Workplace Vibration – How HAVSPRO is changing the game

The construction industry doesn’t have a monopoly on workplace vibrations, of course, but it can’t be overlooked that tradespeople have long been suffering from the impact that working with hand-held power tools daily can have on the body. HAVSPRO’s newest innovation, however, is looking to save us all from having numb hands in our sixties by changing the way we interact with these tools. 

HAVSPRO, a new solution for the accurate, real-time measurement and monitoring of workplace vibration, will protect employees from Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) and Whole-Body Vibration (WBV), while helping employers to not only meet, but exceed Health & Safety standards – just imagine what a utopian society that’d be.  

With an estimated two million UK workers exposed to the risk of debilitating injuries, HAVSPRO is a vital piece of PPE in delivering healthier, safer workplaces. It provides consistent accuracy by measuring the vibration on the tool itself, whatever the tool, whatever the job. As such, employees get real-time insight and proactive alerts into their Exposure Action Value (EAV) and Exposure Limit Value (ELV) to keep them protected.  

HAVSPRO has been developed by SIXIS Technology, part of the Simpatica Group, from over 20 years of experience in the field of remote monitoring. Created with both the safety of operators and the protection of employers in mind, the new technology provides real time, measurable and recordable data, and highlights the risks of operating specific vibrating tools.  

At the heart of HAVSPRO are personalised sensors and dedicated tool holsters, which make monitoring a simple, intuitive process, with information sent to the Cloud for effective reporting – much more practical than writing it down on a post-it note someone would surely lose. 

Crucially, the holster is bonded to the vibrating surface, within 100mm of the point of contact with the operator, making it suitable for both 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, and each tool has a holster bonded onto the tool in line with BS 5349 and BS8041 (British and International Acoustic Standards for Hand Arm Mechanical Vibration measurements, and Human Response to Vibration, respectively).   

SIXIS knows that we’re all racing against time on the job, which is exactly why they made HAVSPRO as easy to use as it could possibly be: the operator simply picks their tool, clicks their sensor onto the holster and performs the job in hand; their points are then sent to the cloud-based reporting platform for both HAV and WBV.  

This combination provides an advantage over conventional monitoring methods, as it delivers accurate, real-time data, rather than relying on manufacturer testing and average vibration levels, which fail to take into account a multitude of factors that change those values, such as the condition of the tool being used or the job being done, among many others.  

In fact, Russ Langthorne, Managing Director of HAVSPRO, commented on this very issue:   

“In this day and age, we shouldn’t be relying on old technology or old fashioned, inaccurate methods to manage the risk of vibration exposure. As a HAVS sufferer, it makes me very proud to offer technology that allows us all to help #MakeHAVSHistory.”   

When the operator reaches their EAV, the sensor flashes amber to indicate the limit has been reached and that action should be taken. If they later hit 90% of the daily ELV, the device flashes amber and red to warn that they are approaching their limit, and it will then flash red if they actually reach their limit. In all cases, text and email alerts can be set up for the operator, the supervisor, and any other appropriate stakeholders.

Commercially, HAVSPRO has significant advantages, both in terms of resource management and risk reduction. “Accurate vibration measurements and monitoring means businesses can provide informed guidance on best practice, check tool efficiency or rotate operations to protect workers. 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 Russ.  

“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,” Russ concluded.  

Designed, developed, and manufactured in-house in the UK, HAVSPRO has been developed for any organisation where worker vibration might be an issue, including, though not limited to, manufacturing, fabrication, local authorities, construction, grounds care and facilities management.  

For more information, you can visit the HAVSPRO website and check their products out for yourself.  

Bear in mind, though: unless you’re grooving to the Beach Boys’ timeless tune at work, what you’re picking up are most certainly not good vibrations and they can cause serious harm down the line. 

What do you think of HAVSPRO? Is it something you want in your toolkit? Get in touch and let us know in the comments below.