This guidance helps employers and workers understand, assess and control the health risks from vibration at work. Regular exposure to vibration — from handheld power tools or from vehicles and machinery — can cause serious, often permanent damage to the hands, arms and whole body. It is a hazard that builds slowly and is frequently underestimated, but it is both preventable and legally regulated in the UK.
At a glance
▪ Two types: hand-arm vibration (HAV) from tools, and whole-body vibration (WBV) from vehicles and surfaces.
▪ Governed by the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, which set exposure action and limit values.
▪ Risk depends on both the magnitude of vibration and the duration of exposure.
▪ Above the action value, employers must reduce exposure and provide health surveillance.
▪ HAVS (hand-arm vibration syndrome) is a recognised, diagnosable industrial disease.
The two types of vibration
From handheld tools
Hand-arm vibration (HAV)
Transmitted into the hands and arms from gripping power tools — grinders, drills, chippers, chainsaws — or vehicle controls. Over time it can damage nerves, blood vessels, muscles, joints and tendons.
Effects: reduced sensation and grip strength, tingling, “vibration white finger” (blanching), and carpal tunnel syndrome — collectively known as HAVS. Symptoms are often worse in the cold.
From vehicles & surfaces
Whole-body vibration (WBV)
Transmitted through the whole body when sitting in a vibrating vehicle or standing on a vibrating surface — fork trucks, off-road vehicles, or working near power presses and shakeout equipment.
Effects: back pain is the principal concern, alongside fatigue and musculoskeletal strain. Drivers of plant and HGVs are particularly exposed.
Industries most at risk
Vibration risk is highest in construction, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, engineering, utilities, transport and shipping — anywhere that involves sustained use of powered hand tools, plant or heavy vehicles.
The legal requirements
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 place clear duties on employers. They set two thresholds for daily exposure, expressed as an A(8) value — vibration averaged over an eight-hour working day:
Exposure action & limit values
EAV = the level at which employers must act to control exposure. ELV = the daily maximum that must not be exceeded.
Hand-arm vibration
Exposure Action Value2.5 m/s² A(8)
Exposure Limit Value5.0 m/s² A(8)
Whole-body vibration
Exposure Action Value0.5 m/s² A(8)
Exposure Limit Value1.15 m/s² A(8)
What employers must do
Assess the risk. Identify which tasks, tools and vehicles expose workers to vibration, and estimate daily exposure against the action and limit values.
Reduce exposure. Above the action value, introduce technical and organisational measures to bring exposure down — and never exceed the limit value.
Provide health surveillance. Where workers are exposed above the action value, ongoing health monitoring is a legal requirement — it catches early signs before damage becomes permanent.
Inform and train. Make sure workers understand the risk, the symptoms to report, and how to work in ways that reduce exposure.
How to control vibration risk
Choose low-vibration equipment. Tool weight, handle design and drive mechanism all affect HAV — ergonomic, low-vibration models reduce it significantly. Maintain tools so they don’t vibrate more than they should.
Isolate the source. Suspension seats and anti-vibration mounts help cut whole-body vibration from vehicles and plant.
Limit exposure time. Rotate jobs and build in breaks so no one uses high-vibration equipment continuously all day.
Encourage early reporting. Symptoms caught and monitored early can stop chronic, irreversible damage developing.
Relevant training
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) training
Awareness training on vibration risk, symptoms and control — available among our general health and safety courses.
Learn to conduct and document workplace risk assessments, including for vibration exposure.
CITB Health & Safety Awareness
Covers vibration and noise among the core site-safety topics for those entering construction.
Frequently asked questions
Are there legal limits on vibration exposure?
Yes. The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set an Exposure Action Value and an Exposure Limit Value for both hand-arm and whole-body vibration. Above the action value employers must control exposure and provide health surveillance; the limit value must not be exceeded.
What are the HAV and WBV exposure values?
Hand-arm: action value 2.5 m/s² A(8), limit value 5.0 m/s² A(8). Whole-body: action value 0.5 m/s² A(8), limit value 1.15 m/s² A(8). All are daily exposures averaged over eight hours.
Can HAVS be diagnosed and is it reversible?
HAVS is a recognised industrial disease, identified through health surveillance and clinical assessment. The nerve and blood-vessel damage doesn’t fully reverse once established, which is why early detection through health surveillance — a legal duty above the action value — matters so much.
Whose responsibility is it to control vibration?
The employer’s. Under the regulations they must assess the risk, reduce exposure, provide suitable equipment, train workers and carry out health surveillance. Workers should follow safe practices and report symptoms early.