Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

17.31.3 Application – Regulation 3
For work equipment fi rst provided to employees for use 
prior to 6 July 2007 and where compliances with the 
exposure limit values is not possible employers have until 
2010 to comply and in the case of agriculture and for-
estry 2014 (for whole body vibration).
However action must be taken to use the latest 
technical advances and the organizational measures in 
accordance with Regulation 6 (2).
17.31.4
Exposure limit values and action 
values – Regulation 4
HAV
(a) 8 hour daily exposure limit value is 5 m/s
2
A (8)
(b) 8 hour daily exposure action value is 2.5 m/s
2
A (8)
(c) daily exposure ascertained as set out in Schedule 2 
Part I.
17.31 
Contr
ol of V
ibration at W
ork Regulations 2005

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Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
390
WBV
(a) 8 hour daily exposure limit value is 1.15 m/s
2
A (8)
(b) 8 hour daily exposure action value is 0.5 m/s
2
A (8)
(c) daily exposure ascertained as set out in Schedule 2 
Part I.
17.31.5
Assessment of risk to health created by 
vibration at the workplace – Regulation 5
A suitable and suffi cient risk assessment must be made 
where work liable to expose employees is carried on. 
The risk assessment must identify the measures which 
need to be taken to comply with these Regulations.
Assessment of daily exposure should be by means of:
➤
observation of specifi c working practices
➤
reference to relevant work equipment vibration data
➤
if necessary measurement of the magnitude of 
vibration to which employees are exposed, and
➤
likelihood of exposure at or above an exposure action 
value or above an exposure limit value.
The risk assessment shall include consideration of:
➤
the magnitude, type and duration of exposure, 
including any exposure to intermittent vibration or 
repeated shocks
➤
the effects of exposure to vibration on employees 
whose health is at particular risk from such exposure
➤
any effects of vibration on the workplace and work 
equipment, including the proper handling of con-
trols, the reading of indicators, the stability of struc-
tures and the security of joints
➤
any information provided by the manufacturers of 
work equipment
➤
the availability of replacement equipment designed 
to reduce exposure to vibration
➤
any extension of exposure at the workplace to 
whole-body vibration beyond normal working hours, 
including exposure in rest facilities supervised by 
the employer
➤
specifi c working conditions such as low tempera-
tures, and
➤
appropriate information obtained from health surveil-
lance including, where possible, published information.
The risk assessment shall be reviewed regularly and 
forthwith if:
➤
there is reason to suspect that the risk assessment 
is no longer valid, or
➤
there has been a signifi cant change in the work to 
which the assessment relates
and where, as a result of the review, changes to the risk 
assessment are required, those changes shall be made.
The employer shall record:
➤
the signifi cant fi ndings of the risk assessment as 
soon as is practicable after the risk assessment is 
made or changed, and
➤
the measures which they have taken and which 
they intend to take to meet the requirements of 
Regulation 6.