Successful worker involvement

Getting workers involved in the identification of noise hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is “effective, beneficial and reasonably successful”, according to new HSE research.

In the study, firms utilised a mixture of formal and informal methods of involving workers, but informal, one-to-one communications were felt to be particularly effective. Training workers helped them to understand the issues and need for controls and to raise their awareness of hazards.

Establishing effective worker involvement in occupational health and safety issues was felt to be a long term project that was likely to take two to three years to achieve. The main cost was the time spent by workers and project managers away from production.

Workers involved in the project said it had increased their awareness and understanding of noise and HAV risks and had been effective in introducing controls.

RR705 - Feedback on the noise and hand arm vibration worker involvement pilot project www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr705.pdf