number of your employees with the tools they would generally use; this would then generate a report which would then be discussed with management.

If required a full procedure management program could be implemented. By doing regular risk assessments not only does it keep you within the HSE regulations but can identify potential hazardous tools and operations which should change.

It is the employer's duty (or their Health & Safety representative) to be seen actively trying to combat and control all measures of HAVS in the workforce. This can be done in many ways:
 
Ensuring all hand held tools are checked on a regular basis for vibration levels.
 
A - All new or additional tools have the lowest vibration emissions
B - All employees have regular vibration assessments
C - Keep the employees working area warm with warm clothing for those who work outdoors
D - Make sure the legal limits on vibration exposure are not exceeded
E - Provide information and training to employees on health risks and the actions you are taking to control those risks
F - Be aware that there is no generally effective PPE for Hand Arm Vibration, despite claims by some glove suppliers.

There have been a number of developments in the law over the last few years in relation to HAV and HAVS. Awards at court have increased significantly and out of court settlements are becoming less attractive to claimants. This is becoming an increasing worry for all companies not least from an insurance point of view who are now insisting on adequate protection against HAV before cover is given. New "No Win No Pay" claims companies are jumping on the band wagon as this is such a new