Hand-Arm Vibration
Whole-Body Vibration
Exposure Action Value
2.5 m/s²
0.5 m/s²
Exposure Limit
5 m/s²
1.15 m/s²
Once the
exposure action value
is exceeded, the employer shall establish and implement a
program of technical and and organizational measures intended to reduce to a minimum
exposure to mechanical vibration, taking into account in particular:
•
Other working methods that require less exposure to mechanical vibration
•
Appropriate work equipment of ergonomic design, producing the least possible vibration
•
Provision of auxiliary equipment that reduces the risk of injuries, such as protective gloves
or special seats
•
Appropriate maintenance programs for work equipment
•
Design and layout of workplaces
•
Adequate information and training to instruct workers to use work equipment correctly and
safely
•
Limitation of the duration and intensity of the exposure
•
Work schedules with adequate rest periods
•
Provision of clothing to protect workers from cold and damp
In any event, workers shall not be exposed above the
exposure limit value
. If this should be the
case, the employer shall take immediate action to reduce exposure below the exposure limit
value.
The methods used may include sampling, which must be representative of the personal exposure
of a worker to the mechanical vibration in question.
The assessment of the level of exposure to vibration is based on the calculation of
daily
exposure A(8)
expressed as equivalent continuous acceleration over an eight-hour work period.
For the determination of A(8) it is not necessary to measure over eight hours. It is sufficient to
make short-term measurements during representative work steps. The results are normalized to
eight hours. Daily exposure is calculated as follows:
Equation 1
where
a
we
is the energy equivalent mean value of the frequency weighted acceleration during the
exposure
T
e
is the total duration of exposure during one work day
T
0
is the reference duration of 8 hours
5
A
8
=
a
we
T
e
T
0