Annex BB to Facilities Management Health and Safety Policy guidance.

Transcription

1 Annex BB to Facilities Management Health and Safety Policy guidance. 1. This guidance has been produced to give guidance to help prevent staff from developing hand-arm vibration related health conditions. For those who do not have access to a computer, hard copies may be obtained via your line manager. 2. Compliance with this policy is mandatory for all employees. Responsibilities 3. The Dean or Director or Head of Professional Services are responsible for the effective management of hand arm vibration in their particular area. 4. The Dean or Director or Head of Professional Services are expected to ensure that where vibration is considered to be of a significant risk, an action plan is produced relating to the management of hand arm vibration. Adequate monitoring and controls must be in place and competent individuals shall be nominated to manage the day to day management of the issue within their area. 5. It is recognized that the majority of the hand arm vibration exposure will occur in Facilities Management and as such the Director of Facilities Management has nominated the FM Health and Safety Coordinator to implement the vibration regulations within the department and to be a first point of contact for those across the University who may have questions relating to the control of vibration The FM Health and Safety Coordinator will; - i. Provide support in implementing measures to comply with the vibration regulations, ii. Ensure all managers and employees within the FM department discharge their responsibilities in accordance with this policy. 6. Managers and Supervisors will: - a. Understand the scope and content of the Vibration Regulations where this is relevant to work in their area. b. Ensure vibration exposure is taken into account when hiring or purchasing new equipment. c. Ensure that necessary vibration risk assessments have been undertaken for any Page 1 of 9

2 equipment used by those in their charge and refer any high risk activities. High risk activities are where exposure exceed the daily exposure action value - above 2.5 m/s 2 to the Health and safety team before permitting work to proceed or d. Implement and enforce vibration control measures e. Ensure employees are suitably trained in all aspects of operating equipment, including vibration control. f. Ensure new employees are referred for pre-employment health screening and forewarn Occupational Health of their potential to use vibrating equipment where appropriate. 7. In each School or Professional Service the Appointed Person (in FM the Health and Safety Coordinator) will :- a. Understand the scope and content of the Vibration Regulations. b. Work with Line Managers, Supervisors and Operatives to ensure that vibration factors are taken into consideration when purchasing new equipment. c. Work with managers to i. Coordinate vibration risk assessment if required ii. iii. iv. Implement vibration control measures where appropriate Identify where health surveillance is required, and inform Occupational Health. Monitor that new employees submit an initial questionnaire to Occupational Health within the first week of employment (or the first week of vibration exposure) v. Provide or facilitate training and information for those who may be exposed to vibration. d. Maintain and help with updating suitable records (in FM, the FM Vibration Spreadsheet ) and review the risk assessment as appropriate. e. Advice on the selection, maintenance of all new hired, loaned, leased or purchased vibration related equipment. All Staff Exposed to Vibration Operational staff shall co-operate by following their training and communicate any problems with management. If possible monitoring equipment will be used to keep their exposure below the Exposure Action Value (EAV). Operational staff shall co-operate by attending appropriate training and using equipment in accordance with the advice and instruction given to them in the training. Page 2 of 9

3 Guidance What is hand-arm vibration? Hand-arm vibration is vibration transmitted into your hands and arms when using handheld powered work equipment for example hand held drills, grinders or chainsaws. Too much exposure to vibration can cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) or carpal tunnel syndrome In extreme cases over exposure to vibration can lead to o permanent numbness in your hands and not being able to feel things at all; o difficulty picking up small objects such as screws or nails; o vibration white finger happening more frequently and affect more of your fingers 8. The training and advice that you will receive covers what HAVS and carpal tunnel syndrome are, what the early signs are and what to look for when you are at risk and what you can do to help manage the risk. 9. Please advise your line manager or the Health and Safety Manager if you have not received HAV training and a date will be arranged for you to attend. 10. The risks of hand arm vibration are covered by the Control of Vibration Regulations. These Regulations are designed to reduce risks to both health and safety from hand-arm vibration. 11. In order to achieve this, the regulations set an exposure action value (EAV) and an exposure limit value (ELV). 12. To help track and manage vibration exposure the limits are converted to a number of exposure points. In most cases discussions about exposure will revolve around the number of points accumulated due to the exposure received. 13. a daily EAV of 2.5 m/s² A(8) (100 HSE points) that represents a clear risk requiring management; and a daily ELV of 5 m/s² A(8) (400 HSE points) that represents a high risk above which employees shall not be exposed. The exposure action value should not be exceeded to prevent injuries. If the action value is exceeded, the department shall introduce a formal programme of control measures, including an action plan. No operatives shall be exposed to a vibration magnitude above the exposure limit value. Page 3 of 9

4 The HSE points can be calculated from the HSE website:- Supervisors Supervisors shall purchase tooling with the lowest vibration magnitude and replace any damaged tooling immediately. They will consider whether there are alternative processes, better equipment and/or better working methods which should would largely eliminate the risks of HAVs. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risks completely, you should reduce them to as low a level as is reasonably practicable. Supervisors shall monitor and manage their staff accordingly to ensure that operatives exposure below the exposure action value. Operational staff who report they have reached the EAV to the supervisor, shall be given alternative work which won t increase their exposure any further for that particular working day. Operatives who exceed the EAV shall be referred to occupational health by the supervisor, along with employees with existing HAVS or other diseases of the hands, arms, wrists or shoulders; employees with diseases affecting blood circulation, eg diabetes, or nerve disorders affecting the hands or arms such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Operatives When the recorded vibration magnitude exceeds the exposure action value, you must stop work and inform your line manager. Also, they must report any defects or difficulties with vibrating equipment. It is also important that they co-operate with any programme of health surveillance which is identified as being necessary following a risk assessment and attend appropriate training. The health surveillance helps to protect your health. Procedure Vibrating equipment should be tested for the vibration magnitude in use. If this is not reasonably practical, the manufacturers data should be used to assess likely exposure. Page 4 of 9

5 All supervisors and operatives should be trained in a way that explains the risk of HAVs and the precautions that can be taken. The training should also show how to use any monitoring equipment to reduce the personal risk. Sections or areas of work identified as having a possible higher risk will be monitored, to calculate the personal exposure of all the individual operatives who use vibrating equipment whilst working in the said area. Where vibration is considered to be a significant risk, each department or school is required to have an action plan to reduce the risk of injury to individuals. The action plan produced should describe a programme of control measures and plans to put it into action with realistic timescales. Such a programme is required when the vibration readings and assessment shows that when employees are likely to be exposed above the exposure action value. Vibration Magnitude and exposure. 14. To assess the risk from vibration, we need to identify what processes and equipment present risk, how high the risk is (i.e. the magnitude of vibration) how long they are used for and who is at risk. 15. Supervisors assisted by the Health and safety team will help to identify those at risk and the processes and equipment which create that risk. 16. Data obtained on vibration magnitudes will be stored in a spreadsheet and where appropriate the Reactec software, which can be used to support risk assessment. The Vibration spreadsheet is available from Line Managers, Supervisors and the health and safety team within FM. Local arrangements will be made in other areas. 17. Monthly reports from the Reactec system shall be downloaded for supervisors to read in order to help them manage the risk better by sharing the load amongst the team where ever possible. Hand Arm Vibration risk assessment. 18. The fundamental requirement in the management of hand-arm vibration is that the exposure must be reduced to a level that is As Low AS is Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). Where guidance on exposure times is given in the risk assessment, these should be treated as maximum exposures and every opportunity should be taken to reduce exposure below the action value (EAV). 19. Before being used, noise and hand-arm vibration stickers shall be affixed to all tools Page 5 of 9

6 which may pose a risk to the individual to make it clear how long the equipment can be used without risk (maximum trigger time) and the type of hearing protection required when it is being used. Figure 1. Noise and Vibration stickers affixed to hand held tooling and equipment The Action Plan Supervisors and Line Managers will monitor their teams exposure to vibration in order to reduce their exposure. The exposure will be managed by checking the exposure of individuals whilst they undertake their normal role and by managing the workload where records of exposure are available for individuals. Efforts will be made by Line Managers to replace existing equipment with lower risk equipment by means of a purchasing policy, and by maintaining and replacing tools and equipment at regular planned intervals. 20. Work will be planned to avoid prolonged exposure to vibration. Breaks and alternative non-vibration related work will be used to manage the overall exposure of individuals. Particular attention will be paid to the regular provision of adequate shelter and access to warm drinks to maintain body temperature in cold or wet weather. 21. Additional precautions must be taken when staff are working in cold or wet conditions to ensure that they have regular breaks, are wearing gloves and suitable clothing to keep warm, they have access to warm drinks and that their exposure is minimised. 22. All tools and equipment shall be maintained according to the manufacturers recommendations and at least annually, whichever comes first. 23. If increased vibration problems are encountered when operating a tool, the report will be investigated immediately by the Line Manager, and be reported to the Health and Safety Service and the tool shall be withdrawn from service until the matter has been resolved. 24. Where the Operatives exposure exceeds 5m/s 2 the job will be stopped and an investigation carried out to find out why this has happened by the Health and Safety Page 6 of 9

7 team and the Occupational Health Advisor and where appropriate the equipment supplier. Training 25. Line Managers and Supervisors shall be responsible for ensuring that those in their team are properly trained in the safe use of the tools they are using. The training should include the manufacturers advice on tool use and maintenance. Advice on minimising tool use, maximum usage times, the cumulative effect of using different tools on the same day and how to report any concerns they have should be included. 26. In conjunction with the University Health, Safety and Risk Manager and the Occupational Health Advisor, the appointed person (in FM the FM Health and Safety Manager) will arrange suitable training for Supervisors, Line Managers and Operatives when they take up post at the University and thereafter every three years, or following the introduction of new working arrangements. The training will include advice on; - a. using tools as recommended by their Supervisors, b. the measures taken to eliminate or control the risk due to hand- arm vibration c. the exposure limits and action values and what they represent, including the cumulative effect of using more than one vibrating tool or piece of equipment, d. the measurement of vibration, particularly regarding trigger or contact times e. the content of the risk assessment and how it is used to help control the risk f. why and how staff can identify and report signs of injury, g. the arrangements for health surveillance for those identified as at risk, h. the collective results of the health surveillance appropriate to staff i. the requirement to follow instructions given on safe working practices, report problems with their equipment (such as perceived unusually high vibration) and cooperate with this programme of control measures. 27. Tools and equipment shall only be used by those trained to operate them safely. Training and information for employees on the risks of vibration, and control measures to reduce the risk. 28. All employees whose work might expose them to hand held vibration will be given suitable training. Page 7 of 9

8 29. Supervisors will receive the same training with additional material relating to the vibration action plan and their role within it, the rules adopted to ensure that maximum daily use is not exceeded (cumulative exposure) and the requirement of and how to use the departmental Vibration Spreadsheet the HSE Vibration Calculator and, if appropriate the Reactec monitoring system. Health surveillance 30. Initial health surveillance will be undertaken for all current members of staff who are exposed to vibration. Those who have pre-existing vibration related health conditions or who are considered at increased risk should be referred to the Occupational Health Advisor and Occupational Health Physician as appropriate. Initial health surveillance will be carried out for all new employees who will be exposed to vibration. Annual surveillance will be carried out for those identified as being at higher risk of vibration related problems if the exposure is likely to be above the exposure action value (EAV). 31. Supervisors and Line Managers shall ensure that members of staff with existing health problems are protected by appropriate control measures as advised by Occupational Health following health surveillance. Taking into account vibration risks when purchasing or hiring equipment. 32. All new equipment shall have the measured tools vibration magnitude added to the vibration spreadsheet before use. The manufacturers vibration readings should not be relied upon. 33. If the Reactec system is being used, the programmed discs or labels shall be fitted before the handheld tool is used. 34. Without compromising the ability for a piece of equipment or tool to carry out its intended task effectively, reduced vibration equipment must be considered when purchasing or hiring any equipment. (E.g. chainsaws with anti-vibration suspended handles, push mowers incorporating anti- vibration inserts). The suppliers must be consulted as to the availability of reduced vibration tools before committing to purchase. 35. Prior to purchase and before the choice of equipment has been finalised, suppliers/manufacturers should be asked to provide reduced vibration tools on a trial or temporary loan basis. Where this is not possible, prospective purchasers should consider temporarily hiring the equipment and obtaining feedback from the operatives. Page 8 of 9

9 36. Before purchasing or hiring any new equipment, the manufacturers or suppliers must be asked to provide vibration emission levels, the method used to obtain these and asked how to manage any residual risk. (E.g. maintenance, method of use, limitations, accessories etc.) Additional advice and guidance may be obtained from the following sources: Your Line Manager The appointed person for your area In FM the FM Health and Safety Manager or Health and Safety Coordinator. LU Health Safety and Risk Manager and the. Occupational Health Advisor. Page 9 of 9

10 References Hand-Arm Vibration The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations, L140 HSE Books. Hand-arm vibration - Advice for employees INDG296(rev1) Control the risks from hand-arm vibration: Advice for employers on the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 INDG Management of Health and Safety HSG65. Page 10 of 9

11 Revision Revisions Made Date 2 Revise policy Neil Budworth and M Commons August 2016 Page 11 of 9