Analysis of hand–arm vibration risk to highway utilities maintenance and repair operatives

Hand–arm vibration (HAV) is an occupational hazard to workers using hand-held mechanical equipment. Highway utilities maintenance and repair operatives (HUMRo) use an array of such equipment; their risk is assessed as a basis to inform health and safety management, in particular, as a first step in helping establish a semi-automated risk assessment system within a collaborating national (GB) utility contractor organisation. A work study regime is implemented with the collaborating contractor to record HUMRo's use of mechanical hand-held equipment during typical working days. Analyses on these data determine average daily HAV exposure levels and these are evaluated against UK legislative benchmarks. The majority of HUMRo are exposed below the legislative “action” level; while 15% were above this, of which 1.5% of these exceeded the defined legal maximum exposure. Workers performing “opening up/services” work type on “gas supply” equipment might be at most exposure risk; as are “alpha-males” who tend to use mechanical equipment more than their work colleagues.