MANAGING NOISE AND VIBRATION Graham Cowling For the

MANAGING NOISE AND VIBRATION Graham Cowling For the benefit of business and people Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY

SUMMARY 1 OBJECTIVES 2 REGULATIONS 3 NOISE RISKS 4 VIBRATION RISKS 5 MANAGEMENT ACTIONS 6 EXERCISE 2

1 > OBJECTIVES 3

1 OBJECTIVES WORKSHOP PROGRAMME 8 OVERVIEW OF NEW WORKPLACE NOISE AND VIBRATION REGULATIONS 8 NOISE AND VIBRATION RISKS 8 MANAGEMENT ACTIONS 8 WORKSHOP TASK Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 4

2 > REGULATIONS 5

2 REGULATONS Whats New 8 CONTROL OF VIBRATION AT WORK REGULATIONS – JUNE 2005 • FIRST SPECIFIC VIBRATION LEGISLATION » HAND ARM VIBRATION » WHOLE BODY VIBRATION 8 CONTROL OF NOISE AT WORK REGULATIONS – APRIL 2006 • REVISED NOISE REGULATION • REDUCED LIMITS FOR NOISE Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 6

2 REGULATONS Common Elements 8 BOTH REGULATIONS ARE THE UK IMPLEMENTATION OF EU ‘PHYSICAL AGENTS DIRECTIVE’ 8 BOTH USE ‘DAILY EXPOSURE VALUES’ AS CRITERIA 8 BOTH HAVE ‘ACTION VALUES’ ABOVE WHICH MANAGEMENT / CONTROL IS REQUIRED 8 BOTH HAVE ‘LIMIT VALUES’ ABOVE WHICH WORK MUST STOP UNTIL CORRECTED’ 8 BOTH REQUIRE ‘ASSESSMENTS’, ‘ACTION PLANS’ AND CONTROL OF NOISE & VIBRATION TO ‘AS LOW AS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE’ Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 7

3 > NOISE RISKS 8

3 NOISE RISKS Topics Covered 8 How noise affects the ear 8 How noise levels and noise exposure are described 8 How the action values are defined 8 Noise exposure assesments Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 9

3 NOISE RISKS The Ear § The Outer Ear or Pinna works as an acoustic funnel, rather like a horn. The various conche and channels are tuned to the mid-range frequencies used in speech. § The Auditory Canal allows sound to travel to the ear drum. § The Ear Drum is a diaphragm which vibrates in response to pressure changes. § The Eustachian Tube connects the middle ear to the throat, and provides pressure balance across the ear drum when you either swallow or yawn. § The Middle Ear contains three bones referred to as Ossicles. These act as levers and provide mechanical amplification as vibration is transmitted to the Oval Window of the inner ear. § The Cochlea is a spiral shaped tube filled with fluid and thousands of hair cells. The hair cells respond to the vibration in the fluid and generate electrical impulses. These are carried along the auditory nerve and on to the brain where they are perceived as sound Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 10

3 NOISE RISKS The Ear and Noise Effects 8 Permanent Threshold Shift • The graph shows the cumulative effect of repeated exposure to high noise levels, and how reducing daily recovery leads to a permanent, and irreversible, loss of hearing sensitivity. Time to full deafness is 5 to 40 years, depending on noise levels and the person. Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 11

3 NOISE RISKS How Noise Affects Hearing 8 INDUSTRIAL NOISE PRINCIPALLY DAMAGES HAIR CELLS WHICH DETECT HIGH FREQUENCIES (4000 Hz) 8 IT CAUSES LOSSES FAR IN EXCESS OF NATURAL AGEING DEAFNESS 8 THE PRINCIPAL EFFECT IS ON THE ABILITY TO HEAR SPEECH (S’s. . T’s. . ) Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 12

3 NOISE RISKS Noise Levels and Noise Meters Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 13

3 NOISE RISK d. B(A) LAeq LCpk Representing Loudness Unit of Noise Loudness Unit Of Noise ‘As Heard’ Average Noise Level Peak Pressure Level ? 14

3 NOISE RISK Representing Exposures 8 The louder the noise, the more hazardous it is. Also, the longer the exposure time, the more hazardous the noise is. • A Noise Dose combines both loudness and time and is a convenient way of describing the relative hazard of the noise. 8 LEP. d – Personal Daily Exposure Level • Equivalent d. B(A) Steady Noise Levels Over 8 Hours Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 15

3 NOISE RISK Deafness Risk vs Noise Exposure 8 NOISE WILL AFFECT PEOPLE’S HEARING BY DIFFERENT AMOUNTS 8 THE ANALYSIS BELOW SHOWS THE HEARING LOSS EXPECTED FROM 50% OF THE POPULATION, EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT NOISE LEVELS OVER 8 HOUR DAY 8 AT 90 d. B(A). . . • TYPICAL HEARING LOSS = 23 d. B • 26% POPULATION WOULD HAVE HEARING LOSS > 30 d. B 8 BELOW 80 d. B(A) 50% POPULATION HEARING LOSS AFTER 40 YRS • THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL RISK COMPARED WITH NATURAL AGEING Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 16

3 NOISE RISK The Noise Action Levels Current NOISE AT WORK REGULATIONS replaced with “CONTROL OF NOISE AT WORK” Regulations - ACTION LEVELS have been reduced by 5 d. B(A) ? 17

3 NOISE RISK Impact on Deafness Risk 8 REDUCING UPPER ACTION LEVEL BY 5 d. B(A) REDUCES EXPECTED 50% HEARING LOSS RISK BY 10 d. B 8 NEW LOWER ACTION LIMIT EXTENDS TO LIMIT OF STATISTICAL DEAFNESS PROBABILITY 8 BUT 87 d. B(A) EXPOSURE LIMIT STILL ALLOWS 50% PERCENTILE PROBABLE HEARING LOSS OF 20 d. B 50% POPULATION HEARING LOSS AFTER 40 YRS (UK HSE PUBLISHED DATA) Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 18

3 Noise Assessment Requirements NOISE RISK NOISE TIME ACTIONS TRADE BY TRADE LEP. d RECORDS INTERPRETATION Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 19

3 NOISE RISK Dosimetry Assessments 8 Noise Dosimeter • Noise dosimeters are miniature meters worn by a worker whilst doing a normal job. The meters use a microphone placed close to the ear. • As minimum they will record the LAeq value and maximum peak value for the duration. • Dosimeters are particularly useful in assessing noise exposure of roving personnel. • Some meters may also give a time stamped printout of noise levels to which the worker was exposed during the shift. This is particularly useful in conjunction with a personal record sheet in identifying places where excess noise exposure occurs. Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 20

3 NOISE RISK HSE Tools for Simple Noise Assessments SINGLE TASK CALCULATOR SINGLE TRADE CALCULATOR HAND TOOL NOISE DATASHEET Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 21

3 NOISE RISK Noise Exposure Assessment Table (NEAT) 4, 000 2, 000 4, 000 1, 000 2, 000 Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 22

4 > VIBRATION RISKS 23

4 Types of Risk VIBRATION RISK 8 THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS TO VIBRATION RISKS • WHOLE BODY VIBRATION » OFTEN RELATES TO DRIVING HEAVY MACHINERY » OR WORKING ON VIBRATING PLATFORMS • HAND ARM VIBRATION » OFTEN RELATES TO TOOL USE 8 NEW REGULATIONS COVER BOTH RISKS Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 24

4 VIBRATION RISK Whole Body Risks 8 SENSITIVITY IN LOW FREQUENCY (1 to 80 Hz) RANGE • BACK PAIN • MUSCLE / SKELETAL DAMAGE • ORGAN DAMAGE 8 NOT CURRENTLY CONSIDERED AS BIG AN ISSUE AS HAND ARM VIBRATION Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 25

4 VIBRATION RISK Hand Arm Vibration Risks These are the most HAVS common injuries Dead Finger / Dead Hand / White Finger Carpal Tunnel Syndrome The injuries may be due to • impaired blood circulation due to damage to small blood vessels, causing blanching of fingers, and susceptibility to cold; • neurological and muscular damage resulting in reduced grip and numbness; • damage to joints leading to pain and stiffness in hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 26

4 HAVS INJURIES VIBRATION RISK Typical Stages of injury progress (white finger) • Stage 1: Tingling, numbness at end of shift • Stage 2: Periodic attacks when exposed to cold • Stage 3: Consistent attacks when exposed to cold, throbbing sensation when warmed up • Stage 4: Attacks occur not just in the cold, may occur at home as well as work • Stage 5: Fingers go blue/black. Possible gangrene Does anyone want to know about stage 6? Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 27

4 VIBRATION RISK HAVS RISK NATIONWIDE 8 EXTENT OF HAVS RISK 8 1015 new cases of Vibration White Finger (VWF) assessed for disablement benefit in 2003/04 8 The number of new cases annually is now gradually falling 8 Medical Research Council Estimates (1997) 288 000 sufferers from vibration white finger (VWF) in Great Britain 8 Main Industries : Extraction (Mining), Energy, Water Supply Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 28

4 VIBRATION RISK VIBRATION METERS Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 29

4 MEASURING VIBRATION RISK HAVS MEASUREMENT X Y Z hv FILTER a hv Time Average b FILTER d FILTER a bv a dv Time Average Sum= sqrt (x 2 + y 2 +z 2) TRI AXIAL ACCELEROMETER WB MEASUREMENT X Y Z TRI AXIAL SEAT ACCELEROMETER Sum= sqrt (x 2 + y 2 +z 2) (range 1 to 80 Hz Most sensitive 4 to 10 Hz) Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 30

4 VIBRATION RISK QUANTIFYING EXPOSURE ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE A QUANTITY A(8) RELATING TO 8 HOUR EQUIVALENT LEVEL A(8)= ah. w x SQRT (hours / 8 ) NOTE EXPOSURE IS MORE SENSITIVE TO LEVEL THAN TIME FOR SEVERAL JOBS A(8) TOTAL = SQRT(A(8)2 +A(8)2…. ) Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 31

4 VIBRATION RISK The Vibration Action Levels VIBRATION ACTION LEVELS EXPRESSED AS EXPOSURE VALUES A(8) ? 32

4 PROCESS VIBRATION DATA TOOL VIBRATION DATA VIBRATION RISK Vibration Assessment Requirements TASK RISK ASSESSMENT TASK LIST OR ROTA RECORDS INTERPRETATION TRADE BY TRADE A(8) Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 33

4 VIBRATION RISK Vibration Public Data HSE Contract Report 234/1999 • • Everything from a chisel to a chainsaw Example data sheet a bit thorough! Relatively new data Does not always indicate size, power, speed etc • Good for checking range of data • Good for evaluating manufactures data • Has X, Y, Z data - need to calculate Total Websites http: //umetech. niwl. se/Vibration/HAVHome. html Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 34

4 VIBRATION RISK Task Risk HSE Guidance ‘Points Calculator’ Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 35

4 VIBRATION RISK HSE Website: - Rota Risk Daily Vibration Dose Calculator for Multiple Tools Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 36

5 > MANAGEMENT ACTIONS 37

5 MANAGEMENT Action Management Loop Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 38

5 MANAGEMENT Procedures 8 Present and demonstrate that your organisation has a compliant approach to the regulations. • Who is responsible • Who does the assessments • Where is the information kept • Who reviews them • Who is responsible for deciding what actions will be taken • Who is responsible for seeing the actions done • How is the process verified or audited Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 39

5 MANAGEMENT Do You Need An Assessment? 8 WHOLE BODY • Do any of your standing surfaces cause tingling or discomfort • Do you have ride-on machinery without suspension seats 8 HAVS • Do you have percussive tools, grinders, needle guns • Do your workers hold vibrating work pieces 8 NOISE • Do you have trouble communicating at a distance of 2 metres • Are there any relief valves or impact machines Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 40

5 MANAGEMENT What Should The Assessment Say 8 Describe the Work Environment 8 State the measured Noise or Vibration levels and conditions 8 State which personnel are affected and for how long 8 State the expected Daily Dose levels 8 Classification of Risk • Any Action Levels Reached • Any Limit Values Reached 8 THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A ‘MEASUREMENT REPORT’ 8 COMPETENCY REQUIRED (TRAINING) Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 41

5 MANAGEMENT What Needs To Be Managed 8 IF ACTION VALUES ARE REACHED, THERE ARE RISKS TO BE MANAGED • ‘ORGANISATIONAL AND TECHNICAL MEASURES’ REQUIRED TO CONTROL RISKS TO AS LOW AS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE • ACTION PLAN » NOISE/VIBRATION CONTROL - BENEFITS, CONSTRAINTS, COSTS » REORGANISATION, JOB SHARING, STAGGERED SHIFTS » JUSTIFY DECISION - PROGRESS THE ACTIONS AGREED 8 PROVISION OF PPE, EDUCATION, HEALTH SURVEILLANCE (audiometry) Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 42

5 MANAGEMENT Hearing Protection 8 EXPOSURE LIMIT VALUE INCLUDES EFFECT OF HEARING PROTECTION • ASSESSMENT OF HP PERFORMANCE REQUIRED • IS PROTECTED EXPOSURE OVER 87 d. B(A) LEP. d ? » IF SO WORK MUST STOP UNTIL CORRECTED • YOUR OLD PROTECTORS MAY NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH • IF YOU CANT PROTECT YOU CANT DO IT ! Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 43

5 MANAGEMENT Noise Exposure Management System UK Offshore Industry (NEMS) 8 THE NEMS METHOD USED ON MOST UK INSTALLATIONS USES THIS MATRIX TO PROVIDE AN ONGOING RISK ASSESSMENT TO PRIORITISE ACTIONS, AND TO ANALYSE COST-BENEFIT HEARING PROTECTION STATUS NEMS AREA SURVEY EXPOSURE MODEL NOISE EXPOSURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PLATFORM A REVISION DATE 22/01/97 COMPLIANCE 1 ST ACTION LEVEL 25 SCORING 2 ND ACTION LEVEL 23 ASSET SCORE 595. 2 WORK PATTERN Personnel RISK RANKING Areas Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 44

5 MANAGEMENT Risk management using NEMS 8 MANAGEMENT OF NOISE IS GUIDED BY THE RISK RANKING 8 HIGH RANKING TO NOISE CONTROL COST BENEFIT STUDY 8 MODEL USED FOR WHAT-IF 8 MODEL UPDATED WHEN CONTROL CARRIED OUT – REDUCES SCORES Personnel RISK RANKING Areas Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 45

5 MANAGEMENT HAVS Management (BP) BP SYSTEM not commercially available • Example data sheet Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 46

5 MANAGEMENT TOOL MARKING - TRAFFIC LIGHTS SYSTEM Label Tools According to Vibration Level Red > 5 m/s 2 Orange between 2. 5 and 5 m/s 2 Green less than 2. 5 m/s 2 Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 47

5 MANAGEMENT TOOL MARKING - DATA UPDATE Re-assess tools based on hazard level Cost -effective Red 6 months Orange 12 months Green 24 months Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 48

5 MANAGEMENT TOOL BANDS SIMPLIFIED RISK MANAGEMENT BASED ON TOOL CODE Green No Need to record / restrict use Orange - < 1 hour No Need to record use Orange - > 1 hour Record personnel use Red Carry out risk assessment Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 49

5 MANAGEMENT JOB RISK ASSESSMENT & PERSONNEL TRACKING EXAMPLE HI-TECH PERSONAL ASSESSMENT • Example from BP Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 50

6 > EXERCISE 51

6 EXERCISE Briefing 8 USING THE HANDOUT 8 What obvious problems can you see 8 What assessments will be required 8 USING THE REPORT 8 What action levels are exceeded 8 What operational measures might be done 8 What technical measures might be done 8 USING THE COST / BENEFIT INFORMATION 8 What is the best first action Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 52

6 EXERCISE Site Plan REPORT LINK Title of the presentation - DD/MM/YY 53

THANK YOU For further information: Graham Cowling 02380 381 440 graham. cowling@bureauveritas. com 54