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HSE: Hand-Arm Vibration and Worker Involvement (Unite)

Article supplied by HSE.gov.uk

Let’s be clear about one thing Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) related occupational diseases aren’t choosey. All they generally require is several years of exposure to well known and publicised risks before it’s too late and lower exposures over a longer period of time could lead to HAV related occupational diseases too. The chances are that you already know someone who is suffering. After all, we estimate that around 5 million workers are exposed to HAV in the workplace with 2 million of those exposed to levels of vibration where there are clear risks of developing the disease.

Had the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) key strategic aim of Worker Involvement (WI) been around 60 years ago we might now be living a different story. WI is about improving the management of risks to health and safety through increasing collaboration and co-operation between managers and workers.

Since early 2006, HSE’s Noise and Vibration Programme has been working closely with 20 volunteer companies from construction and manufacturing and with stakeholders such as the Major Contractors Group, EEF (the manufacturer’s organisation), the Federation of Master Builders, GMB, and UCATT to test whether embedding a culture of WI could bring real benefits to the control of risks from noise and HAV. Our aim was to ensure that the identification and control of these risks was understood by all involved and that systems for regular exchange of information and ideas would be developed between managers and workers and be effective in managing exposure to noise and vibration. 

The companies started with different experiences and different states of knowledge and understanding of both WI and noise and HAV but two years on all of them are now enthusiastic supporters and know a lot more about what can be done to manage risks.  All the companies involved stated that they gained benefits in terms of health and safety, staff welfare and morale and some identified real financial and productivity savings. All have committed to continue to with WI and to apply it to other risks if they are not already doing so. 

Some of the more notable achievements were in training, communications, and health outcomes, e.g.  

• most companies set up HAV and noise training for workers and managers alike, with some setting up training for senior managers and directors as well which helped ensure a better understanding and a stronger commitment at the highest levels;
• another company measured vibration emissions for all its equipment and produced posters for each tool type with a picture of the tool and key information about vibration levels and limitations on daily use;
• at one construction site workers raised the issue of certain cutting processes causing excessive noise, and suggested that these activities be confined to specified enclosed areas. Management took up the suggestion and set up cutting rooms for these processes thereby greatly reducing noise levels and the number of people affected.

We’ve also learned a great deal from the exercise, including:

•  
  trust between management and workers is essential. In particular, efforts must be made to be engage trade unions and their representatives from the outset; 
• everyone in a company from the top down has a part to play in reducing risk, not  just workers and their line managers, so all should be trained and engaged;
• management needs to demonstrate commitment to WI;
• a permanent, simple and effective method for regular communication between workers and managers is fundamental to its success.  This must include regular feedback to the workforce and prompt visible action to change processes and procedures;
• improved efficiency and productivity can result from workers suggestions.

So where do we go from here? Well no real surprises in store, we’re planning to build on the successes together with our stakeholders. There are an awful lot of businesses and workers we’ve yet to reach and that’s where you come in. If the company/organisation you work for hasn’t considered WI as a means of helping to address the health and safety challenges you face perhaps it’s something your health and safety representatives can discuss with management. It’ll certainly help save a lot of pain and suffering in the long run and probably improve their business into the bargain.

For further information on Noise and Vibration please visit our websites at http://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/index.htm and http://www.hse.gov.uk/noise/index.htm

For further information on Worker Involvement visit our website at
http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/index.htm

For further information please contact:
Colin Chatten,  Senior Policy Advisor in HSE’s Noise and Vibration Team.
Tel:  0151 951 4005
Fax:   0151 951 3771
E-mail: Colin.Chatten@hse.gsi.gov.uk

http://www.hse.gov.uk/noise/
http://www.soundadvice.info/
http://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/