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Market Report: Health & Safety pt2 Hand arm vibration, noise & dust Grasping the initiative Speedy Hire’s new campaign to raise awareness of HAV is impressively comprehensive. Alan Guthrie was given a preview. ‘Get to Grips with Hand Arm Vibration’ aims to make the issue of HAV easily comprehensible to anyone in construction and related industries, from director level to the work site. It shares the same umbrella Safety From the Ground Up theme Speedy introduced last year for its award-winning work at height awareness campaign, but the company says that the extra complexities of HAV has called for an even more comprehensive approach. One difficulty is that, while the risks associated with working at height are obvious, HAV is more abstract. Typically, the problems associated with HAV develop slowly over many years and the importance of prevention has to be emphasised. Additionally, it can seem a bewildering topic couched in formulae, action values, vector sums and tri-axial vibration readings. “To successfully tackle HAV it needs to become part of an organisation’s culture,” contends Speedy Hire’s Group Head of Marketing, Philip Prince. “We believe that if the issue can be fully understood at board level, it will then cascade downwards more easily to all other departments. “When we started researching for the campaign 12 months ago, we discovered there was little data to show the level of HAV awareness within the construction industry. We commissioned research among 20 sites, which suggested that the level of understanding dropped significantly as one went further down an organisation’s hierarchy. Typically, those responsible for drafting policy would be 100% aware, and for site managers the figure would be 75%. Operators and sub-contractors averaged a 33% awareness level – yet 63% of them were responsible for tool selection. Their equipment choice would usually be made according to branding, cost and the application, with vibration a low priority. Different degrees of awareness “Overall, 50% of interviewees did not regard HAV as a major issue. And our research confirmed that awareness could change within different levels of the same organisation,” states Philip Prince. As part of the new initiative, which has just been launched, Speedy is emphasising the change from quoting single dominant axis tool vibration figures to the tri-axial vector sum figures, as stipulated in the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations. The campaign highlights the OPERC (Off-road Plant and Equipment Research Centre) at Loughborough University website as a source of real-life vibration measurements. Speedy has also developed a toolbox talk and accompanying materials, and has trained its sales staff in its presentation. The hirer is also devising HAV courses for operators and managers that can be offered through Speedy Training. Also featuring strongly in Speedy’s red box of HAV materials are posters, stickers and other aids to communicating key concepts in simple ways, with cartoons and slogans. These also focus on the symptoms and debilitating side effects of HAV, such as loss of grip strength and pins and needles. This shows an occupational health element to the campaign, besides the safety message. The package also includes an informative HAV handbook and a CD containing communication and reference materials in printable format, together with other background advice from sources such as the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and OPERC. The materials can be co-branded if a contractor wants to use them as part of its own staff training programmes. Speedy has committed significant resources to producing a comprehensive and impressive campaign, with input from end-users, managers, contractors, manufacturers, research bodies and the HSE. It has grasped the initiative in promoting HAV awareness, projecting a positive image of hirers and the role they can play, taking the whole industry forward. • T
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6886 Executive Hire News › Archives › April 2006 › Market Report › Grasping the initiative
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