What this is
What is a whole body vibration assessment?
What is a whole body vibration assessment?
A whole body vibration assessment measures how much vibration a driver's whole body receives through the seat or floor of a vehicle over a working day, and compares that exposure to the daily exposure action value (EAV) and exposure limit value (ELV). It combines the vehicle's magnitude with actual exposure hours to produce a daily figure, usually expressed as A(8).
Who should carry out a whole body vibration assessment?
A competent assessor, someone who understands the vehicle, the route and the magnitude data well enough to select a realistic figure and combine it with actual exposure hours. The form records whether the assessor is competent, because that judgement is where it stands or falls.
What determines exposure more than the vehicle itself?
The surface the vehicle runs on. A well-maintained seat on a badly potholed yard still transmits most shock through the floor, and surface repair usually reduces exposure more, and more cheaply, than a seat upgrade.
Scope
When is a whole body vibration assessment required?
This assessment covers vibration transmitted through a seat or vehicle floor while driving. Vibration transmitted through a hand-held tool into the hands and arms is a different pathway and belongs to the hand arm vibration assessment, not this one.
Use this template when
- A vehicle type is introduced, or its daily exposure hours or route change materially
- The yard surface, route or vehicle has changed since the last assessment
- You are running the Occupational Health Surveillance programme and this is one of its steps
- A driver reports symptoms consistent with whole body vibration and the exposure behind the route needs re-checking
- A linked record needs this one to exist: vehicle records or the yard inspection
Do not use it for
- Hand Arm Vibration Assessment, which covers vibration through a hand-held tool into the hands and arms, not through a seat or floor
- Vibration Health Surveillance Record, which records tiered surveillance for exposed workers, from questionnaire through to clinical assessment
- A vehicle maintenance or pre-use check, which covers whether the vehicle is safe today, not the cumulative exposure of driving it
- 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?
Whole body vibration shares its numeric thresholds with hand-arm vibration but sits on a different standard and dominant factor, which is why surface and vehicle need examining separately.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 2631-1 | Evaluation of human exposure to whole body vibration, defining the frequency-weighting behind A(8) | Header |
| EU Directive 2002/44/EC art.4 | Assessment of vibration risk 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 vehicle condition and route factors that raise exposure | Vehicle |
| Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.6 | Elimination or reduction of risk via the hierarchy of controls, surface before seat specification | Surface and route |
| 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 whether a repair was completed | Outcome |
What it does not cover
- Hand arm vibration assessment, a different exposure pathway (a hand-held tool, not a seat or floor) with different contributing factors (grip force and trigger time, not surface and seat).
- A vehicle pre-use check, which confirms the vehicle is safe to operate today; it doesn't quantify cumulative daily exposure.
- Vibration health surveillance, the clinical tier triggered once exposure crosses the action value, run once this has flagged the need.
- A general risk assessment, which will not quantify daily exposure against the action and limit values or apply the required weighting.
- A yard or pavement inspection, which records the physical condition of the surface but doesn't quantify resulting driver exposure.
Global
Whole Body Vibration Assessment requirements by country
Whole body vibration shares its legal thresholds with hand-arm vibration where vibration is regulated numerically, and relies on general duty and voluntary guidance elsewhere.
OSH Act General Duty Clause; ACGIH Threshold Limit Value
No OSHA standard sets a numeric limit for whole body 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.
Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005
Exposure action value 0.5 m/s² A(8) and limit value 1.15 m/s² A(8), with assessment and surveillance above the EAV.
Thresholds for whole body vibration are lower in absolute terms than for hand-arm vibration, so small surface and route increments matter proportionally more.
ISO 2631-1 and ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2
ISO 2631-1 defines the measurement behind A(8); ISO 45001 requires the underlying hazard identification.
Where no national threshold applies, ISO 2631-1 is still the reference most vehicle and trade data is built on.
How to complete it
How to complete a whole body vibration assessment, step by step
The form prompts for magnitude, exposure hours and vehicle/surface factors. What matters is whether the surface got as much attention as the vehicle.
Daily exposure hours should reflect time actually spent driving the assessed vehicle on the assessed route, not the nominal shift length. A driver splitting time between a forklift and picking duties has lower exposure than the shift length suggests, and the reverse holds for one covering absent colleagues.
A declared magnitude is usually measured on a test track, not the yard the vehicle runs on. A site measurement on the real surface is far more representative, and the assessment should record which source was used.
Seat suspension and weight-setting matter, but potholes, unsmoothed thresholds and drainage failures usually contribute more to exposure than seat condition, and cost less to fix. Cost both options before recommending either.
Momentary shocks, from a threshold, ramp or pothole, drive back injury risk differently from continuous vibration, and a vehicle can average an acceptable A(8) while still delivering damaging jolts on every pass. Note where these events occur, not only the averaged figure.
What auditors find
Most common whole body vibration assessment findings
The assessment almost always exists once a vibration programme runs. The findings concern whether the surface was examined as closely as the vehicle, and whether the cheaper fix was chosen.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Daily exposure hours estimated from nominal shift length rather than actual driving time. | Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.4 | Confirm exposure hours against a timed sample of the route, not the rostered shift. |
| Vibration magnitude taken from the manufacturer's test-track figure without checking against the yard's own surface. | ISO 2631-1 | Use a site measurement on the actual surface where available, and record the source. |
| Assessment recommends seat replacement without assessing whether surface repair would reduce exposure further and more cheaply. | Control of Vibration Regs 2005 reg.6 | Cost the surface repair option alongside the seat option before recommending either. |
| Shock and jolt events from thresholds, ramps or potholes not considered separately from steady-state vibration. | ISO 2631-1 | Record shock and jolt exposure distinctly; it drives risk even where the averaged A(8) looks acceptable. |
| 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. |
| Surface repair recommended in the assessment but not tracked through to completion. | ISO 45001 cl.9.1.1 | Raise the repair as a tracked action with an owner and date, not a note in the outcome field. |
Case in point
Case in point: the seat that was replaced twice
A distribution site assessed its forklifts for whole body vibration. Exposure came out above the action value, and the assessment recommended a seat upgrade, which was fitted. Six months later the reassessment showed almost no change, and the seat was replaced again on the assumption the first was faulty.
A closer look at the route found the forklifts crossed the same loading bay threshold and a potholed stretch on almost every trip, and that the vibration produced was mostly transient shock, which a seat's suspension damps far less effectively than steady-state vibration. Smoothing the threshold and repairing the worst potholes brought the figure down where two seat changes had not, at a fraction of the cost.
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-042
- Archetype
- Assessment
- Record ID
- WBV-2026-000
- Scoring
- Exposure points
- Direction
- Low is good
- Singleton
- No
- Basis
- ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2
- Links
- Links Vehicle records, Yard inspection
- Tags
- Vibration
- Sections
- 5
- Fields
- 47
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 3
Header
13 fieldsAssessment ID*
Auto sequence. Format WBV-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
Vehicle Type*
Drivers Exposed*
Daily Exposure Hours*
Magnitude Source*
- Site measurement4 pts
- Trade association data3 pts
- Manufacturer declared1 pt
- Estimated0 pts
Declared Magnitude*
Assessor Competent*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Fix The Yard Before The Seat
Whole body vibration on a forklift is mostly surface condition. Repairing potholes usually cuts exposure more than any seat upgrade, and costs less.
Exposure
6 fieldsExposure Hours Measured Not Estimated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Magnitude Measured On Our Surfaces*
- 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
Shock And Jolt Events Considered*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Vehicle
6 fieldsSeat Suspension Fitted And Working*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Seat Set For Driver Weight*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Tyres Correct Type And Pressure*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
Suspension Maintained*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Vehicle Suits The Surface*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Speed Appropriate For Conditions*
- Always3 pts
- Mostly1 pt
- No0 pts
Surface and route
6 fieldsYard Surface Good*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Thresholds And Ramps Smoothed*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Potholes Repaired Promptly*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Route Length Minimised*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Drainage Preventing Surface Damage*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Surface Repair Programme Exists*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Outcome
16 fieldsExposure Category*
- Below action value4 pts
- Between action and limit1 pt
- Above limit value0 pts
Highest Contributing Factor*
Assessment Action Required*
- None3 pts
- Monitor2 pts
- Improve1 pt
- Act now0 pts
Surface Repair Recommended*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Seat Replacement Recommended*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Next Review Due*
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*
Engineering Manager*
Second Signature*
HLT-042 · record IDs look like WBV-2026-000 · Links Vehicle records, Yard inspection
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The exposure figure depends on a route and surface that change more often than the vehicle. The agents here catch that change and the repair that never got tracked, not the arithmetic.
Holds the assessment against vehicle and yard records, flags exposure above the action value, and routes review on a vehicle or route change.
Turns a surface repair or seat replacement recommendation into a tracked action with an owner and date, not a note in the outcome field.
Takes the shock and jolt pattern out of the general figure and into the posture and back-injury risk it actually drives.
Watches vehicle, route and yard results for events that should trigger a review, and raises it rather than waiting for the stated date.
This template lives in KnowHealth — employee wellbeing. Exposure monitoring, health surveillance, case management and return to work.
Meet KnowHealth→Glossary
Whole Body Vibration Assessment definitions and key terms
- Exposure action value (EAV)
- The daily exposure, A(8), at which an employer must act: 0.5 m/s² for whole body vibration under UK regulations.
- Exposure limit value (ELV)
- The daily exposure that must not be exceeded: 1.15 m/s² A(8) for whole body vibration under UK regulations.
- A(8)
- Daily exposure normalised to an eight-hour period, combining magnitude and exposure duration.
- Vibration dose value (VDV)
- A measure more sensitive to shocks and jolts than A(8), used where exposure includes occasional high-magnitude events such as potholes rather than steady vibration.
- Whole body vibration
- Vibration transmitted through a seat or supporting surface into the whole body, distinct from vibration transmitted through the hands from a hand-held tool.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about whole body vibration assessment
Why does surface condition matter more than the vehicle?+
Seat suspension damps continuous low-frequency vibration reasonably well but does far less for transient shocks from potholes, thresholds and ramps, which occur at the same points every pass. Repairing the surface removes the shock at its source; a seat upgrade only reduces how much reaches the driver.
What if the assessed magnitude comes from the manufacturer, not our own surface?+
Treat it as a starting estimate. Manufacturer magnitudes are measured on a test track, and the same vehicle on a potholed yard produces higher real exposure. Record the source and prefer a site measurement where the assessment sits close to the action value.
Should shocks from potholes be assessed the same way as continuous vibration?+
Not entirely. The vibration dose value (VDV) is more sensitive to occasional shocks than the averaged A(8), and a route with frequent hard jolts can carry meaningful risk even where its A(8) looks acceptable. Note where shocks occur rather than relying on the average alone.
Does seat replacement satisfy the hierarchy of controls?+
Not on its own. Seat specification sits below fixing the surface and route, because it manages the symptom of a rough surface rather than the surface itself. Specifying a seat without surface repair usually reaches for the visible fix, not the effective one.
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 category separately.
How often is this assessment reviewed?+
Whenever the vehicle, route or surface changes materially, or a symptom report suggests the 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
Hand Arm Vibration Assessment
Assesses exposure to vibrating tools against daily exposure action and limit values
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 2631-1:1997, Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body 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.