Template v6 WILTSHIRE POLICE FORCE PROCEDURE Vibration at Work Date of Publication: January 2018 Version: 4.0 Next Review Date: January 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS PROCEDURE OVERVIEW... 3 GLOSSARY OF TERMS... 3 RELATED POLICIES, PROCEDURES and OTHER DOCUMENTS... 3 AUTHORISED PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AREAS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROCEDURE... 3 DATA PROTECTION... 3 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000... 3 MONITORING and REVIEW... 3 WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT THIS PROCEDURE... 3 1. Legal Requirements... 4 2. Responsibilities... 5 3. Health Risks... 6 4. Process... 6 5. Vibration Exposure Assessments... 6 6. Risk Assessment... 7 7. Control Measures... 7 8. Health Surveillance... 7 9. Informational, Instruction and Training... 8 Version: 4.0 25.05.2018 Next Review Date: January 2021 Page 2 of 8
PROCEDURE OVERVIEW The following procedure outlines Wiltshire Police s arrangements to minimise the risks to health and safety caused by exposure to vibration within the workplace. It is well known that excessive exposure to vibration can cause a range of conditions collectively known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) and Whole Body Vibration Syndrome (WBVS). It is therefore Wiltshire Police s policy to reduce any such vibration risk that may exist in the workplace. This will ensure compliance with relevant health and safety legislation and ensure the health, safety and welfare of all staff who are likely to be exposed to vibration as part of their role. GLOSSARY OF TERMS WBVS Term Whole Body Vibration Syndrome Meaning HAVS Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome PPE Personal Protective Equipment EAV Exposure Action Value EAL Exposure Action Limit RELATED POLICIES, PROCEDURES and OTHER DOCUMENTS PPE Procedure AUTHORISED PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AREAS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROCEDURE There are no associated Authorised Professional Practice areas at present. DATA PROTECTION Any information relating to an identified or identifiable living individual recorded as a consequence of this procedure will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, General Data Protection Regulations and the Force Data Protection Policy. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 This document has been assessed as suitable for public release. MONITORING and REVIEW The Vibration at Work Policy and Procedure Document will be reviewed every three years by the Force Occupational Health and Safety Committee via the Force Health and Safety Manager. The procedure document will also be reviewed in light of any significant changes to legislation and any changes in routine activity likely to alter exposures to vibration used in the workplace. The Wiltshire Police Generic vibration at work risk assessment (GRA 056) will also be reviewed annually by the force Health and Safety Manager in line with this procedure. WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT THIS PROCEDURE Sarah Somers Health and Safety Manager E: sarah.somers@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk T: 01380 734125 / ext 7202331; M: 0777 336 6274 Version: 4.0 25.05.2018 Next Review Date: January 2021 Page 3 of 8
1. Legal Requirements Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires every employer, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees and anyone else affected by their undertakings. Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR) places more specific duties on an employer which requires Wiltshire Police to undertake an assessment of the level of perceived risk to those foreseeable hazards which could affect the health, safety and welfare of its employees and other persons. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set out what has to be done to prevent Harm caused by vibration at work. The Regulations require Wiltshire Police to: - Assess the vibration risks to employees. Decide if employees are likely to be exposed to vibration risks above the daily exposure action value (EAV). If employees are: - o Introduce a programme of controls to eliminate vibration risks, or reduce exposure to as low a level as is reasonably practicable. o Provide health surveillance to those employees who continue to be regularly exposed above the exposure action value or otherwise continue to be at risk. Decide if employees are likely to be exposed to vibration risks above the daily exposure limit value (ELV) and if they are take immediate action to reduce their exposure to below the exposure limit value. Provide information and training to employees on health risks and the actions taken by Wiltshire Police to control those risks. Consult with Staff Association safety representatives on Wiltshire Police s proposals to control risks and to provide health surveillance, where required. Keep records of risk assessments and control actions. Keep records for employees under health surveillance. Review and update risk assessments regularly. The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 stipulate vibration action and limit values for hand arm vibration and lay down the duties of the employer at each action level. The Vibration Exposure Action Value (EAV) for hand arm vibration is a daily exposure of 2.5 m/s 2 A (8). This is the daily amount of vibration exposure above which an employer is required to take action to control exposure. The hand arm Vibration Exposure Limit Value (ELV) is a daily exposure of 5 m/s 2 A (8). This is the maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on any single day. It represents a high risk above which employees should not be exposed. Version: 4.0 25.05.2018 Next Review Date: January 2021 Page 4 of 8
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 also stipulates vibration action and limit values for whole body vibration and lay down the duties of the employer at each action level. The Vibration Exposure Action Value (EAV) for whole body vibration is a daily exposure of 1.5 m/s 2 A (8). This is the daily amount of whole body vibration exposure above which an employer is required to take action to control exposure. The whole body Vibration Exposure Limit Value (ELV) is a daily exposure of 0.5 m/s2 A (8). This is the maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on any single day. It represents a high risk above which employees should not be exposed. 2. Responsibilities Employers Wiltshire Police will; Undertake, record and regularly review an assessment of the vibration risks to employees. Decide if employees are likely to be exposed to vibration risks above the daily exposure action value (EAV). If employees are introduce a programme of controls to eliminate vibration risks, or reduce exposure to as low a level as is reasonably practicable and provide health surveillance to those employees who continue to be regularly exposed above the exposure action value or otherwise continue to be at risk. Decide if employees are likely to be exposed to vibration risks above the daily exposure limit value (ELV) and if they are take immediate action to reduce their exposure to below the exposure limit value. Provide information and training to employees on health risks and the actions taken by Wiltshire Police to control those risks. Consult with Staff Association safety representatives on Wiltshire Police s proposals to control risks and to provide health surveillance. Employees In view of the strict legal requirements under the Health and Safety (Control of Vibration at Work) Regulations 2005 Wiltshire Police expect all employees to cooperate with the Force. This not only refers to the wearing of such safety equipment when exposed to vibration risks, but also to any instructions and safe systems of work, which may introduce and / or update from time to time. Any failure to wear safety equipment without good cause could result in disciplinary action against the employee. Employees should inform their line manager immediately of any problems of complying with these arrangements and attend health surveillance as and when required. All Police Officers, Special Constables and police staff have a general duty under the HASWA whilst at work to co-operate with their employers reasonable instructions, safe systems of work, policies and guidelines thereby enabling Wiltshire Police to fulfil its legal obligations. Version: 4.0 25.05.2018 Next Review Date: January 2021 Page 5 of 8
3. Health Risks Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) is vibration transmitted from work equipment and processes into employee s hands and arms. It can be caused by operating hand held power tools, hand guided equipment or by holding materials processed by machines. Regular and frequent exposure to hand arm vibration can lead to permanent health effects and cause a range of conditions known as hand arm vibration syndrome. Identifying the signs and symptoms at an early stage is important and allows Wiltshire Police to take action to prevent the health effects from becoming serious. The symptoms include any combination of: Tingling and numbness in the fingers. Not being able to feel things properly. Loss of strength in the hands. The fingers and fingertips going white (blanching) and becoming red and painful on recovery particularly in cold and wet conditions). Whole body vibration (WBV) is the shaking or jolting of the human body through a supporting surface (usually a seat or the floor). Most employees who drive road-going vehicles at work are not likely to experience high levels of whole body vibration. 4. Process Departmental heads who consider there is a vibration risk within any workplace or work activity will in the first instance liaise with the Force Health and Safety Manager or the Occupational Health Unit, who will arrange an accurate measurement of the vibration levels within the workplace or work activity. As a result of the accurate measurement of the vibration levels appropriate physical and engineering control measures will be implemented. A re-assessment of the vibration levels will then be undertaken to determine the effectiveness of the control measures. If appropriate, personal protective equipment will be issued to employees who are required to work and are exposed to vibration levels where physical and engineering control measures are shown not to be reasonably practicable, or have not reduced the vibration exposure action levels down below the levels stipulated by the Health and Safety (Control of Vibration at Work) Regulations 2005. As a general indication of the areas of concern and where in the vibration measures have been implemented, senior managers should look very closely at the vibration levels within the following areas: Regular and frequent use of hand held power tools. Regular and frequent use of hand guided equipment. Regular and frequent holding of materials being processed by machinery. 5. Vibration Exposure Assessments The Force Health and Safety Manager will retain all vibration exposure assessments and measurements and maintain records of the significant findings of those assessments for future reference purposes. Version: 4.0 25.05.2018 Next Review Date: January 2021 Page 6 of 8
6. Risk Assessment Wiltshire Police have conducted a suitable and sufficient assessment of the vibration risk to staff within the workplace. Please refer to Generic Risk Assessment GRA 056. The risk assessment identifies areas of the organisation where there may be risk from whole body/hand arm vibration. It provides a reasonable estimate of the extent of employee s exposure and a comparison with the exposure action and limit values. The risk assessment also details the available risk controls and steps made by Wiltshire Police to eliminate, control and monitor these identified risks. Identified employee groups who are likely to be exposed to vibration risks are; Police motorcyclists Police motorcycle instructors Police air observers Caretaking staff Vehicle workshop staff Bobby van operators Protestor removal teams 7. Control Measures Where possible, Wiltshire Police will eliminate vibration risks. However in many cases this won t be possible. Where this applies Wiltshire Police will look at means of reducing both the level of vibration and the exposure of employees to it. These may include a combination of the following: - Alternative work methods. Equipment selection. Purchasing policy for replacing old equipment and tools. Workstation design. Maintenance. Work schedules. Personal protective clothing and equipment. 8. Health Surveillance Health surveillance will be provided to employees who, despite the actions taken to control exposure to the risk from vibration, are likely to be regularly exposed above the vibration action value or are considered to be at risk for any other reason. The purpose of health surveillance is to: Identify anyone exposed or about to be exposed to hand arm vibration that may be at particular risk (e.g. employees with blood circulatory diseases such as Raynauds Disease). Identify any vibration related disease at an early stage in employees regularly exposed to hand arm vibration. Assist Wiltshire Police prevent disease progression and eventual disability. Help employees stay at work Version: 4.0 25.05.2018 Next Review Date: January 2021 Page 7 of 8
Check the effectiveness of vibration control measures. In the event of health surveillance being required it will be provided by the Force Occupational Health Unit and further information and details can be obtained from that unit. The employees will be informed in writing of when an appointment is due. Managers will be informed of non-attendance and a note entered on the individual s medical file. The Force Medical Officer or Occupational Health Nurse will carry out tests and the results kept within the Occupational Health Unit. 9. Informational, Instruction and Training If vibration levels exceed the exposure action A). of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, the regulations require Wiltshire Police to inform employees of this and any risk to health which it creates. The Force will also explain what control measures it has introduced and where applicable employees responsibilities for following and / or maintaining them. If the wearing of safety equipment and clothing is necessary the Force will provide training to employees on how to use and store them correctly. Version: 4.0 25.05.2018 Next Review Date: January 2021 Page 8 of 8