One of the greatest causes for concern in the construction industry is hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Although GAP is making every effort to offer the safest products, it is the responsibility of the contractor to ensure the appropriate equipment is selected and used correctly. Look out for anti-vibration models which can significantly increase the safe length of time a machine can be used for. This will significantly increase operator comfort whilst reducing fatigue and risk from white finger.
There are precautions you can take;
- Wear gloves, keep your hands warm and dry and ensure good circulation to the figures.
- Don’t grip the tool too tightly – let it do the work.
- Ensure you are using sharp bits or blades – the job will be finished faster meaning less exposure to vibration.
- Take regular breaks.
- If you experience any tingling or numbness in your hands or fingers STOP immediately and report this incident to your site manager.
As well as the HAV poster and Tool Box Talk available below, we have a pocket HAV Guide as a useful reference point, categorised into traffic light colours to illustrate the length of time a product can be used safely. If you would like hard copies of this Guide, or an HAV exposure calculator, please email info@gap-group.co.uk.
Downloads:
All Poster Designs and Tool Box Talks are subject to Copyright
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