Hand Arm Vibration Awareness

This course gives workers, supervisors and employers the knowledge they need to recognise the danger, understand their legal duties, and take practical steps to prevent permanent harm.

Through four concise modules, learners explore what HAV is, how it damages the body, and how exposure can be controlled on site. The course explains Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) and its early warning signs, sets out the requirements of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, and covers the control measures, safe working techniques and health surveillance that keep people protected.

What the course covers:

• Module 1 – Introduction to Hand Arm Vibration: what HAV is, common sources on site, the symptoms of HAVS, and the UK legal framework, including the Exposure Action Value (EAV) and Exposure Limit Value (ELV).
• Module 2 – How Vibration Affects the Body: the vascular, neurological and musculoskeletal effects of vibration, the factors that increase risk, and why early awareness matters.
• Module 3 – Controlling Vibration Risks: applying the hierarchy of control, tool selection and maintenance, managing exposure time, safe techniques and the role of PPE.
• Module 4 – Responsibilities and Health Surveillance: the duties of workers and supervisors, health surveillance, reporting symptoms, and building a strong safety culture.

Each module ends with a short knowledge-check quiz to reinforce learning. By the end of the course, learners will be able to identify vibration hazards, recognise the early signs of HAVS, understand their responsibilities, and help reduce exposure for themselves and those around them.

Ideal for anyone working with or around powered hand tools in construction and related industries.