What this is
What is a hand arm vibration assessment?
What is a hand arm vibration assessment?
A hand arm vibration assessment measures how much vibration a worker's hands and arms receive from a hand-held or hand-guided tool over a working day, and compares that exposure to the daily exposure action value (EAV) and exposure limit value (ELV). It combines the tool's magnitude with the actual trigger time, the time the tool is switched on and in contact with the hand, to produce a daily figure, usually expressed as A(8).
Who should carry out a hand arm vibration assessment?
A competent assessor, someone who understands the task, the tool and the magnitude data well enough to select a realistic figure and combine it with a measured trigger time. Competence here is judgement in combining exposure data, not a measurement qualification.
When is a hand arm vibration assessment reviewed?
Whenever the tool changes, the task changes materially, or trigger time turns out different from what was assumed. A fixed review date is a backstop; the assessment is wrong the moment a heavier tool replaces a lighter one and nobody re-runs the numbers.
Scope
When is a hand arm vibration assessment required?
This assessment is specific to hand-held and hand-guided tools. Vibration reaching the body through a seat or vehicle floor is a different pathway and belongs to the whole body vibration assessment, not this one.
Use this template when
- A tool that transmits vibration into the hands is introduced, or its use changes materially in duration or frequency
- The trigger time or magnitude source for an existing tool-task combination needs re-establishing
- You are running the Occupational Health Surveillance programme and this is one of its steps
- A worker reports symptoms consistent with hand-arm vibration syndrome and the exposure needs re-checking
- A linked record needs this one to exist: the tool register or health surveillance plan
Do not use it for
- Whole Body Vibration Assessment, which covers vibration through a seat or vehicle floor from driving, not through the hands
- Vibration Health Surveillance Record, which records tiered health surveillance for exposed workers, from questionnaire through to clinical assessment
- Tool Vibration Register, which holds the magnitude and trigger time limit for every tool in use, and is the source this assessment should draw its magnitude from
- A general risk assessment, which will not quantify daily exposure against the action and limit values the way this one does
- Anything outside KnowHealth, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Compliance mapping
Which ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2 requirements does this satisfy?
Hand-arm vibration is one of the few hazards with numeric legal thresholds attached to the assessment, which makes method matter as much as record.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 5349-1 | Measurement and assessment of hand-transmitted vibration, defining A(8) and frequency-weighted magnitude | Header |
| EU Directive 2002/44/EC art.4 | Assessment of vibration risk at the workplace, including magnitude and duration of exposure | Exposure |
| Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.4 | Assessment of the risk to employees from vibration, reviewed when no longer valid | Exposure |
| ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2.1 | Hazard identification proactive and ongoing, covering conditions that raise exposure beyond rated magnitude | Factors that raise exposure |
| Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.6 | Elimination or reduction of risk via the hierarchy of controls, tool selection before PPE | Controls |
| Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.7 | Health surveillance for employees likely exposed above the action value | Outcome |
| ISO 45001 cl.9.1.1 | Monitoring and measurement of control effectiveness, including the tool register this feeds | Outcome |
What it does not cover
- Whole body vibration assessment, a different exposure pathway (seat or floor, not hand-held tool) with different contributing factors (surface and seat, not grip force and posture).
- Tool vibration register, which holds the underlying magnitude and trigger time data this assessment draws on; it consumes the register, it does not replace it.
- Vibration health surveillance, the clinical tier triggered once exposure crosses the action value, run once this assessment has flagged the need.
- A general risk assessment, which will not quantify daily exposure against the action and limit values or apply the required frequency-weighting.
- Dermatitis or glove-suitability assessment, hand protection for a different hazard, not to be conflated with anti-vibration glove selection here.
Global
Hand Arm Vibration Assessment requirements by country
Numeric thresholds exist in law across the EU and UK for hand-arm vibration, while the US relies on general duty and voluntary guidance.
OSH Act General Duty Clause; ACGIH Threshold Limit Value
No OSHA standard sets a numeric limit for hand-arm vibration; ACGIH's TLV is voluntary guidance, not law.
Enforcement runs through the General Duty Clause; ignoring an ACGIH-consistent programme is a weaker defence, not a breach itself.
Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005
Exposure action value 2.5 m/s² A(8) and exposure limit value 5.0 m/s² A(8), with assessment and surveillance above the EAV.
The thresholds are set in law, making the trigger-time and magnitude inputs directly load-bearing rather than advisory.
ISO 5349-1 and ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2
ISO 5349-1 defines the measurement behind A(8); ISO 45001 requires the underlying hazard identification.
Where no national threshold applies, ISO 5349-1 is still the reference most trade and manufacturer data is built on.
How to complete it
How to complete a hand arm vibration assessment, step by step
The form prompts for a magnitude, a trigger time and a set of yes/no factors. What determines whether the exposure figure means anything is how those first two numbers were obtained.
Ask how long the tool was switched on and in the worker's hand, not how long the job took. Job duration includes positioning, changeover and waiting, so the estimate runs high, or occasionally low where intermittent use is forgotten. A rough stopwatch reading beats a recalled estimate.
A declared magnitude is measured on a new tool under standard conditions. A blunt consumable, worn bearing or poorly maintained tool can raise the real figure well above it, so record which source was used and why.
Record why eliminating or mechanising the task and a lower-vibration tool were rejected before gloves are proposed. Gloves have limited attenuation at the relevant frequencies, and reaching for them first skips the controls most likely to reduce exposure.
The exposure category should update the tool register so the next assessor starts from real data, and raise surveillance the moment exposure crosses the action value rather than waiting for a separate decision.
What auditors find
Most common hand arm vibration assessment findings
The assessment almost always exists once a vibration programme runs. The findings concern the reliability of its two central inputs and whether the outcome changed anything.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger time estimated from job duration rather than measured or timed. | ISO 5349-1 | Time the tool's actual on-trigger duration across a representative task. |
| Manufacturer's declared magnitude used without checking against site measurement or the tool register. | Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.4 | Use a site measurement or trade figure where available, and record the source. |
| Assessment concludes in anti-vibration gloves without recording why elimination, mechanisation or a lower-vibration tool were rejected. | Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.6 | Document the hierarchy of controls reasoning before PPE is proposed. |
| Exposure above the action value but health surveillance not triggered. | Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.7 | Link the exposure category directly to the surveillance requirement. |
| Tool register not updated with the assessed magnitude and trigger time limit. | ISO 45001 cl.9.1.1 | Update the register from the outcome as a closing step, not an optional one. |
| Assessment not reviewed when the tool or task changed. | ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2.1 | Trigger review on tool or task change, not only at the stated interval. |
Case in point
Case in point: the grinder that looked fine on paper
A fabrication shop assessed angle grinder use for weld dressing. The assessor used the manufacturer's declared magnitude and asked how long the job took, then estimated trigger time from a standard shift pattern. Exposure came out below the action value, and the assessment concluded with a maintenance reminder and no further action.
A later review, prompted by a worker reporting tingling in his fingers, timed the actual trigger use across a shift and found the grinder was live nearly three times the estimated duration, because the job involved short bursts the operator hadn't counted as 'the tool running'. Recalculated, exposure sat above the action value. The magnitude figure was never the problem; the estimate of how long the tool ran was.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
5 sections
- Reference
- HLT-041
- Archetype
- Assessment
- Record ID
- HAV-2026-000
- Scoring
- Exposure points
- Direction
- Low is good
- Singleton
- No
- Basis
- ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2
- Links
- Links Tool register, Health surveillance
- Tags
- Vibration
- Sections
- 5
- Fields
- 47
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 4
Header
13 fieldsAssessment ID*
Auto sequence. Format HAV-2026-000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Completed By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Task Assessed*
Tool Type*
Workers Exposed*
Vibration Magnitude Source*
- Site measurement4 pts
- Trade association data3 pts
- Manufacturer declared1 pt
- Estimated0 pts
Declared Magnitude*
Daily Trigger Time Minutes*
Trigger Time Is What Almost Nobody Measures
Exposure depends on how long the tool is actually running, not how long the job takes. People guess, and they guess high, which makes every control look inadequate.
Exposure
6 fieldsTrigger Time Measured Not Estimated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Magnitude From Site Measurement*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Tool Register Value Used*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Exposure Points Calculated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Above Exposure Action Value*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Above Exposure Limit Value*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Factors that raise exposure
6 fieldsTool Poorly Maintained*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Blunt Or Worn Consumables*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Excessive Grip Force Needed*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Cold Working Conditions*
- No3 pts
- Some1 pt
- Constant0 pts
Awkward Posture While Using*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Tool Held Rather Than Supported*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Controls
6 fieldsTask Could Be Eliminated Or Mechanised*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Lower Vibration Tool Available*
- Yes3 pts
- Being explored1 pt
- No0 pts
Tool Maintenance Schedule In Place*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Job Rotation Applied*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Anti Vibration Gloves Considered*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Workers Trained On Symptoms*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Outcome
16 fieldsExposure Category*
- Below action value4 pts
- Between action and limit1 pt
- Above limit value0 pts
Assessment Action Required*
- None3 pts
- Monitor2 pts
- Improve1 pt
- Act now0 pts
Next Review Due*
Health Surveillance Required*
Surveillance Record ID
Links to HLT-043 Record ID
Tool Register Updated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Risk Assessment
Risk ID
Format RSK-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-012 Risk ID
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Assessor*
Signature*
Safety Lead*
Second Signature*
HLT-041 · record IDs look like HAV-2026-000 · Links Tool register, Health surveillance
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The exposure figure depends on two inputs nobody times well. The agents here exist to catch the tool that changed and the review that never happened, not to recompute the arithmetic.
Holds the assessment against the tool register and health surveillance plan, flags exposure above the action value, and routes review when a tool changes.
Links the outcome to the risk register and CAPA, so an 'act now' category produces a tracked action rather than a flagged field nobody follows up.
Connects the workers-trained-on-symptoms field to an actual training record, so awareness is evidenced rather than assumed.
Watches for tool, task and symptom reports that should trigger a review, and raises it rather than waiting for the stated interval.
This template lives in KnowHealth — employee wellbeing. Exposure monitoring, health surveillance, case management and return to work.
Meet KnowHealth→Glossary
Hand Arm Vibration Assessment definitions and key terms
- Exposure action value (EAV)
- The daily exposure, A(8), at which an employer must act and, in the UK, offer surveillance: 2.5 m/s² for hand-arm vibration.
- Exposure limit value (ELV)
- The daily exposure that must not be exceeded: 5.0 m/s² A(8) for hand-arm vibration under UK regulations.
- A(8)
- Daily exposure normalised to an eight-hour period, combining magnitude and trigger time.
- Trigger time
- The time a tool is actually switched on and in contact with the hand, distinct from the time spent on the wider job.
- Vibration magnitude
- The frequency-weighted acceleration a tool produces, in m/s², sourced from measurement, trade data or the manufacturer's declaration.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about hand arm vibration assessment
Do anti-vibration gloves reduce exposure enough to rely on?+
Not reliably. Gloves have limited proven attenuation at the relevant frequencies and should be supplementary at most, considered after eliminating the task or specifying a lower-vibration tool, not instead of those steps.
What if trigger time can't be measured directly?+
Observe a sample of the task and time the tool's on-trigger periods, rather than asking the operator to estimate job duration. An approximate measured figure beats a recalled estimate, which is biased upward or, for intermittent tasks, downward.
Which magnitude figure should be used?+
A site measurement is most reliable, then trade association data, then the declared figure, used cautiously since it is measured under conditions a blunt or poorly maintained tool will exceed.
Does exceeding the exposure limit value mean the tool must stop being used immediately?+
It means exposure must be brought below the limit value, usually through an immediate change to trigger time, tool or method rather than a scheduled review. The limit value is a ceiling, not a target.
How does this assessment connect to health surveillance?+
Exposure above the action value normally triggers health surveillance, and the outcome should raise that requirement directly rather than depend on someone checking the exposure category separately.
How often is this assessment reviewed?+
Whenever the tool or task changes materially, or a symptom report suggests the exposure assumption was wrong, with a stated review date as the backstop rather than the primary trigger.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Occupational Health Surveillance
Similar Exposure Group Register
Groups workers who share the same tasks, agents and exposure patterns
Qualitative Exposure Assessment
Rates likely exposure using professional judgement, task knowledge and existing data, before any sampling
Personal Air Sampling Record
Records a sample taken from a worker's breathing zone over a shift
Area Monitoring Record
Records fixed point sampling in a work area rather than on a person
Noise Dosimetry Record
Records a worker's noise exposure over a full shift using a personal dosimeter
Chemical Exposure Assessment
Assesses exposure to a specific chemical across the tasks where it is used
More in Vibration
Whole Body Vibration Assessment
Assesses vibration exposure from driving forklifts, trucks and mobile plant, including seat condition and surface quality
Vibration Health Surveillance Record
Records tiered health surveillance for vibration exposed workers, from questionnaire through to clinical assessment
Tool Vibration Register
Holds the vibration magnitude and trigger time limits for every vibrating tool in use
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- ISO 5349-1:2001, Measurement and assessment of human exposure to hand-transmitted vibration
- Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (UK), regulations 4, 6 and 7
- EU Directive 2002/44/EC on exposure to vibration
- ISO 45001:2018 clauses 6.1.2 and 9.1.1
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.