Home working can cause work-related stress and affect people’s mental health.
Being away from managers and colleagues could make it difficult to get proper support.
Keep in touch
Put procedures in place so you can keep in direct contact with home workers so you can recognise signs of stress as early as possible.
It is also important to have an emergency point of contact and to share this so people know how to get help if they need it.
Working with display screen equipment
For those people who are working at home on a long-term basis, the risks associated with using display screen equipment (DSE) must be controlled. This includes them doing workstation assessments at home. There is no increased risk from DSE work for those working at home temporarily. So in that situation employers do not need to ask them to carry out home workstation assessments. During any period of temporary home working, employers need to regularly discuss these arrangements with their employees. If such work is adversely affecting the health, safety and welfare of their employees, they should take appropriate steps.
breaking up long spells of DSE work with rest breaks (at least 5 minutes every hour) or changes in activity
avoiding awkward, static postures by regularly changing position
getting up and moving or doing stretching exercises
avoiding eye fatigue by changing focus or blinking from time to time
Signs of stress
If employees start acting differently, it can be a sign they are stressed. Managers should look out for signs of stress in teams and employees, listed below. Think about whether the stress could be linked to work pressure.
Acting early can reduce the impact of pressure and make it easier to reduce or remove the causes. If managers are worried that an employee is showing some of these signs, they should encourage them to see their GP. These signs can be symptoms of other conditions. If there is something wrong at work, and this has caused the problem, managers should take action.
For daily global updates on the coronavirus, please visit the World Health Organization’s website. UK-specific updates are available on the Government website.
What is coronavirus?
COVID-19 is an illness that can affect the lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus. In January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a global health emergency. Respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
Whilst the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public to moderate, the risk of catching COVID-19 depends on where you live or where you have travelled recently.
Preventative measures
Employers have a vital role to play in preventing the spread of this disease by taking sensible action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 such as ensuring that workers have access to appropriate hygiene facilities such hot water, soap and bins to get rid of used tissues.
The risk of catching it within the workplace is low, although an increasing number of employers are encouraging their employees to work from home in order to help to prevent further spread of the virus.
Workers are advised to maintain good hygiene standards around the workplace by following the latest advice from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) website which includes the following basic protective measures:
Wash your hands frequently with alcohol-based hand wash or wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Maintain social distancing- maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet distance) between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing
Avoid touching eyes, mouth and nose
Practice respiratory hygiene – Using the nearest waste receptacle to dispose of the tissue after use
Stay informed and follow the advice given by health care providers
In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) has advised that most people can continue to go to work, school and other public places, and that self-isolation is only to be undertaken if the individual is advised to do so by the 111 online coronavirus service or a medical professional. Read the full NHS advice here.
Emergency planning advice:
IOSH advises that businesses follow good practice in emergency planning, preparedness and response. This can be achieved by adopting the following steps:
Develop a response plan for if someone in the workplace becomes ill with suspected COVID-19. This should include the immediate response e.g. isolate the individual and contact the local health authority
Plan to identify persons who may be at risk without stigma or discrimination
Explore ways of remote working (teleworking) that will allow workers to continue their work from home
Develop a business continuity plan for an outbreak, which covers:
How your organisation will continue to function if workers, contractors and suppliers cannot come to your place of business
Visitors and vendors who have access to the building
Communicate to workers and contractors about the plan and their role in it
Ensure the plan addresses mental health and social consequences of a case of COVID-19 in the workplace
IOSH recommends the following key actions organisations can take to manage traveller health, safety and wellbeing:
To effectively manage travel risk, you need to ensure you have proportionate and robust policies, procedures and controls in place. Communicate them to all relevant parts of your organisation, providing information, instruction and training as appropriate.
Consider whether the travel is absolutely necessary: can you achieve the same result with video conferencing and spare the organisation and traveller the risk, time, cost and environmental impact? Situations such as the coronavirus outbreak in China as well as geopolitical conflicts, terrorism and natural disasters can change rapidly, potentially leaving travellers stranded or quarantined. It is therefore important to make ‘fly/no fly’ decisions based on best available guidance such as government travel advice.
If travel is deemed necessary then you need to effectively but proportionately manage the risk, with controls identified and implemented which reflect the nature and severity of the risk. Such controls should be identified through a travel risk assessment incorporating not only the travel, accommodation and work itself but also the traveller’s physical and mental capabilities. The travellers themselves should be involved in this process.
You will always need to know where your workers are and where they are going. Some travel management systems provide tracking and alert functions, and there are also products utilising GPS in either discrete equipment or smartphone apps which can provide live location tracking.
Should your travellers become involved in an incident or emergency situation, you need to have a means by which to provide support for them. Considering issues such as number of travellers, international time differences and weekend travel it is potentially cost and resource-effective to implement a travel assistance scheme such as those provided by business insurers or commercial organisations such as International SOS. Additionally, business should source local emergency phone numbers in country, giving employees quick access to assistance. Most schemes and business travel insurance packages offer a 24/7 helpline which triggers support services for the traveller, providing assistance with medical treatment and repatriation due to injuries and illness as well as helping with lost documents, stolen money and other common travel-related problems.
You should also provide relevant information, instruction and training to travellers, the nature and extent of which should be identified during the risk assessment process.
Finally, don’t forget your travellers’ wellbeing. Frequent international travel has been shown to have negative effects on both physical and mental health, with situations such as a disease outbreak providing further sources of concern.
Managing the safety, health and security of workers:
IOSH’s research report Managing the safety, health and security of mobile workers sets out the aspects of safety, health and security for which organisations should take responsibility when dealing with workers travelling for work or on international assignment.
Advances in information technology mean that more people are working away from the office. Home office, mobile office- Managing remote working can offer guidance on how employers can develop a remote working policy that encompasses the relevant health and safety management issues.
Developed jointly by the International SOS Foundation, this occupational safety and health guide emphasises the need for dynamic risk assessment and planning for critical situations.
IOSH in the media:
IOSH has provided expertise and guidance in the media around the coronavirus and how to protect employees in the workplace.
Employers have duties concerning the provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at work.
PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
Why is PPE important?
Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures, training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.
Even where engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied, some hazards might remain. These include injuries to:
the lungs, eg from breathing in contaminated air
the head and feet, eg from falling materials
the eyes, eg from flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids
the skin, eg from contact with corrosive materials
the body, eg from extremes of heat or cold
PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk.
What do I have to do?
Only use PPE as a last resort
If PPE is still needed after implementing other controls (and there will be circumstances when it is, eg head protection on most construction sites), you must provide this for your employees free of charge
You must choose the equipment carefully (see selection details below) and ensure employees are trained to use it properly, and know how to detect and report any faults
Selection and use
You should ask yourself the following questions:
Who is exposed and to what?
How long are they exposed for?
How much are they exposed to?
When selecting and using PPE:
Choose products which are CE marked in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 – suppliers can advise you
Choose equipment that suits the user – consider the size, fit and weight of the PPE. If the users help choose it, they will be more likely to use it
If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they can be used together, eg wearing safety glasses may disturb the seal of a respirator, causing air leaks
Instruct and train people how to use it, eg train people to remove gloves without contaminating their skin. Tell them why it is needed, when to use it and what its limitations are
Other advice on PPE
Never allow exemptions from wearing PPE for those jobs that ‘only take a few minutes’
Check with your supplier on what PPE is appropriate – explain the job to them
If in doubt, seek further advice from a specialist adviser
Maintenance
PPE must be properly looked after and stored when not in use, eg in a dry, clean cupboard. If it is reusable it must be cleaned and kept in good condition.
Think about:
using the right replacement parts which match the original, eg respirator filters
keeping replacement PPE available
who is responsible for maintenance and how it is to be done
having a supply of appropriate disposable suits which are useful for dirty jobs where laundry costs are high, eg for visitors who need protective clothing
Employees must make proper use of PPE and report its loss or destruction or any fault in it.
Monitor and review
Check regularly that PPE is used. If it isn’t, find out why not
Safety signs can be a useful reminder that PPE should be worn
Take note of any changes in equipment, materials and methods – you may need to update what you provide
Types of PPE you can use
Eyes
Hazards
Chemical or metal splash, dust, projectiles, gas and vapour, radiation
Options
Safety spectacles, goggles, face screens, faceshields, visors
Note
Make sure the eye protection chosen has the right combination of impact/dust/splash/molten metal eye protection for the task and fits the user properly
Head and neck
Hazards
Impact from falling or flying objects, risk of head bumping, hair getting tangled in machinery, chemical drips or splash, climate or temperature
Options
Industrial safety helmets, bump caps, hairnets and firefighters’ helmets
Note
Some safety helmets incorporate or can be fitted with specially-designed eye or hearing protection
Don’t forget neck protection, eg scarves for use during welding
Replace head protection if it is damaged
Ears
Hazards
Noise – a combination of sound level and duration of exposure, very high-level sounds are a hazard even with short duration
Options
Earplugs, earmuffs, semi-insert/canal caps
Note
Provide the right hearing protectors for the type of work, and make sure workers know how to fit them
Choose protectors that reduce noise to an acceptable level, while allowing for safety and communication
Hands and arms
Hazards
Abrasion, temperature extremes, cuts and punctures, impact, chemicals, electric shock, radiation, vibration, biological agents and prolonged immersion in water
Options
Gloves, gloves with a cuff, gauntlets and sleeving that covers part or all of the arm
Note
Avoid gloves when operating machines such as bench drills where the gloves might get caught
Some materials are quickly penetrated by chemicals – take care in selection, see HSE’s skin at work website
Barrier creams are unreliable and are no substitute for proper PPE
Wearing gloves for long periods can make the skin hot and sweaty, leading to skin problems. Using separate cotton inner gloves can help prevent this
Feet and legs
Hazards
Wet, hot and cold conditions, electrostatic build-up, slipping, cuts and punctures, falling objects, heavy loads, metal and chemical splash, vehicles
Options
Safety boots and shoes with protective toecaps and penetration-resistant, mid-sole wellington boots and specific footwear, eg foundry boots and chainsaw boots
Note
Footwear can have a variety of sole patterns and materials to help prevent slips in different conditions, including oil – or chemical-resistant soles. It can also be anti-static, electrically conductive or thermally insulating
Appropriate footwear should be selected for the risks identified
Lungs
Hazards
Oxygen-deficient atmospheres, dusts, gases and vapours
Options – respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
Some respirators rely on filtering contaminants from workplace air. These include simple filtering facepieces and respirators and power-assisted respirators
Make sure it fits properly, eg for tight-fitting respirators (filtering facepieces, half and full masks)
There are also types of breathing apparatus which give an independent supply of breathable air, eg fresh-air hose, compressed airline and self-contained breathing apparatus
Note
The right type of respirator filter must be used as each is effective for only a limited range of substances
Filters have only a limited life. Where there is a shortage of oxygen or any danger of losing consciousness due to exposure to high levels of harmful fumes, only use breathing apparatus – never use a filtering cartridge
You will need to use breathing apparatus in a confined space or if there is a chance of an oxygen deficiency in the work area
Heat, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns, contaminated dust, impact or penetration, excessive wear or entanglement of own clothing
Options
Conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, aprons, chemical suits
Note
The choice of materials includes flame-retardant, anti-static, chain mail, chemically impermeable, and high-visibility
Don’t forget other protection, like safety harnesses or life jackets
Emergency equipment
Careful selection, maintenance and regular and realistic operator training is needed for equipment for use in emergencies, like compressed-air escape breathing apparatus, respirators and safety ropes or harnesses.
COSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health. You can prevent or reduce workers exposure to hazardous substances by:
providing control measures to reduce harm to health;
making sure they are used ;
keeping all control measures in good working order;
providing information, instruction and training for employees and others;
providing monitoring and health surveillance in appropriate cases;
planning for emergencies.
Most businesses use substances, or products that are mixtures of substances. Some processes create substances. These could cause harm to employees, contractors and other people.
Sometimes substances are easily recognised as harmful. Common substances such as paint, bleach or dust from natural materials may also be harmful.
COSHH covers
COSHH covers substances that are hazardous to health. Substances can take many forms and include:
chemicals
products containing chemicals
fumes
dusts
vapours
mists
nanotechnology
gases and asphyxiating gases and
biological agents (germs). If the packaging has any of the hazard symbols then it is classed as a hazardous substance.
germs that cause diseases such as leptospirosis or legionnaires disease and germs used in laboratories.
because these have their own specific regulations.
What you need to do
Before you start your COSHH assessment, you need to:
Think about
What do you do that involves hazardous substances?
How can these cause harm?
How can you reduce the risk of harm occurring?
Always try to prevent exposure at source. For example:
Can you avoid using a hazardous substance or use a safer process – preventing exposure, eg using water-based rather than solvent-based products, applying by brush rather than spraying?
Can you substitute it for something safer – eg swap an irritant cleaning product for something milder, or using a vacuum cleaner rather than a brush?
Can you use a safer form, eg can you use a solid rather than liquid to avoid splashes or a waxy solid instead of a dry powder to avoid dust?
Check your trade press and talk to employees. At trade meetings, ask others in your industry for ideas.
Exposures are below the Workplace Exposure Limit, where one exists.
Exposure to substances that cause cancer, asthma or genetic damage is reduced to as low a level as possible.
COSHH assessment: Identifying hazard and assessing risk
You are probably already aware of many risks in your trade or industry. A COSHH assessment concentrates on the hazards and risks from substances in your workplace.
Remember that hazards and risks are not limited to substances labelled as ‘hazardous’.
Steps to making a COSHH assessment:
Walk around your workplace. Where is there potential for exposure to substances that might be hazardous to health?
Examples include processes that emit dust, fume, vapour, mist or gas; and skin contact with liquids, pastes and dusts. Substances with workplace exposure limits (WELs) are hazardous to health.
In what way are the substances harmful to health?
Get safety data sheets, and read your trade magazines. Some substances arise from processes and have no safety data sheet. Examples include fume from welding or soldering, mist from metalworking, dust from quarrying, gases from silage. Look at the HSE web pages for your trade or industry – Your Industry.
What jobs or tasks lead to exposure?
Note these down. Note down what control measures you already use. For these jobs, how likely is any harm to workers’ health?
Are there any areas of concern, eg from the Accident Book?
Examples include burns from splashes, nausea or lightheadedness from solvents, etc
Safety data sheets provide information on substances that are ‘dangerous for supply’. Other substances should have instructions for safe use.
By law, your supplier must give you an up to date safety data sheet for a substance that is ‘dangerous for supply’. Safety Data Sheets are often hard to understand, though this explanation might help.
Keeping a copy of the safety data sheet is not a COSHH assessment.
Control measures to prevent or limit exposure to hazardous substances
What is COSHH for?
The objective of COSHH is to prevent, or to adequately control, exposure to substances hazardous to health, so as to prevent ill health.
You can do this by:
using control equipment, eg total enclosure, partial enclosure, LEV;
controlling procedures, eg ways of working, supervision and training to reduce exposure, maintenance, examination and testing of control measures;
worker behaviour, making sure employees follow the control measures.
Changing how often a task is undertaken, or when, or reducing the number of employees nearby, can make an improvement to exposure control.
Control through ways of working includes operating procedures, supervision and training.
It includes emergency procedures, decontamination and ‘permits to work‘ for tasks such as maintenance.
It also means testing all control measures regularly – equipment, ways of working and behaviour, to make sure that they work properly.
You should keep records of examinations, tests and repairs to equipment for at least five years. This helps to identify any trends or variations in equipment deterioration.
Worker behaviour
Where control measures are in place it is important to use them properly.
This includes:
wearing any PPE necessary;
using control equipment;
following hygiene procedures;
warning supervisors if anything appears to be wrong.
Coshh Basics- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Employers are responsible for providing, replacing and paying for personal protective equipment.
PPE should be used when all other measures are inadequate to control exposure. It protects only the wearer, while being worn.
When deciding about PPE ask the supplier, your trade association or the manufacturer.
Is it suitable for the conditions of the job?
Does it offer the right level of protection?
What sort of training or maintenance is required?
How do I know when it needs replacing?
It is important that employees know why they need PPE and are trained to use it correctly. Otherwise it is unlikely to protect as required.
Does it fit correctly?
How does the wearer feel? Is it comfortable?
Are all items of PPE compatible?
Does PPE interfere with the job being done?
Does PPE introduce another health risk, eg overheating, entanglement with machinery?
If PPE needs maintenance or cleaning, how is it done?
When employees find PPE comfortable they are far more likely to wear it.
COSHH health surveillance
What is health surveillance?
Health surveillance is any activity which involves obtaining information about employees’ health and which helps protect employees from health risks at work.
The objectives for health surveillance are:
Protecting the health of employees by early detection of adverse changes or disease;
Collecting data for detecting or evaluating health hazards;
Evaluating control measures.
It should not be confused with general health screening or health promotion.
Health surveillance is necessary when:
there is a disease associated with the substance in use (eg Asthma, Dermatitis, Cancers);
it is possible to detect the disease or adverse change and reduce the risk of further harm;
the conditions in the workplace make it likely that the disease will appear.
Health surveillance is a process; it may be a regular planned assessment of one or more aspects of a worker’s health, for example: lung function or skin condition.
However, it is not enough to simply carry out suitable tests, questionnaires or examinations. Employers must then have the results interpreted and take action to eliminate or further control exposure. It may be necessary to redeploy affected workers if necessary.
Health surveillance may need to be completed by an occupational health service physician (doctor or nurse). If a GP offers the service, you need to be sure that they are competent in occupational medicine.
The clinical outcomes from health surveillance are personal. The service provider must interpret the results of health surveillance for each individual. The service provider must supply general information for you to keep up-to-date health records. They may also be able to anonymise and group the information to highlight trends.
Guidance on how employers can fulfil their legal duty to provide Health surveillance.
Training for employees working with substances hazardous to health
Provide information, training and instruction for employees who work with substances hazardous to health. This includes cleaning and maintenance staff.
Employees need to understand the outcome of your risk assessment and what this means for them. Tell them:
what the hazards and risks are;
about any workplace exposure limit;
the results of any monitoring of exposure;
the general results of health surveillance;
what to do if there is an accident (eg spillage) or emergency.
Employees should have access to safety data sheets.
Keep employees informed about planned future changes in processes or substances used.
When a contractor comes on site, they need to know what the risks are and how you are controlling them. And you need to know if they are bringing hazardous substances onto your premises, and how they will prevent harm to your employees.
You could be risking damage to nerves, blood vessels and joints of the hand, wrist and arm if you work regularly with hand-held or hand-guided power tools for more than a few hours each day.
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) caused by exposure to vibration at work is preventable, but once the damage is done it is permanent.
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 were introduced to better protect workers from vibration at work and came into force in July 2005.
Am I at risk?
You are at risk if you regularly use hand-held or handguided power tools and machines such as:
Concrete breakers, concrete pokers;
Sanders, grinders, disc cutters;
Hammer drills;
Chipping hammers;
Chainsaws, brush cutters, hedge trimmers,
Powered mowers;
Scabblers or needle guns.
You are also at risk if you hold workpieces, which vibrate while being processed by powered machinery such as pedestal grinders.
You are particularly at risk if you regularly operate:
Hammer action tools for more than about 15 minutes per day; or
Some rotary and other action tools for more than about one hour per day.
As you are likely to be above the exposure action value set out in the regulations.
What are the early signs and symptoms to look out for?
Tingling and numbness in the fingers (which can cause sleep disturbance).
Not being able to feel things with your fingers.
Loss of strength in your hands (you may be less able to pick up or hold heavy objects).
In the cold and wet, the tips of your fingers going white then red and being painful on recovery (vibration white finger).
If you continue to use high-vibration tools these symptoms will probably get worse, for example:
The numbness in your hands could become permanent and you won’t be able to feel things at all;
You will have difficulty picking up small objects such as screws or nails;
The vibration white finger could happen more frequently and affect more of your fingers
People’s own stories
Mechanical repair
A former mechanic technician hopes that by sharing his experiences with others, this may help save them some of the pain and financial worries that he is experiencing. He used and repaired a wide range of hand-held power tools, including chainsaws, but was signed off work in his 50s with vibration white finger:
‘HAVS has affected my day-to-day living. I have a loss of manual dexterity and find it very difficult to use my fingers, in particular my thumbs, coupled with loss of feeling and sensations in various sections of my hands. Gripping with my thumbs is very difficult and painful, for example when using a brush. I dread the cold winter months and even during at rest periods I experience coldness and painfulness. I can no longer do some of the hobbies I used to enjoy, like swimming and angling.’
Heavy fabrication
A former technician (56) who worked with pneumatic tools describes his experiences.
“I suffer from very cold hands, they’re worse in winter than in summer but they’re still cold at this present day even though it’s a warm day. When I used the tools, sometimes there’s a frost on the tools, the pneumatic tools, when you’ve used them and that accentuates the feeling and they’re dead very dead, numb all the while. I have difficulties picking up things, small things, pushing buttons. I drop things more and don’t know the amount of pressure I’m putting on finger and thumb”
Shipbuilding
Another worker (35) describes the effects HAVS has had on his life and leisure.
“I play darts, can’t do that any more, I can’t do freshwater fishing, can’t feel the lines, fine lines between the fingers, can’t feel them at all. Can’t pick up small screws, DIY, quite a few things I can’t do a lot of now. I can’t turn over the pages in a paper, you have to wet your fingers all the time because you can’t feel the paper between the fingers”
Want to help?
Please contact the Noise and Vibration Programme Unit via our Feedback page if you wish to tell us your story, so that a short summary can appear here for the benefit of others. We are particularly interested in stories that turn out well in the end e.g. vibration problems picked up at an early stage and simple steps taken to prevent further damage for similar workers.
Tasks and industries
Which jobs and industries are most likely to involve hand-arm vibration?
Jobs requiring regular and frequent use of vibrating tools and equipment and handling of vibrating materials are found in a wide range of industries, for example:
Building and maintenance of roads and railways;
Construction;
Estate management (eg maintenance of grounds, parks, water courses, road and railside verges);
Forestry;
Foundries;
Heavy engineering;
Manufacturing concrete products;
Mines and quarries;
Motor vehicle manufacture and repair;
Public utilities (eg water, gas, electricity, telecommunications);
Shipbuilding and repair.
Tools
What kinds of tools and equipment can cause ill health from vibration?
There are hundreds of different types of hand-held power tools and equipment, which can cause ill health from vibration. Some of the more common ones are:
Chainsaws;
Concrete breakers/road breakers;
Cut-off saws (for stone etc);
Hammer drills;
Hand-held grinders;
Impact wrenches;
Jigsaws;
Needle scalers;
Pedestal grinders;
Polishers;
Power hammers and chisels;
Powered lawn mowers;
Powered sanders;
Scabblers;
Strimmers/brush cutters.
How do I protect myself?
It is your employer’s responsibility to protect you against HAVS and carpal tunnel syndrome, but you should help by asking your employer if your job could be done in a different way without using vibrating tools and machines. If this cannot happen:
Ask to use suitable low-vibration tools.
Always use the right tool for each job (to do the job more quickly and expose you to less hand-arm vibration).
Check tools before using them to make sure they have been properly maintained and repaired to avoid increased vibration caused by faults or general wear.
Make sure cutting tools are kept sharp so that they remain efficient.
Reduce the amount of time you use a tool in one go, by doing other jobs in between.
Avoid gripping or forcing a tool or workpiece more than you have to.
Store tools so that they do not have very cold handles when next used.
Encourage good blood circulation by:
Keeping warm and dry (when necessary, wear gloves, a hat, waterproofs and use heating pads if available);
Giving up or cutting down on smoking because smoking reduces blood flow; and
Massaging and exercising your fingers during work breaks.
What else can I do?
Learn to recognise the early signs and symptoms of HAVS.
Report any symptoms promptly to your employer or the person who does your health checks.
Use any control measures your employer has put in place to reduce the risk of HAVS.
Ask your trade union safety representative or employee representative for advice.
Help your employer to stop HAVS and carpal tunnel syndrome before they become a problem for you.
You can also order a copy of these publications through HSE Books.
Who can help?
Your employer has a duty to protect you and should be working on measures to reduce the risk. The law says your employer has to find out what levels of vibration you are exposed to and assess the risk to your health from vibration at work. See Advice for employers
Safety Representative/ Employee representative. Trade-union-appointed safety reps or other employee representatives can be very useful in communicating problems, inspecting documents and consulting employers over measures to meet these regulations.
Your Company Doctor or your GP. This may be an occupational health professional where you have a company occupational health scheme or your general practitioner through the NHS.
The information on these web pages will help you understand:
What you may need to do as an employer under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 which came into force in July 2005;
How you can protect your employees from hand-arm vibration.
These pages will be of interest to you if you are an employer whose business involves the use of hand-guided powered equipment and powered machines which process hand-held materials and of particular interest if your business involves the regular and frequent use of hand-held power tools.
You may also find these pages helpful if you are:
An employee, or self-employed person, who uses vibrating equipment;
A trade union safety representative or an employee representative;
An adviser on occupational vibration risks.
If your workers use vibrating equipment you may also have to consider risks from exposure to noise.
Remember
By law, as an employer, you must assess and identify measures to eliminate or reduce risks from exposure to hand-arm vibration so that you can protect your employees from risks to their health.
Where the risks are low, the actions you take may be simple and inexpensive, but where the risks are high, you should manage them using a prioritised action plan to control exposure to hand-arm vibration.
Where required, ensure that:
Control measures to reduce vibration are properly applied; and
You provide information, training and health surveillance.
Review what you are doing if anything changes that may affect exposures to vibration where you work.
The Health effects of hand-arm vibration at work
What is hand-arm vibration?
Hand-arm vibration is vibration transmitted from work processes into workers’ hands and arms. It can be caused by operating hand-held power tools, such as road breakers, and hand-guided equipment, such as powered lawnmowers, or by holding materials being processed by machines, such as pedestal grinders.
When is it hazardous?
Regular and frequent exposure to hand-arm vibration can lead to permanent health effects. This is most likely when contact with a vibrating tool or work process is a regular part of a person’s job. Occasional exposure is unlikely to cause ill health.
What health effects can it cause?
Hand-arm vibration can cause a range of conditions collectively known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), as well as specific diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
What are the early symptoms?
Identifying signs and symptoms at an early stage is important. It will allow you, as the employer, to take action to prevent the health effects from becoming serious for your employee. 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;
Fingers going white (blanching) and becoming red and painful on recovery (particularly in the cold and wet, and probably only in the tips at first).
For some people, symptoms may appear after only a few months of exposure, but for others they may take a few years. They are likely to get worse with continued exposure to vibration and may become permanent.
What effects do these symptoms have?
The effects on people include:
Pain, distress and sleep disturbance;
Inability to do fine work (eg assembling small components) or everyday tasks (eg fastening buttons);
Reduced ability to work in cold or damp conditions (ie most outdoor work) which would trigger painful finger blanching attacks;
Reduced grip strength, which might affect the ability to do work safely.
These effects can severely limit the jobs an affected person is able to do, as well as many family and social activities.
Do you have a hand-arm vibration problem at work?
This will depend on whether your employees regularly and frequently work with vibrating tools and equipment and/or handle vibrating materials. It will also depend on how long your employees are exposed to vibration and at what level. As a simple guide you will probably need to do something about vibration exposures if any of the following apply:
Do your employees complain of tingling and numbness in their hands or fingers after using vibrating tools?
Do your employees hold work pieces, which vibrate while being processed by powered machinery such as pedestal grinders?
Do your employees regularly use hand-held or hand guided power tools and machines such as:
concrete breakers, concrete pokers
sanders, grinders, disc cutters
hammer drills
chipping hammers
chainsaws, brush cutters, hedge trimmers
powered mowers
scabblers or needle guns
Do your employees regularly operate:
Hammer action tools for more than about 15 minutes per day; or
Some rotary and other action tools for more than about one hour per day.
Do you work in an industry where exposures to vibration are particularly high, such as construction, foundries, or heavy steel fabrication/shipyards?
Which jobs and industries are most likely to involve hand-arm vibration?
Jobs requiring regular and frequent use of vibrating tools and equipment and handling of vibrating materials are found in a wide range of industries, for example:
building and maintenance of roads and railways
construction
estate management (eg maintenance of grounds, parks, water courses, road and rail side verges)
forestry
foundries
heavy engineering
manufacturing concrete products
mines and quarries
motor vehicle manufacture and repair
public utilities (eg water, gas, electricity, telecommunications)
shipbuilding and repair
What kinds of tools and equipment can cause ill health from vibration?
There are hundreds of different types of hand-held power tools and equipment which can cause ill health from vibration. Some of the more common ones are:
chainsaws
concrete breakers/road breakers
cut-off saws (for stone etc)
hammer drills
hand-held grinders
impact wrenches
jJigsaws
needle scalers
pedestal grinders
polishers
power hammers and chisels
powered lawn mowers
powered sanders
scabblers
strimmers/brush cutters
Do you engage in routine continual monitoring or logging of workers’ vibration exposure?
Employers must provide welfare facilities and a working environment that’s healthy and safe for everyone in the workplace, including those with disabilities.
You must have:
welfare facilities – the right number of toilets and washbasins, drinking water and having somewhere to rest and eat meals
a healthy working environment – a clean workplace with a reasonable working temperature, good ventilation, suitable lighting and the right amount of space and seating
a safe workplace – well-maintained equipment, with no obstructions in floors and traffic routes, and windows that can be easily opened and cleaned
What you must provide for a safe and healthy workplace
Welfare facilities
Workers must have access to:
toilets and hand basins, with soap and towels or a hand-dryer
drinking water
a place to store clothing (and somewhere to change if special clothing is worn for work)
somewhere to rest and eat meals
A healthy working environment
To have a healthy working environment, make sure there is:
good ventilation – a supply of fresh, clean air drawn from outside or a ventilation system
a reasonable working temperature so it’s comfortable to work (usually at least 16°C, or 13°C for strenuous work, unless other laws require lower temperatures)
lighting suitable for the work being carried out
enough room space and suitable workstations and seating
a clean workplace with appropriate waste containers
A safe workplace
To keep your workplace safe, you must:
maintain your premises and work equipment
keep floors and traffic routes free of obstructions
have windows that can be opened and cleaned safely
make sure that any transparent (eg glass) doors or walls are protected or made of safety material
There are specific laws relating to some higher-risk workplaces, such as construction sites. For more information, select your workplace from HSE’s industries page.
Toilets and washing facilities
Employers have to provide:
enough toilets and washbasins for those expected to use them – find out how many
where possible, separate facilities for men and women – failing that, rooms with lockable doors
clean facilities – preferably with walls and floors tiled (or covered in suitable waterproof material) to make them easier to clean
a supply of toilet paper and, for female employees, somewhere to dispose of sanitary dressings
facilities that are well lit and ventilated
hot and cold running water
enough soap or other washing agents
a basin large enough to wash hands and forearms if necessary
a way of drying hands, such as paper towels or a hot-air dryer
showers where necessary, for particularly dirty work
You must always consider the needs of those with disabilities.
How many toilets and washbasins?
The following tables show the minimum number of toilets and washbasins that you should provide.
Number of toilets and washbasins for mixed use (or women only)
Number of people at work
Number of toilets
Number of washbasins
1-5
1
1
6-25
2
2
26-50
3
3
51-75
4
4
76-100
5
5
Toilets used by men only
Number of people at work
Number of toilets
Number of urinals
1-15
1
1
16-30
2
1
31-45
2
2
46-60
3
2
61-75
3
3
76-90
4
3
91-100
4
4
Temporary worksites
You must provide flushing toilets and running water, for example with portaloos. If this is not possible, use alternatives such as chemical toilets and water containers.
Using public toilets and washing facilities should be a last resort and not because they are a cheaper option. This would not be acceptable if it is possible to provide facilities on-site.
As an employer, you must protect your workers from the health risks of working with display screen equipment (DSE), such as PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations apply to workers who use DSE daily, for an hour or more at a time. We describe these workers as ‘DSE users’. The regulations don’t apply to workers who use DSE infrequently or only use it for a short time.
How to protect workers’ health
The law applies if users are, for example:
at a fixed workstation
mobile workers
home workers
hot-desking (workers should carry out a basic risk assessment if they change desks regularly)
Incorrect use of DSE or poorly designed workstations or work environments can lead to pain in necks, shoulders, backs, arms, wrists and hands as well as fatigue and eye strain. The causes may not always be obvious.
More DSE guidance
HSE’s leaflet Working with display screen equipment gives more information about how to comply with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations.
Advice on using DSE if you’re pregnant or have epilepsy is available.
2. Workstations and assessment
If workers use display screen equipment (DSE) daily, as part of their normal work, continuously for an hour or more, employers must do a workstation assessment.
Employers should look at:
the whole workstation, including equipment, furniture, and work conditions
the job being done
any special requirements of a member of staff, for example a user with a disability
Where there are risks, they should take steps to reduce them.
Employers must also do an assessment when:
a new workstation is set up
a new user starts work
a change is made to an existing workstation or the way it’s used
Software packages can help train users and help them take part in assessments. But the software is not an assessment on its own.
You should always make sure a trained assessor looks at user assessment results (whether these are software or paper based). The assessor should clear up any doubtful points, provide feedback to users and make sure problems are put right, for example by changes to the DSE or workstation.
There is no legal guidance about how long and how often breaks should be for DSE work. It depends on the kind of work you are doing. Take short breaks often, rather than longer ones less often. For example 5 to 10 minutes every hour is better than 20 minutes every 2 hours. Ideally, users should be able to choose when to take breaks.
In most jobs it is possible to stop DSE work to do other tasks, such as going to meetings or making phone calls. If there are no natural changes of activity in a job, employers should plan rest breaks.
Breaks or changes of activity should allow users to get up from their workstations and move around, or at least stretch and change posture.
Break-monitoring software
Break-monitoring software can remind users to take regular breaks. But employers are still responsible for making sure work activities are properly planned and that users take suitable breaks.
4. Eyes and eyesight testing
The law says employers must arrange an eye test for display screen equipment (DSE) usersif they ask for one, and provide glasses if an employee needs them only for DSE use.
DSE work does not cause permanent damage to eyes. But long spells of DSE work can lead to:
tired eyes
discomfort
temporary short-sightedness
headaches
DSE work is visually demanding, so it can make someone aware of eyesight problems they have not noticed before (including changes in eyesight that happen with age).
Employees can help their eyes by:
checking the screen is well positioned and properly adjusted
An employer must provide an eyesight test for a DSE user if they request one. The employer must also pay for the test.
This should be a full eye and eyesight test by an optometrist or doctor, including a vision test and an eye examination.
It’s up to the employer how they provide the test. For example, they could let users arrange the tests and reimburse them for the cost later, or they could send all their DSE users to one optician.
Glasses for DSE work
Employers only have to pay for glasses for DSE work if the test shows an employee needs special glasses prescribed for the distance the screen is viewed at. If an ordinary prescription is suitable, employers do not have to pay for glasses.
5. Training and information
Employers must provide health and safety training and information for display screen equipment (DSE) users. Training should be about the risks in DSE work and how to avoid these by safe working practices. It should include:
good posture
adjusting chairs and other furniture
arranging desk space
adjusting screens and lighting to avoid reflections and glare
breaks and changes of activity
risk assessments
how to report problems
Employers should also tell users about the general arrangements they have made for health and safety in their DSE work, and how they can apply for an eye test.
Also consider explaining how to use the DSE workstation checklist if users are going to make their own assessment.
HSE’s main focus is on health and safety issues related to pain and disorders caused by the work a person does, whether this occurs in the neck, shoulders and arms (Upper Limbs), back, or hips, knees and ankles and feet (Lower Limbs). These pages also cover manual handling and the impact of using display screen equipment.
Key messages about MSDs are:
you can do things to prevent or minimise MSDs;
the prevention measures are cost effective;
you cannot prevent all MSDs, so early reporting of symptoms, proper treatment and suitable rehabilitation is essential.
Risk factors causing MSDs can be found in virtually every workplace from commerce to agriculture, health services to construction.
Back pain
Most people have back pain at some time. Usually the pain is not caused by anything serious and it settles within a matter of days or weeks.
Medical evidence from the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine focuses on three key messages for sufferers to deal with back pain:
Stay active
Try simple pain relief
If you need it, seek advice
For some examples of what others have done to reduce the incidence of back pain at work and how organisations have worked to rehabilitate sufferers and get them back at work, go to the ‘case studies‘ section.
For information to help employers, managers and employees prevent and manage the effects of back pain in the workplace visit the back pain section.
Upper limb disorders (ULDs)
The term upper limb disorders (ULDs) is used as an umbrella term for a range of disorders of the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder and neck. It covers those conditions, with specific medical diagnoses (eg frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome), and other conditions (often called ‘repetitive strain injury’ or RSI) where there is pain without specific symptoms. Symptoms may include pain, swelling and difficulty moving.
For information to help employers, managers and employees prevent and manage the effects of ULDs in the workplace visit the ULD section.
Lower limb disorders (LLDs)
Lower limb disorder (LLD) is used for a range of disorders of the hips, legs, knees, ankles and feet. It covers those conditions with specific medical diagnoses (eg osteoarthritis of the knee and hip), and other conditions where there is pain without specific symptoms. Symptoms may include pain, swelling and difficulty moving.
For information to help employers, managers and employees prevent and manage the effects of LLDs in the workplace visit the LLD section.
Display screen equipment (DSE)
DSE includes all the potential issues that may result from using display screen equipment, which used to be referred to as VDUs (visual display units) and includes use of computer equipment in both the workplace and at home if you are a home-worker. ULDs, headaches and visual problems can all be associated with working at a poorly designed workstation.
For information to help employers, managers and employees prevent and manage the effects of risks of working with DSE visit the DSE section.
Manual handling
Manual handling covers a wide variety of tasks including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying. Injuries can occur almost anywhere, when people are at work or at home, and for many reasons like heavy loads or awkward postures. In addition, previous or existing injury can increase the risk.
Early reporting of symptoms, proper treatment and suitable return to work plans can help most people recover from their injuries and return to work. However some people may need to take longer periods off work and possibly even leave work entirely. The injured person may find that their lifestyle, leisure activities, ability to sleep and job prospects are affected.
MSD – Manual handling
Manual handling relates to the moving of items either by lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing or pulling. The weight of the item is an important factor, but many other factors can create a risk of injury, for example the number of times you have to pick up or carry an item, the distance you are carrying it, where you are picking it up from or putting it down (picking it up from the floor, putting it on a shelf above shoulder level) and any twisting, bending, stretching or other awkward posture you may adopt while doing a task.
Manual handling injuries are part of a wider group of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The term ‘musculoskeletal disorders’ covers any injury, damage or disorder of the joints or other tissues in the upper/lower limbs or the back. Statistics from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) indicate that MSD cases, including those caused by manual handling, account for more than a third of all work-related illnesses reported each year to the enforcing authorities .
There is evidence that, as well as manual handling, heavy manual labour, awkward postures and a recent or existing injury are all risk factors in the development of MSDs. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR) require employers to manage the risks to their employees. They must:
Avoid hazardous manual handling operations so far as is reasonably practicable, by redesigning the task to avoid moving the load or by automating or mechanising the process.
Make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided.
Reduce the risk of injury from those operations so far as is reasonably practicable. Where possible, provide mechanical assistance, for example, a sack trolley or hoist. Where this is not reasonably practicable then explore changes to the task, the load and the working environment.
Medical and scientific knowledge stress the importance of an ergonomic approach to look at manual handling as a whole, taking into account the nature of the task, the load and the working environment, and requiring worker participation.
Free tools
HSE has developed tools to help employers analyse lifting, carrying and team handling (the MAC tool and the V-MAC tool), repetitive upper limb tasks (the ART tool) and pushing and pulling (the RAPP tool). Depending on the task, you may find it helpful to use more than one tool, for example you may need to pick up a box of items (lifting), carry it to a workstation (carrying), then distribute the contents to other locations such as pigeon holes or a filing cabinet (repetitive movements).
For more information about each tool click on the following links
Employers must make sure employees get immediate help if taken ill or injured at work.
The law applies to every workplace and to the self-employed.
You must have:
a suitably stocked first aid kit
an appointed person or people to take charge of first aid arrangements
information for all employees telling them about first aid arrangements
Assess your First Aid Needs
What ‘adequate and appropriate’ first aid arrangements are depends on the work you do and where you do it. You’re best placed to understand the nature of your work, so you should assess what your first aid needs are.
You must consider:
the type of the work you do
hazards and the likely risk of them causing harm
the size of your workforce
work patterns of your staff
holiday and other absences of those who will be first aiders and appointed persons
the history of accidents in your business
You might also consider:
the needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
how close your sites are to emergency medical services
whether your employees work on shared or multi-occupancy sites
first aid for non-employees including members of the public
You don’t have to write down your findings, but if you do, it will allow you to record how you’ve decided on your first aid arrangements.
Appoint someone to take charge of first aid
An appointed person is someone who is in charge of your first aid arrangements. This includes looking after the equipment, facilities and calling the emergency services.
You can have more than one appointed person and they don’t need to have any formal training.
An appointed person must always be available whenever people are at work.
What to put in your first aid kit
The contents of your first aid kit should be based on your first aid needs assessment.
As a guide, where work activities are low-risk (for example, desk-based work) a minimum first aid kit might contain:
large and medium-sized sterile, individually wrapped, unmedicated wound dressings
disposable gloves
This is a suggested contents list.
If you are buying a kit look for British Standard (BS) 8599. By law, your kit doesn’t have to meet this standard but you should check it contains what you’ve identified in your needs assessment.
Maintaining or replacing contents of a first aid kit
Check your kit regularly. Many items, particularly sterile ones, are marked with expiry dates. Replace expired items, disposing of them safely. If a sterile item doesn’t have an expiry date, check with the manufacturer to find out how long it can be kept. For non-sterile items without dates, you should check that they are still fit for purpose.
First Aiders and Training
You might decide that you need someone trained in first aid, sometimes known as a first aider.
There are no hard and fast rules on how many trained first aiders you should have. It depends on the nature of your work and its location.
First aiders are trained by a competent training provider in:
emergency first aid at work (EFAW) – at this level they’re qualified to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work
first aid at work (FAW) – qualified to EFAW level but can also apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illnesses
First aid training
Use the findings of your first aid needs assessment to decide:
if you need someone trained in first aid
what’s an adequate and appropriate level of training
how many people you train
Keep training up to date with regular refresher courses.
If you would like a quote for any First Aid Training please get in touch. Wessex Health and Safety can provide training to cover all of your First Aid training requirements.
Incident reporting is essential. No matter what steps are taken, training is given and precautions are taken, there will always be an element of accidents and incidents that occur in any environment. Whether it be tripping, slipping, dropping things, scratching cars, stubbing toes, falling from a height, being hit by an opening door, TVs falling off walls…things happen. The way in which organisations then handle such eventualities can be quite reflective of the inner workings of the organisation itself:
Is a company still stuck in the 80s using an Incident Reporting book kept in reception gathering dust and presenting a GDPR nightmare?
Has the company moved into the late 90s or even 00s and record things using Excel spreadsheets? (Did you know Excel is turning 33 this year?!)
Is the company bang up to date with modern solutions allowing for efficiency and increased access and uptake of procedures?
Do you know where your company falls on the scale above?
1 – MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE
Whatever system you choose to use to manage your incident reporting, make sure that all of your employees have access to the system. From your office staff to your field sales team, the people in the manufacturing plant down the road and the contractors coming on site. Everyone should know how to appropriately report incidents that occur while under your care.
Is there an app you want them to use?
If you still use a book where is it kept and who is responsible for it?
Do you require any additional evidence such as photos or witness statements?
Is there a requirement to tell anyone after an incident has been reported? What if people are travelling on business, what does that mean for reporting an incident?
2 – MAKE IT RELEVANT
Any solution you use should be relevant and adaptable to your individual needs. Every organisation is different so why should anyone assume one product is suitable for everyone? Make sure your own areas of concern are covered – for example; you don’t need a fancy vehicle incident reporting function if you don’t have any company vehicles…but you might need a personal injury graph to see whereabouts most bodily injuries occur…
Does your current solution meet the individual needs of the organisation?
Who in the business NEEDS to be informed about different types of incidents?
What happens if there are RIDDOR reportable incidents – is there suitable data in your current system to meet all of the requirements?
Do the reports reflect the information needed or are they reporting on unnecessary elements which could potentially be wasting crucial time which could be better spent elsewhere?
3 – MAKE IT KNOWN
Whatever your system is, it is no use to your organisation if your employees don’t know about it. Look at your communication methods and make sure you receive support to get your employees using your chosen system. All too often great systems are implemented by the board or one department but not communicated internally so no one else knows about it…make sure you consider the wider teams and how to make sure they are as well informed as you are.
If a visitor were to walk into your organisation and fall over in reception while someone from the IT team happened to be walking by. Would the employee from the IT department know how to report the incident, who to report it to and critically what information from the visitor would be required?
Is the system for reporting so complicated that when faced with an actual incident it would simply add to the anxiety of the individual?
Have you considered something as simple as putting a poster up in the canteen or bathrooms – the places where people spend down time – actually letting them know about what to do if they trip on their way out of the door?
Are your employees open to reporting incidents or do they fear repercussions / accusations?
4 – MAKE TIME TO TRAIN
Using any system is simple if you know how to use it, especially if you are the one that created, implemented or instigated the system in the first place. Make sure that everyone else who needs to know has a suitable level of training. For example, all staff may need to know how to report an incident, but only some of them will need to be involved in the management of the incident, for example reporting to the HSE or at a Board Level and taking steps to prevent re-occurrences etc.
It is worth considering what would be the easiest way to train your employees on your Incident Reporting system – Do they respond to: Videos, Webinars, Newsletter pieces, Incentives, Classroom training, e-Learning courses, peer training, team by team training….?
If the person who administers your Incident Reporting system was suddenly unavailable or decided to travel round Africa for 2 months, would anyone else in the organisation know how to take over the system or is it so bespoke and convoluted that only one person will ever be able to get the value out of it that you require?
Is your system based on standard principles but has been personalised to your own needs or is it a system put together by an individual and been built on over years?
5 – MAKE IT WORK HARD
You should be constantly evaluating your systems to make sure they are the best solution for you at the current time. Incident reporting systems are no different. Processes, technologies, laws, best practices, requirements change all the time. You need to constantly assess to make sure you are not falling behind the curve and relying on potentially out of date, but familiar, ways of working.
When was your system last updated?
Have you seen something in an industry publication or heard something at a conference that made you feel embarrassed of your own system or methods of working?
If you are using or considering a software solution, how is your provider keeping ahead of the competition and importantly keeping your data safe?
If your current system isn’t a system you would recommend to anyone in a similar position to yours then why are you even using it?
What is COSHH?
