Presentation for Grampian Occupational Safety Health Group Michael Stewart, Specialist Inspector Noise and Vibration,

1. Presentation for Grampian Occupational Safety & Health Group � Michael Stewart, Specialist Inspector (Noise and Vibration), HSE NOISE AND VIBRATION IN THE WORKPLACE � CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTH RISKS � AND WHAT�S BLOWING IN FROM EUROPE??

2. Structure of the talk (1) Vibration From Hand Held Tools HSE�s current enforcement practice on Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) Our current understanding of HAV health risks The Physical Agents Vibration Directive (that�s what�s blowing in from Europe!)

3. Structure of the talk (2) Noise HSE�s current enforcement practice (the Noise at Work Regulations (1989)) Our current understanding of Noise health risks The Physical Agents (Noise) Directive

4. Hand Arm Vibration How do we measure? What do we measure? How do we relate what we measure to risk of injury?

5. What do we measure? Vibration meters measure acceleration (a) in metres per second2 (m/s2) However as the hand is more sensitive to lower frequencies than higher frequencies, the vibration meter �weights� the acceleration such that higher frequencies are progressively filtered out

6. HAV Weighting Curve For Calculating The �Frequency Weighted� Acceleration (ahw)

7. Health Effects of Hand Arm Vibration Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) could consist of one or more of the following Episodic finger blanching (Vibration induced white finger � VWF) Neurological symptoms (tingling, numbness, loss of manual dexterity and loss of sense of touch) Musculo-skeletal damage Carpal tunnel syndrome (Note: HAVS and Carpal tunnel syndrome are reportable injuries under RIDDOR)

8. Daily Vibration Exposure Which May Be Expected To Produce Finger Blanching in 10% of the People Exposed

9. HSE�s CURRENT ENFORCEMENT PRACTICE FOR HAVS If employee daily vibration exposure (A(8)) is above 2.8 m/s2 (measurement on the dominant axis) Do all that is reasonably practicable to reduce exposure to below 2.8 m/s2 All employees still exposed above 2.8 m/s2 should have health surveillance under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner Note: an A(8) of 2.8 m/s2 is HSE�s recommended action level (it is not a limit value!)

10. A FINAL WORD ABOUT MEASUREMENT Current method of estimating vibration exposure is based on the measurement on the dominant of the three axes (BS 6842) Method in the new directive is based on the vector sum of the three axes ( ahv = (ahwx2 + ahwy2 + ahwz2)1/2 This will be 1 to 1.7 times greater than the measurement on the dominant axis

11. Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive What�s different to HSE�s current enforcement practice? The A(8) action level has been reduced from 2.8 m/s2 (measurement on dominant axis) to 2.5 m/s2 (vector sum of all 3 axes). Employees exposed above this should be under health surveillance. There is now a limit value at an A(8) of 5 m/s2 There are action levels and limit values for daily whole body vibration exposure too Directive has to be implemented by Summer 2005

12. NOISE What do we measure? Sound level meters measure Sound pressure level (SPL) in decibels (dB) However as the ear is more sensitive to higher frequencies than lower frequencies, the meter �weights� the SPL such that lower frequencies are progressively filtered out. The filter is known as an A-weighting filter, so noise is measured in dB(A)

13. Daily Personal Noise Exposure (LEP,d) This is the employee�s noise exposure averaged over an 8 hour daily period. Can be found from the measurement of sound pressure level, and the duration of time an employee is exposed to the noise

14. Calculation of the LEP,d Task Noise Level (dB(A)) Duration time FEV Press shop 105 1 hr 4 Assembly area 95 4 hrs 1.8 Sum of the fractional exposure values = 4 + 1.8 = 5.8 Therefore LEP,d = 98 dB(A)

15. Estimates of hearing loss for different daily noise exposure levels (LEP,d) (HSE Contract research report 29/1991) Unselected male population 40 years exposure % with hearing loss greater than 30 dB No noise 85 dB(A) 90 dB(A) 95 dB(A) 100dB(A) 28 35 51 69 86 (Note: hearing loss of 30 dB is recognised as the level at which hearing disability occurs)

16. Noise at Work Regulations (1989) LEP,d of 85 dB(A) � First action level � � 90 dB(A) � Second action level 140 dB � Peak action level If employee LEP,d > 85 dB(A), employer must provide ear protection, employer must provide information on the risks of hearing damage, and training on the use of ear protection (but employees don�t have to wear hearing protection if they don�t want to). Employer must carry out a noise assessment If employee LEP,d > 90 dB(A), employer must provide ear protection, employee must wear it. Also employer should seek to reduce noise exposure by means other than just providing hearing protection (for noise control techniques, see HSG �Sound Solutions� and HSE information sheets on the website) Also, if employee LEP,d > 90 dB(A), audiometric surveillance of employees is recommended by HSE

17. Physical Agents (Noise) Directive Exposure limit values: LEP,d of 87 dB(A) and peak level of 140 dB Upper exposure action value: LEP,d of 85 dB(A) and peak level of 140 dB Lower exposure action value: LEP,d of 80 dB(A) and peak level of 135 dB Employer has to provide health surveillance if employees exposed above 85 dB(A)?? (still under debate)

18. References Vibration HSG 88 Hand Arm vibration BS 6842/ISO 5349 � measurement methods HSG 170 Vibration Solutions Free leaflets - INDG 126,175,296,338 and 242 (for whole body vibration) Vibration directive at http://www.hse.gov.uk/a-z/index.htm (click on �v� and follow links for vibration)

19. References Noise HSG 138 Sound solutions HSG 232 Sound Solutions for the food and drink industry L108 Reducing Noise at Work Free leaflets (INDG 75, 193, 362, 363) Noise directive at http://www.hse.gov.uk/a-z/index.htm (click on �n� and follow links for noise) Short courses on noise and vibration are provided by Inst of Acoustics (IOA) & IOSH