Consultations on new vibration regulations
THE Health & Safety Commission has published two consultative documents on proposed new regulations and guidance implementing the European Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive. The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations will require employers to take action to prevent their employees from developing diseases caused by exposure to vibration at work from equipment, vehicles and machines.
Two distinct types of vibration hazard are covered by the proposed Regulations:
- hand-arm vibration: long-term exposure to high levels of hand-arm vibration can lead to a range of disabling conditions including vibration white finger, permanent loss of feeling in the fingers and joint pain in the hands, wrists and arms
- whole-body vibration: long-term exposure to high levels of whole-body vibration is associated with lower-back pain.
The proposed Regulations will specify daily levels of vibration exposure where employers will be required to take action to control risks (exposure action values), and where they must prevent further daily exposure (exposure limit values). UK negotiators have played a significant role in developing a much more practicable Directive than was originally proposed, however the new Regulations must come into force by July 2005 if the European Directive is to be implemented on time.
HSC chair Bill Callaghan said: ‘We believe that the proposed Regulations and accompanying guidance will provide a practicable and effective framework for eliminating vibration-related diseases. We have set out in the consultative documents some important questions on what the Regulations and guidance say. We want to get this right and are keen to hear what employers, unions and others think.’
Copies of the two consultative documents (ref CD 190 and CD191) are available on the HSE’s website or can be obtained free of charge from the address below. Comments on the documents should be submitted by the closing date of 31 March 2004.
