An innovative safety device created by a Scottish technology firm
has received national acclaim after scooping successes in the UK’s
leading health and safety awards.
The HAVmeter, a device created by Edinburgh-based Reactec that
monitors exposure to hand arm vibration levels, has been recognised
in the Occupational Health Awards and the National Joint Utilities
Group (NJUG) Awards.
The technology - used by some of the biggest names in the UK’s
construction and utilities industries - helps reduce injuries and
ailments associated with the excessive use of industrial power
tools.
The HAVmeter has now helped Severn Trent Water win the NJUG Safety
Award for the water giant’s ongoing drive to reduce hand arm
vibration syndrome (HAVS) among its street works teams.
James Clutterbuck, director of WHC Hire Services – which provides
Severn Trent Water with all of its vibrating construction equipment
– said that the innovative devices were key to the firm’s ongoing
safety commitments.
He said: “There are a lot of devices on the market that claim to
reduce injury and monitor the vibration levels that workers are
exposed to, but none of them are anywhere near as good as the
HAVmeter. It is miles ahead of the rest of its competitors.
“In the past, you would have to physically write down how long you
had spent using a vibrating power tool in order to work out when you
were approaching the safe limits for the day. It wasn’t a precise
method at all, and was open to error – which meant that the risks of
people contracting HAVS were still high.
“The beauty of the HAVmeter is that it’s easy to use and it
precisely monitors the vibration levels that you’re exposed to. It
uses accurate data tailored to each user and, if you get to your
limit, the device flashes and you’re done – which greatly reduces
the chance of injury and any resulting litigation from workers.
“The meters form a big part of our ongoing safety drive with Severn
Trent Water and we’re delighted that this has now been rewarded with
an NJUG Safety Award.”
The HAVmeters have also been used in an ongoing safety initiative by
Aston Martin to prevent HAVS among its staff – which led to the
automotive firm being shortlisted for the Risk Management and
Prevention of Ill Health prize at the Occupational Health Awards.
Jim O’Hagan, from Reactec, said: “To be highlighted by two of the
UK’s biggest health and safety awards is a great testament to the
success of our HAVmeters.
“It’s a tool that is fast becoming the industry standard for
monitoring hand arm vibration levels, and the companies that use the
meters are being rightly seen as the pioneers of health and safety
in their fields.
“Severn Trent Water and their contractor WHC Hire Services have been
using HAVmeters for some time now and these are proving instrumental
in helping their street works teams reduce the chances of developing
HAVS. The fact that this forward-thinking approach has just won them
one of the top prizes at the NJUG Awards is a great testament to the
success of the technology.
“The meters have also been responsible for Aston Martin being
shortlisted for another major UK health and safety award, and this
is further recognition of how our devices are keeping industrial
power tool workers safe across the country.”
The HAVmeter is a small, easy to use device that resembles a
standard pager and is used to monitor exposure to Hand Arm Vibration
among workers using hand-held tools. The technology measures and
records the trigger time and vibration levels and ensures machinery
operators do not exceed the recommended levels stipulated by the
Health & Safety Executive.
By using the HAVmeter technology, workers are able to minimise
exposure to hand arm vibration syndrome – one of the biggest risks
associated with using hand held vibrating power tools. More commonly
known as Vibration White Finger, the disease affects the
functionality of blood vessels resulting in symptoms such as
numbness or tingling of the fingers, loss of strength in the hands
and the cold whitening of the fingertips.
The symptoms worsen over time, often becoming permanent. If no
action is taken to prevent further vibration exposure, sufferers can
experience severe pain, resulting in an inability to work in cold or
damp conditions or even carry out simple everyday tasks, such as
holding a glass.
Reactec is the UK leader in providing vibration analysis and
validation for the design stage of new and next-generation
technology products, and offers a range of services from expert
consultancy to full project implementation.
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