Procedure

Technical Report

Overview

The prolonged use of equipment and machines that transmit vibrations (oscillations) to the hand and arm can cause damage to the upper limbs. One example is circulatory disorders of the fingers, known as white finger disease. This Technical Report provides a useful compilation of practicable measures for the reduction and control of health hazards associated with exposure (strain) to hand-arm vibration at work. It supplements the European "Guide to good practice on hand-arm vibration" (a non-legally binding manual implementing Directive 2002/44/EC on vibration at work) and provides a practical professional aid for health and safety authorities or labor authorities, who in turn produce guidance for managers, occupational physicians and safety representatives, engineers, planning and purchasing personnel and others. This Technical Report covers the following principal aspects: sources of hand-arm vibration, vibration mitigation through process redesign, low-vibration equipment, anti-vibration systems, personal protective equipment, management measures for the control of hand-arm vibration exposure, and health surveillance. Detailed informative annexes provide numerous examples of vibration-emitting equipment and processes, vibration control measures, vibration mitigation measures due to changes in product design, changes in manufacturing processes, or changes in equipment selection, and equipment characteristics and work tasks, including illustrations. Other informative annexes cover obtaining manufacturer information, including important issues in equipment purchasing, vibration-reducing equipment maintenance, and reliable establishment of action and exposure limits.

Document: references other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 001-03-12 AA - Human exposure to vibration - Hand-transmitted vibration  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 231/WG 2 - Hand-arm vibration