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Record crucial health & safety information with our Mobile Forms app to stay compliant

With the news that a Civil Engineering company has been fined £40,000 after multiple employees were diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), construction companies are evaluating the processes they have in place to ensure their on-site teams are remaining compliant with health and safety regulations.

Hand-arm vibration syndrome is a debilitating condition caused by excessive exposure to vibrating tools. The risk of developing this condition is directly linked to the amount of time spent using vibrating tools, and the severity of the condition can also be worsened by using these tools for an increased amount of time.

Who is at risk?

Any job involving the frequent use of vibrating tools is at risk of developing HAVS, and some of these tools include:

•    Grinders
•    Impact drills
•    Scaling hammers
•    Powered hammers (typically for demolition)
•    Sanders and polishers
•    Hand-held saws (for concrete and metal, etc)

If your teams are frequently using any of these tools or similar, it’s important you monitor usage to stay within legal regulations.

The Law

The regulations surrounding HAVS are highlighted in the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations issued in 2005. 

These regulations require you to make sure that risks from vibration are controlled. This involves monitoring the usage of vibrating tools, ensuring it does not exceed the exposure limit level (ELV). 

One way companies can do this is by filling out Hand Arm Vibration logs. These logs can include information about which tools employees have been using and for how long, which can help ensure they are not exceeding the exposure limit level. 

Our Mobile Forms module allows construction companies to digitise all their on-site paperwork and forms so they can be filled out using smartphones and tablets, storing the completed forms directly within the Evolution Mx system – no more lost paperwork.

Construction companies can create and complete Hand Arm Vibration logs, allowing you to monitor the risk to your employees, meaning you can avoid breaching regulations and being dealt a hefty fine.

By completing these forms on site, you increase the accuracy of the captured information, and forms can even be completed offline if an Internet connection is not available. By monitoring your teams’ usage of these tools, this reduces their risk of developing HAVS, along with ensuring your compliance as a company and avoiding any potential health and safety breaches.

To find out more about the regulations surrounding Hand Arm Vibration check out this guide: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg175.pdf 

Summary

With so many fatalities occurring in the construction industry every year, it’s vital you ensure you’re abiding by all health and safety regulations to look after your on-site teams and minimise the risk of injuries, including HAVS.

Book your demonstration today to see how you can easily fill out accident forms, risk assessments and Hand Arm Vibration logs using our construction-specific Evolution Mx app.