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The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment[1], being the Department concerned[2], in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Articles 17(1), (2), (5) and 55(2) of, and paragraphs 1(1), 7(1), 8, 10, 12(2) and (3), 13, 14(1), 15 and 19 of Schedule 3 to, the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978[3] and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, and for the purpose of giving effect without modifications to proposals submitted to it by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland under Article 13(1A)[4] of that Order after the carrying out by the said Executive of consultations in accordance with Article 46(3)[5] of that Order, hereby makes the following Regulations: Citation and commencement 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 and shall come into operation on 3rd October 2005. Interpretation 2. —(1) In these Regulations—
(b) Her Majesty's Coastguard;
(2) In these regulations, a reference to an employee being exposed to vibration is a reference to the exposure of that employee to mechanical vibration arising out of or in connection with his work.
(b) does not permit compliance with the exposure limit values,
but in using such equipment the employer shall take into account the latest technical advances and the organisational measures taken in accordance with regulation 6(2).
(b) does not permit compliance with the exposure limit value for whole-body vibration,
but in using such equipment the employer shall take into account the latest technical advances and the organisational measures taken in accordance with regulation 6(2).
(b) under regulation 8 (information, instruction and training) shall not extend to persons who are not his employees, unless those persons are on the premises where the work is being carried out.
(5) These Regulations shall apply to a self-employed person as they apply to an employer and an employee and as if that self-employed person were both an employer and an employee, except that regulation 7 shall not apply to a self-employed person.
(b) the daily exposure action value is 2.5 m/s² A(8),
and daily exposure shall be ascertained on the basis set out in Schedule 1 Part I.
(b) the daily exposure action value is 0.5 m/s² A(8),
and daily exposure shall be ascertained on the basis set out in Schedule 2 Part I.
(b) reference to relevant information on the probable magnitude of the vibration corresponding to the equipment used in the particular working conditions; and (c) if necessary, measurement of the magnitude of vibration to which his employees are liable to be exposed,
and the employer shall assess whether any employees are likely to be exposed to vibration at or above an exposure action value or above an exposure limit value.
(b) the effects of exposure to vibration on employees whose health is at particular risk from such exposure; (c) any effects of vibration on the workplace and work equipment, including the proper handling of controls, the reading of indicators, the stability of structures and the security of joints; (d) any information provided by the manufacturers of work equipment; (e) the availability of replacement equipment designed to reduce exposure to vibration; (f) any extension of exposure at the workplace to whole-body vibration beyond normal working hours, including exposure in rest facilities supervised by the employer; (g) specific working conditions such as low temperatures; and (h) appropriate information obtained from health surveillance including, where possible, published information.
(4) The risk assessment shall be reviewed regularly, and forthwith if—
(b) there has been a significant change in the work to which the assessment relates,
and where, as a result of the review, changes to the risk assessment are required, those changes shall be made.
(b) the measures which he has taken and which he intends to take to meet the requirements of regulations 6 and 8.
Elimination or control of exposure to vibration at the workplace
(b) choice of work equipment of appropriate ergonomic design which, taking account of the work to be done, produces the least possible vibration; (c) the provision of auxiliary equipment which reduces the risk of injuries caused by vibration; (d) appropriate maintenance programmes for work equipment, the workplace and workplace systems; (e) the design and layout of workplaces, work stations and rest facilities; (f) suitable and sufficient information and training for employees, such that work equipment may be used correctly and safely, in order to minimise their exposure to vibration; (g) limitation of the duration and magnitude of exposure to vibration; (h) appropriate work schedules with adequate rest periods; and (i) the provision of clothing to protect employees from cold and damp.
(4) Subject to regulation 3(2) and (3) and paragraph (5), the employer shall—
(b) if an exposure limit value is exceeded, he shall forthwith—
(ii) identify the reason for that limit being exceeded; and (iii) modify the measures taken in accordance with paragraph (1) and (2) to prevent it being exceeded again.
(5) Paragraph (4) shall not apply where the exposure of an employee to vibration is usually below the exposure action value but varies markedly from time to time and may occasionally exceed the exposure limit value, provided that—
(b) there is evidence to show that the risk from the actual pattern of exposure is less than the corresponding risk from constant exposure at the exposure limit value; (c) risk is reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable, taking into account the special circumstances; and (d) the employees concerned are subject to increased health surveillance, where such surveillance is appropriate within the meaning of regulation 7(2),
and exposure within the meaning of this paragraph shall be ascertained on the basis set out in Schedule 1 Part II for hand-arm vibration and Schedule 2 Part II for whole-body vibration.
(b) employees are likely to be exposed to vibration at or above an exposure action value,
the employer shall ensure that such employees are placed under suitable health surveillance, where such surveillance is appropriate within the meaning of paragraph (2).
(b) it is probable that the disease or effect may occur under the particular conditions of his work; and (c) there are valid techniques for detecting the disease or effect.
(3) The employer shall ensure that a health record in respect of each of his employees who undergoes health surveillance in accordance with paragraph (1) is made and maintained and that the record or a copy thereof is kept available in a suitable form.
(b) provide the enforcing authority with copies of such health records as it may require.
(5) Where, as a result of health surveillance, an employee is found to have an identifiable disease or adverse health effect which is considered by a doctor or other occupational health professional to be the result of exposure to vibration the employer of that employee shall—
(b) ensure that he is himself informed of any significant findings from the employee's health surveillance, taking into account any medical confidentiality; (c) review the risk assessment; (d) review any measure taken to comply with regulation 6, taking into account any advice given by a doctor or occupational health professional or by the enforcing authority; (e) consider assigning the employee to alternative work where there is no risk from further exposure to vibration, taking into account any advice given by a doctor or occupational health professional; and (f) provide for a review of the health of any other employee who has been similarly exposed, including a medical examination where such an examination is recommended by a doctor or occupational health professional or by the enforcing authority.
(6) An employee to whom this regulation applies shall, when required by his employer and at the cost of his employer, present himself during his working hours for such health surveillance procedures as may be required for the purposes of paragraph (1).
(b) employees are likely to be exposed to vibration at or above an exposure action value,
the employer shall provide those employees and their representatives with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training.
(b) the exposure limit values and action values set out in regulation 4; (c) the significant findings of the risk assessment, including any measurements taken, with an explanation of those findings; (d) why and how to detect and report signs of injury; (e) entitlement to appropriate health surveillance under regulation 7 and its purposes; (f) safe working practices to minimise exposure to vibration; and (g) the collective results of any health surveillance undertaken in accordance with regulation 7 in a form calculated to prevent those results from being identified as relating to a particular person.
(3) The information, instruction and training required by paragraph (1) shall be updated to take account of significant changes in the type of work carried out or the working methods used by the employer.
(b) the resulting risks are reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable; and (c) the employees concerned are subject to increased health surveillance, where such surveillance is appropriate within the meaning of regulation 7(2).
Exemptions relating to the Secretary of State for Defence
The daily exposure to vibration (A(8)) of a person is ascertained using the formula: ![]() where:
To avoid confusion between vibration magnitude and daily exposure to vibration, it is conventional to express daily exposure to vibration in m/s² A(8). ![]() where:
The definition for the frequency weighting Wh is given in British Standard BS EN ISO 5349-1:2001. ![]() where:
The exposure to vibration averaged over one week (A(8)week) is the total exposure occurring within a period of seven consecutive days, normalised to a reference duration of five 8-hour days (40 hours). It is ascertained using the formula: ![]() where:
The exposure to vibration averaged over one week is for the purposes of regulation 6(5). The daily exposure to vibration (A(8)) of a person is ascertained using the formula: ![]() where:
To avoid confusion between vibration magnitude and daily exposure to vibration, it is conventional to express daily exposure to vibration in m/s² A(8). ![]() where:
The exposure to vibration averaged over one week (A(8)week) is the total exposure occurring within a period of seven consecutive days, normalised to a reference duration of five 8-hour days (40 hours). It is ascertained using the formula: ![]() where:
The exposure to vibration averaged over one week is for use only for the purposes of regulation 6(5). Interpretation 1. —(1) In this Schedule—
(2) For the purposes of this Schedule, any structures and devices on top of a well shall be treated as forming part of the well.
(b) any activity in connection with an offshore installation, or any activity which is immediately preparatory thereto, whether carried on from the installation itself, in or from a vessel or in any other manner, other than—
(ii) any activity in or from a vessel being used as a stand-by vessel;
(c) a diving project involving—
(ii) the survey and restoration of the sea bed consequent on the removal of an offshore installation.
(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), in this paragraph, "offshore installation" means a structure which is, or is to be, or has been, used while standing or stationed in water, or on the foreshore or other land intermittently covered with water—
(b) for the storage of gas in or under the shore or bed of any water or the recovery of gas so stored; (c) for the conveyance of things by means of a pipe; or (d) mainly for the provision of accommodation for persons who work on or from a structure falling within any of the provisions of this sub-paragraph,
together with any supplementary unit which is ordinarily connected to it, and all the connections.
(b) a well; (c) a structure which has ceased to be used for any of the purposes specified in sub-paragraph (2) and has since been used for a purpose not so specified; (d) a mobile structure which has been taken out of use and is not yet being moved with a view to its being used for any of the purposes specified in sub-paragraph (2); and (e) any part of a pipeline.
Wells
(b) an activity which is immediately preparatory to any activity in head (a).
(2) Sub-paragraph (1) includes keeping a vessel on station for the purpose of working on a well but otherwise does not include navigation or an activity connected with navigation.
(b) any pipeline works; (c) the following activities in connection with pipeline works—
(ii) the loading, unloading, fuelling, repair and maintenance of an aircraft in a vessel,
being in either case a vessel which is engaged in pipeline works.
(2) In this paragraph—
(b) any apparatus for treating or cooling any thing which is to flow through, or through part of, the pipe or system; (c) valves, valve chambers and similar works which are annexed to, or incorporated in the course of, the pipe or system; (d) apparatus for supplying energy for the operation of any such apparatus or works as are mentioned in heads (a) to (c); (e) apparatus for the transmission of information for the operation of the pipe or system; (f) apparatus for the cathodic protection of the pipe or system; and (g) a structure used or to be used solely for the support of a part of the pipe or system;
but not including a pipeline of which no initial or terminal point is situated in the United Kingdom, within the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom, or within a designated area;
(i) inspecting, testing, maintaining, adjusting, repairing, altering or renewing a pipeline or length of pipeline; (j) changing the position of or dismantling or removing a pipeline or length of pipeline; (k) opening the bed of the sea for the purposes of the works mentioned in heads (a) to (c), and tunnelling or boring for those purposes; (l) any activities incidental to the activities described in heads (a) to (d); (m) a diving project in connection with any of the works mentioned in heads (a) to (e) or for the purpose of determining whether a place is suitable as part of the site of a proposed pipeline and the carrying out of surveying operations for settling the route of a proposed pipeline.
Mines
(b) the transfer of people or goods between a vessel or aircraft and a structure (including a building) mentioned in head (a); (c) the loading, unloading, fuelling or provisioning of a vessel; (d) a diving project; (e) the construction, reconstruction, finishing, refitting, repair, maintenance, cleaning or breaking up of a vessel except when carried out by the master or any officer or member of the crew of that vessel; (f) the maintaining on a station of a vessel which would be an offshore installation were it not a structure to which paragraph 2(3)(d) applies; (g) the operation of a cable for transmitting electricity from an energy structure to shore; (h) the transfer of people or goods between a vessel or aircraft and a structure mentioned in head (f).
(2) This paragraph shall not apply—
(b) to vessels which are registered outside the United Kingdom and are on passage through the territorial sea.
(This note is not part of the Regulations) 1. These Regulations implement as respects Northern Ireland Council Directive 2002/44/EC (O.J. No. L177, 6.7.2002, p. 13) on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (vibration) (sixteenth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC). The Regulations impose duties on employers to protect employees who may be exposed to risk from exposure to vibration at work, and other persons who might be affected by the work, whether they are at work or not. 2. The Regulations apply to both hand-arm and whole-body vibration. They make provision for—
(b) risk assessment (regulation 5); (c) elimination or, where elimination is not reasonably practicable, reduction of exposure to vibration to as low a level as is reasonably practicable (regulation 6(1)); (d) a programme of measures to be taken at the action values to reduce exposure to vibration as low as reasonably practicable (regulation 6(2)); (e) actions to be taken at the limit values and prohibition on exceeding the limit values (regulation 6(4)); (f) weekly averaging of exposure to vibration in specified circumstances (regulation 6(5)); (g) health surveillance (regulation 7); and (h) information, instruction and training (regulation 8).
3.
There are transitional periods for the commencement of the operation of regulation 6(4) concerning limit values. In the case of work equipment first provided before 6th July 2007 commencement is postponed for all vibration until 6th July 2010 (regulation 3(2)), and for whole-body vibration in the agriculture and forestry sectors only until 6th July 2014 (regulation 3(3)).
(b) the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No. 305) by adding these Regulations to the list in regulation 12(5) of those Regulations of rules whose application excludes the application of regulation 12(1) to (4) of those Regulations.
6.
Copies of British Standard BS EN ISO 5349-1:2001, relating to measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted mechanical vibration, referred to in Schedule 1, and International Standard ISO 2631-1:1997, relating to measurement and evaluation of human exposure to whole-body mechanical vibration and shock, referred to in Schedule 2, are obtainable from British Standards Institution, BSI House, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL. Notes: [1] Formerly the Department of Economic Development; See S.I. 1982/846 (N.I. 11), Article 3 and S.I. 1999/283 (N.I. 1), Article 3(5)back [2] See Article 2(2) of S.I. 1978/1039 (N.I. 9)back [3] S.I. 1978/1039 (N.I. 9); Article 17 must be read with Articles 3(2) and 4(2) of S.I. 1992/1728back [4] Article 13(1) was substituted by S.I. 1998/2795 (N.I. 18), Article 4back [5] Article 46(3) was amended by Article 6(1) of S.I. 1998/2795 (N.I. 18), and paragraphs 8 and 18(c) of Schedule 1back [6] S.R. 1999 No. 90 as amended by S.R. 2000 No. 375 and S.R. 2003 No. 33back [7] S.R. 2000 No. 388, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulationsback [8] S.R. 1996 No. 228, amended by S.R. 1998 No. 47back [10] 1964 c. 29; section 1 was amended by the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982 (1982 c. 23), Schedule 3, paragraph 1back
ISBN 0 337 96143 3
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