Noise and Hand-arm Vibration Programme

A programme of activities, in partnership with leading stakeholders, aimed at:

• Eliminating by 2030 as an occupational disease new cases of noise-induced hearing damage
• Controlling by 2015 as an occupational disease new cases of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome sufficiently to enable workers to remain at work without disability

It supports new EU-based regulations for the control of risks from noise and vibration at work, which have been in force in Great Britain since July 2005 for vibration and April 2006 for noise.

Medium-term and short-term targets

HSE is committed to seeking:

• 90% compliance by 2010 with the exposure limit values for noise and HAV in the new Regulations
• An overall reduction by 2010 in the reliance on hearing protection.

In the period 2005 to 2008 our activities are designed to:

• Increase awareness of noise and HAV as occupational hazards
• Increase awareness of actions that can be taken to reduce risk and exposure
• Persuade stakeholders (manufacturers, employers, workers and others) to take appropriate action to enable them to meet the 2010 target.

Timetable

In the period April 2006 to March 2007 we shall focus on hand-arm vibration at work (HAV).

In the period April 2007 to March 2008 we shall focus on noise at work.

Priority industry sectors

All industry sectors that cause high exposures to noise and/or vibration but in particular:

• Construction
• Furniture manufacture
• Foundries
• Heavy fabrication
• Machinery & equipment manufacture
• Motor Vehicles & trailers
• Rubber and plastics
• Shipbuilding

Main project areas

Supply project

Work with supplier stakeholders, eg machinery and equipment manufacturers, to help and influence them in developing noise and HAV control technology in their products and in providing sufficient information to enable employers to carry out their risk assessments.

This project aims to help and influence manufacturers of machines and equipment to:

• Develop and incorporate noise and hand arm vibration (HAV) control technology in their products
• Supply employers with information on noise and HAV risks in use sufficient for them to carry out a reasonable risk assessment.

This will reduce noise and HAV exposure at work and help prevent cases of ill-health.

The objectives are to:

• Write to key manufacturers and suppliers of powered hand-tools in target sectors to raise awareness of their duties under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 as amended and employers’ duties under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005
• Inspect a range of suppliers of powered hand-tools to ascertain eg the extent to which they supply information to enable the machine to be used safely or take steps to minimise HAV at source in the design of their products
• Inspect a range of suppliers of presses or metal cutting saws (noise)
• Report on the level of compliance with supply legislation in the manufacturers and suppliers visited
• Prepare some case studies from exemplar manufacturers and suppliers and publicise these on HSE’s website
• Have a meeting between key manufacturer and employer associations in target sectors to encourage partnership working.

Control project

Work with industry stakeholders, eg construction, heavy fabrication and foundries, focused on the development and take up of reasonably practicable controls for noise and HAV. HSE has already identified high vibration processes for which there are alternatives, but wishes to work with industry to help develop the next generation of controls.

This project aims to:

• Develop, promote and enforce reasonably practicable control options in targeted sectors of industry (construction, heavy fabrication, shipbuilding and foundries)
• Deliver improvements in the level and quality of occupational health surveillance for Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome
• Work with industry to foster good practice and identify further reasonably practicable controls.

The main objectives are to:

• Identify, develop and promote a number of reasonably practicable controls for hand-arm vibration exposure by fostering cooperation with key stakeholders in the target sectors and through inspector interventions with dutyholders in target sectors
• Hold a number of communication events which will increase the awareness and use of reasonably practicable controls in industry sectors where hand-arm exposure is known to present a significant risk to health
• Improve in target industries both the standard provision and the implementation of occupational health surveillance for hand-arm vibration exposure in accordance with the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations.

New online Good practice solutions (inspection campaign 2006/2007)

This provides around 30 reasonably practicable alternatives for key industry sectors.

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Worker involvement

Pilot for worker awareness and involvement in noise and HAV control in construction and manufacturing sectors.

This project aims to:

• Augment employer efforts to reduce occupational ill-health related to exposure to noise and hand-arm vibration (HAV) in the workplace by introducing worker involvement schemes
• Support corporate goals of reducing occupational ill-health and promoting worker involvement.

The main objectives are to:

• Develop a suite of support materials for pilot employers on noise and HAV worker participation
• Recruit and lead pilot employers in setting up noise and HAV worker involvement schemes in the construction and manufacturing sectors
• Develop worker involvement systems with managers and supervisors in pilot companies, specifically targeting noise and HAV risks
• Support pilot companies in training affected staff and undertaking risk assessment in relation to noise and HAV exposure.
• Achieve significant reduction in noise and HAV exposure in pilot companies
• Report and make recommendations in relation to possible wider rollout of the project.

Music and entertainment (not applicable to vibration exposure)

Guidance on noise control in the music and entertainment sectors (For music and entertainment the new Noise Regulations do not come into effect until April 2008).

This project aims to:

• Provide the music and entertainment sectors (defined as ‘all workplaces where a) live music is played; or b) recorded music is played in a restaurant, bar, public house, discotheque, or nightclub, or alongside live music or a live dramatic or dance performance’ with guidance on reasonably practicable measures to comply with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 from April 2008.

The main objectives are to:

• Provide the music and entertainment sectors with practical advice, agreed with the industry, on controlling noise at work
• Achieve a reduction in noise exposure at work in these sectors and consequently in new cases of occupational deafness and tinnitus.

Getting involved

HSE is already working in partnership with a number of leading stakeholders but would welcome more expressions of interest eg to help communicate with those who may be at risk in priority industry sectors. Please use the Feedback page to indicate how you think you can help. Alternatively you may leave your details so that we can inform you of future relevant developments. HSE cannot endorse individual commercial products.