HAVSPRO is a new solution for the accurate, real-time measurement and monitoring of workplace vibration. It will protect employees from Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) and Whole-Body Vibration (WBV), to help employers exceed Health and Safety standards.
HAVSPRO provides consistent accuracy for every tool, as it measures the vibration of the tool itself; so employees get real-time insight and proactive alerts of their Exposure Action Value (EAV) and Exposure Limit Value (ELV).
Created with both the safety of operators and the protection of employers in mind, the new technology provides real time, measurable and recordable data on the use and highlights the risks of operating those specific vibrating tools.
At the heart of HAVSPRO are personalised sensors and dedicated tool holsters, which have been developed by SIXIS Technology who have more than 20 years of experience in the area of remote monitoring.
The holster is bonded to the vibrating surface, within 100mm of the point of contact with the operator, making it suitable for hand-held tools and ride-on equipment– and as such, for monitoring both HAVS and WBV.
Each operator is allocated their own sensor, uniquely programmed to that individual and their specific values. Each tool has a holster bonded onto the tool, in line with BS 5349 and BS8041; the operator picks up their tool, clicks their sensor onto the holster and performs the job in hand. Then their points are sent to the cloud-based reporting platform for both HAV and WBV.
When the operator reaches their EAV, the sensor flashes amber to indicate the limit has been reached. If they then hit 90% of the daily ELV, the device flashes amber and red to warn that they are approaching their limit, it will then flash red when they hit their limit. Text and email alerts can be set up for the operator, the supervisor and any other appropriate stakeholders.
“Accurate vibration measuring and monitoring means businesses can provide informed guidance on best practice, check tool efficiency or rotate operations to protect workers,” said Russ Langthorne, managing director of HAVSPRO.
“The operator and tool-specific nature of HAVSPRO means that action is taken only when required, enabling an informed and targeted intervention. If organisations aren’t constantly monitoring and accurately measuring, how can they, hand on heart, say they are fully protecting their staff?” added Mr Langthorne.
“This also helps businesses meet their obligation to employee Health & Safety and avoid the potentially hefty fines associated with HAVS litigation. The latest reported fine for such injuries was £50,000, while cumulative fines since the start of 2020 are in excess of £1.7M, highlighting the financial value of having an accurate and effective system for monitoring and measuring vibration levels,” he concluded.
