Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is caused by exposure to vibration at work and is preventable, but once the damage is done it is permanent. Approximately 3,000 fresh claims for Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit are made annually relating to vibration white finger (VWF syndrome) and hand and arm vibration-related carpal tunnel syndrome.
In this employer’s guide, we explain why you must put HAVS disease risk management at the top of your Health and Safety agenda and what you need to do to reduce and control the risks from hand-arm vibration at work.
Vibration is the rapid acceleration and deceleration of a body or body part, produced by rotating or oscillating machinery. When this movement is transmitted to the human body – usually through the hands, arms, feet, or buttocks – it has the potential to cause injury.
We’ll explain these in a moment but first….
Identifying the early signs of hand vibration syndrome is crucial for an employer to take action to prevent the health effects from becoming more serious. HAVS is preventable, but once the damage is done it is permanent.
Noise hazards may also be present concurrently with vibration issues – the noise hazards must also be appropriately considered and adequately controlled.
For some employees, the symptoms of hand-arm vibration syndrome may appear after only a few months of exposure, but for others, they may take a few years. They are likely to worsen with continued exposure to vibration and may become permanent.
Vibration White Finger (VWF) is a condition which begins with the tips of the fingers blanching (turning white) and feeling numb. As the condition progresses the whole finger may be affected. Symptoms: Attacks are short-lived (usually up to 30 minutes) and often end with a painful throbbing as the blood returns to the finger, normally characterised by reddening of the fingers.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a specific type of nerve/muscle damage caused (among other things) by vibration in which the nerves in the wrist are compressed, leading to pain and stiffness.
Symptoms: Potentially, any part of the hand could be affected by numbness, tingling, loss of strength and sensitivity.
The exposure action value (EAV) is the daily amount of vibration exposure above which employers are required to take action to control exposure. The exposure limit value (ELV) is the maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on any day.
A hand-arm vibration risk assessment must be completed before conducting any activities that may expose people to vibration harm. The risk assessment process should cover a defined task, process, or activity where the individual(s) may be exposed to hand-arm vibration at work, before purchase, hire or use.
The risk assessment process must ensure that the following points have been considered:
Where the hand-arm vibration risk assessment determines that vibration exposure levels are significant and the effect of exposure is likely harmful to health, action must be taken to reduce vibration exposure.
The risk assessment must identify ways of controlling exposure, including how much reduction can be achieved and by which means the continuing effectiveness of those control measures can be verified and documented records maintained. The work activities that comprise the highest risk of exposure to hand-arm vibration should be dealt with first.
Provide personal protective clothing to employees, particularly gloves and other items to keep them warm and dry and provide further protection from the effects of vibration. Control measures put in place must be regularly reviewed and documented to avoid exposure to HAVS (hand-arm vibration syndrome)
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (Noise Regulations 2005) require employers to carry out health surveillance where there is a health risk.
Health surveillance should be considered as part of the overall risk control strategy where employees are likely to be exposed at or above threshold limits and where the risk assessment identifies that the frequency and severity of exposure may pose a health risk.
When health surveillance is deemed required, it should be conducted at least annually. An initial (or baseline) assessment and periodic health surveillance are typically needed for HAVS. The results of health surveillance must be used to review and where necessary revise the hand and arm vibration risk assessment, including plans to control the risks. Records of health surveillance and fitness for work advice provided for each employee should be retained by an Occupational Health provider for 40 years.
When a recommendation is made that it is no longer safe to expose an employee to vibration energy, consideration must be given regarding what action to take, including the availability of alternative work without exposure to vibration. As a last resort, a recommendation of not fit for work may need to be made on safety grounds.
Pre-employment screening should be provided for potential employees as advised by Occupational Health for those likely to be exposed to vibrating equipment during their employment.
Hand-arm vibration syndrome is a painful and disabling condition that affects the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and joints of the hands and arms. By law, as an employer, you must assess and identify measures to eliminate or reduce risks from exposure to hand-arm vibration so that you can protect your employees from risks to their health.
If you’re unsure whether you have actioned all the control measures to protect your employees from HAVS (hand arm vibration syndrome), perhaps now would be a good time to see how we can support your business. Get in touch with our expert H&S team today by visiting Avensure Contact!
OSHA and HSE are responsible for setting standards which include permissible exposure limits and recommend practices to mitigate exposure to hand-arm vibration syndrome such as regular monitoring, equipment and tool maintenance, employee training, and implementing the use of anti-vibration tools. As an employer, you can seek information concerning your legal obligations and responsibilities from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), and HSE (Health and Safety Executive), or speak to our experts here at Avensure to ensure compliance with the latest legislation.
As an employer, you can measure exposure to hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) using vibration meters and sophisticated monitoring equipment, which evaluate the intensity and duration of vibrations in the workplace. By implementing regular monitoring and using analysing tools to measure task-specific vibration levels, you can gather accurate data and apply the appropriate measures to comply with guidelines safeguarding employees from overexposure hand and arm vibration syndrome.
Northern Office:
Avensure Ltd
4th Floor, St John’s House
2 – 10 Queen Street
Manchester, M2 5JB
Avensure Ltd
Longcroft House
2-8 Victoria Avenue
London, EC2M 4NS
Copyright © 2025 Avensure | All Rights Reserved. Registered in England and Wales under Company No: 07850609 at registered address: Avensure Ltd, 4th Floor, St John’s House 2 – 10 Queen Street, Manchester, M2 5JB. Avensure Ltd (Tel: 0330 100 8705) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 783702. This can be checked on the Financial Services Register by visiting their website www.fca.org.uk/register