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Hand Arm Vibration Testing
is an essential process that must be undertaken by companies that use
hand tools that emit vibrations.
To help you comply with the hand arm vibration regulations we offer on-site
hand arm vibration testing and evaluation service for all your hand tools, both air and
electric, carried out by a competent fully trained DPA personnel
using the very latest equipment and
software. Any mechanically driven tool from an electric toothbrush to a
concrete breaker produces vibration, so part of the problem will be
residual vibration emanating from the tool, secondary vibration can
be from the machine action, a rotary drill gives off less vibration
than a random orbit sander, the random orbital sander has a cam type
mechanism to make the circular rotation go off in a tangential
action producing high vibration levels, the greater the offset orbit
the greater the vibration.
Using a hand tool normally means fitting something to it, in the
case of a drill it is a drill bit, a random orbital sander is a
coated abrasive type disc and an angle grinder a disc, all these
different components change the action of the tool to produce
different variations in vibration.
We then supply you with an electronic bespoke vibration analysis for
all your tools together with an action manual to assist you to
completing a vibration risk assessment in house study
One of the biggest contributors to HAV is “Resonant Vibration” this
is vibration produced by the substrate you are working on, normally
produced because the substrate has not been firmly fixed and is
vibrating, in industrial markets many components are either placed
into jigs to hold them firmly or clamped down to stop them from
moving.
In a BodyShop such options are not always open to you particularly
if the part you are working on is fixed to the car then you cannot
do much about it, however if you are sanding a replacement panel
prior to painting them securing to a bench rather than a paint stand
can give infinitely better results.
If your company’s employee’s use mechanically operated hand tools
during their working day (Sanders, Grinders etc) there could be a
need for these tools to undergo Hand Arm Vibration Testing in
accordance with The Control at Work Regulations 2005 before the 6th
of July 2010 when the transitional period for old tools comes to an
end, we have attached a brief synopsis from the regulations to help
you understand the legal issues to ensure you are not in breach of
these regulations after this date.
Testing to BS EN ISO 5349-2
On-site measuring under actual working conditions has proven to be
very effective in producing precise and more realistic figures and
test results than those obtained using manufacturers declared
vibration values, when using manufacturer’s figures the guidance is
to multiply their declared vibration values by 1.5 to 2 to give a
truer figure under working conditions
By taking advantage of our experience and knowledge, we will
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Highlight high level vibration
tools in current use.-
Colour code machines to indicate
safe vibration levels.-
Demonstrate safe working practices.-
Indicate what
tools should be quarantined for remedial action/repair.-
Provide an electronic bespoke
analysis for all your tools that can be stored on your computer
system on demand retrieval .-
Ensure employees are aware of
correct use of the tools.-
Assist in creating safe working
practices.
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