The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (the Vibration Regulations), came into force on 6 July 2005 and aim to protect workers from risks to health from vibration.

The regulations introduce action and limit values for hand-arm and whole-body vibration.

Hand-arm vibration

The regulations introduce an:

• Exposure action value of 2.5m/s² A(8) at which level employers should introduce technical and organisational measures to reduce exposure.
• Exposure limit value of 5.0m/s² A(8) which should not be exceeded.

The regulations also allow a transitional period from the exposure limit value for hand-arm vibration untill 2010 to allow work activities, where the use of older tools and machinery cannot keep exposures below the exposure limit value, to continue in certain circumstances .

The full text of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005^[1] can be viewed online.

Guidance providing advice on practical actions employers can take to control the risks and common sense measures to reduce exposure can be found in the following free leaflets:

• Control the risks from hand-arm vibration INDG175(rev2)^[2] [PDF 164kb] Advice for employers
• Hand-arm vibration INDG296(rev1)^[3] [PDF 48kb] Advice for employees

  and in HSE's priced book:

• 'Hand-arm vibration – The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005' (L140) (ISBN 0-7176-6125-3) available from HSE books^[4] or from bookshops priced £13.95.

Enforcement

Inspectors will act to prevent damage to employee's health where duty holders are failing to comply with the law.

• See some examples of enforcement action taken by HSE inspectors^[5]