Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) - Guidance for Employers and Operatives

FISA Safety Bulletin

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, or HAVS describes a group of diseases caused by exposure of the hands and arms to vibration from tools and equipment which vibrate, e.g. chainsaws and brush cutters. The relevant legislation is the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, for which more detail is available on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website here - http://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/hav/regulations.htm.

This Bulletin covers:

• What is HAVS?
• What do Employers, Employees and Self-employed people need to know and do?
• What about health surveillance, record keeping and diagnosis of HAVS?
• How is HAVS and Vibration best managed in the workplace day-to-day?
• How is Vibration exposure measured in detail?
• A range of digital APPs and systems are now available to help the user manage exposure to HAVS as part of their own site safety systems.