Power tools and hand-arm vibration

This talk is about hand-arm vibration from the tools we hold. Breakers, cut-off saws, hammer drills, grinders, sanders, impact wrenches, needle scalers, and the rest of the van. If you hold a workpiece that vibrates while a machine works on it, that counts too.

Hand-arm vibration syndrome, HAVS, is preventable. Once the damage is done, it is permanent. HSE says that on its key-messages page, and again on the page written for workers. Damage can include not being able to do fine work, and cold can trigger painful finger-blanching attacks. HSE's key messages also say nearly 2 million people are at risk. That is HSE's figure. I am not turning it into a percentage of this crew.

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set two figures for hand-arm vibration. The exposure action value is a daily exposure of 2.5 metres per second squared A(8). At that level, employers should introduce technical and organisational measures to reduce exposure. The exposure limit value is 5.0 metres per second squared A(8), which should not be exceeded. These are daily exposures, not a vibe you can feel and then ignore. You cannot guess them from how much the handle buzzes.

HSE's page for workers says you are particularly at risk if you regularly operate hammer-action tools for more than about 15 minutes a day, or some rotary and other action tools for more than about one hour a day, because you are likely to be above the exposure action value. Those times are a prompt to take the regulations seriously. They are not a promise that 14 minutes is safe, and they are not a limit you can set for a tool you have not looked up. The exposure depends on the tool. HSE publishes a vibration calculator for the sum. The manufacturer's data, and the way the tool is actually used, belong in that sum. Do not let a guess stand in for it.

Early signs HSE tells workers to look for: tingling and numbness in the fingers, which can disturb sleep. Not being able to feel things with your fingers. Loss of strength in the hands. In the cold and wet, the tips of the fingers going white, then red, and being painful on recovery. That last one is vibration white finger. If you keep using high-vibration tools, HSE says these symptoms will probably get worse: numbness that becomes permanent, trouble picking up small objects such as screws or nails, and white finger that happens more often and spreads to more fingers.

It is the employer's responsibility to protect you. HSE also says you should help. Ask whether the job can be done a different way, without the vibrating tool. That is the control HSE puts first: new or alternative methods that eliminate or reduce exposure. If the tool still has to be used, ask for a suitable low-vibration tool. Use the right tool for the job so the work is quicker. Check the tool before use. A fault or general wear increases vibration. Keep cutting tools sharp. Do other jobs in between, so you are not on the tool for one long stretch. Do not grip or force it harder than you have to. Do not leave tools so the handles are freezing the next time. Keep warm and dry. Smoking reduces blood flow, which is why HSE mentions cutting down. Report symptoms promptly to your employer or the person who does the health checks. Health surveillance is how early damage gets picked up. Use the controls that have been put in place. Do not tape the trigger or take the guard off to get finished.

If your hands are tingling after a normal spell on a tool, say so today. Waiting until you cannot pick up a screw is waiting too long. HSE is clear that the damage does not undo itself.