3.2. EU Occupational Health Directive 2002/44/EC
The following text is an abstract of Directive 2002/44/EC of the European Parlia-
ment and of the Council dated June 25, 2002. The complete text can be downloaded
from
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/
The directive specifies minimum requirements for the protection of workers from
the risks arising from vibrations. Manufacturers of machines and employers should
make adjustments regarding risks related to exposure to vibration.
The directive lays down the following limit values:
Hand-Arm, RMS Whole-Body, RMS Whole-Body, VDV
Exposure action
value
2.5 m/s²
0.5 m/s²
9.1 m/s
1,75
Exposure limit
5 m/s²
1.15 m/s²
21 m/s
1,75
Table 1: Limits to EU directive 2002/44/EC
Once the
exposure action value
is exceeded, the employer shall establish and im-
plement a program of technical 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 protec-
tive 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 be-
low the exposure limit value.
The methods used may include sampling, which must be representative of the per-
sonal 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:
4