Case Study 001 – Whole Body Vibration (WBV) & Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) Exposure Assessments
Project summary
Amenity Acoustics has undertaken a Whole Body Vibration (WBV) and Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) assessment for an emergency response agency of the NSW Public Sector by conducting a comprehensive physical works assessment of hand-held and ride-on mechanical plant to benchmark worker’s risk of daily vibration exposure. The assessment also included an assessment of the efficacy of various glove types including anti-vibration gloves.
There is the potential for operators to be exposed to HAV from the hand-guided machinery, hand-held power tools or vehicles they use on the job. The prolonged exposure to vibration has the potential to result in temporary pain and muscle weakness, injury and even permanent disability, affecting workers bones, joints, muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments.
Whole body vibration (WBV) is vibration transferred to the human body through a vibrating supporting surface interfacing with the body. Frequently exposure to high levels of WBV, may result in operators experiencing musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back, neck, and shoulders, sciatic (back and leg) pain, herniated discs, or even early degeneration of the spine. Generally, the lower exposure discomfort and fatigue may also lead to other workplace injuries.
Employer Responsibilities
Section 19 of the NSW Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011 states that a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has a primary duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that worker exposure to HAV and WBV is eliminated. Where elimination is not reasonably practicable, the PCBU must minimise the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.
Clause 60 of the NSW WHS Regulation 2017 states you must manage your workers’ risks to their health and safety relating to developing musculoskeletal disorders from hazardous manual tasks, including tasks that expose workers to HAV and WBV.
As a PCBU, you must:
- identify work processes that expose workers to HAV
- eliminate the risk so far as reasonably practicable
- if not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, minimise the risk by implementing control measures in accordance with the hierarchy of control
- review control measures to ensure they remain effective.
Amenity Acoustics can assist PCBU to measure and evaluate the human exposure to transmitted vibration from equipment to determine a worker’s risk of daily vibration exposure.
Control measures
Where appropriate Acoustics provides advice on hierarchy of control of vibration exposure measures such as:
- Work schedules to limit vibration exposure
- Alternative work method substitution
- Equipment design
- Fit-for-purpose equipment selection
- Purchasing policy
- Maintenance
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Conclusion
Contact Amenity Acoustics to schedule a consultation to help you gain clarity around your operational risks and challenges of worker exposure to HAV and WBV and gain assistance in solving them.
Case Study 002 – Architectural ‘at resident’ noise abatement treatment of eight dwellings – Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange
Project Summary
Amenity Acoustics worked with Lake Macquarie City Council (LMCC) to install architectural acoustic treatments in eight Class 1A residential buildings. This was done to reduce internal road traffic noise from a proposed road realignment and the extension of the Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange (LMTI) to meet performance standards.
The LMTI (also known as the Glendale Transport Interchange) is a planned transport interchange in the suburbs of Glendale and Cardiff in the City of Lake Macquarie, in New South Wales. Stage one, section one of the LMTI consisted of a road realignment and extension of Glendale Drive on an alignment between Stockland Glendale and Cardiff Locomotive Workshops.
Actions Steps
An on-site inspection each dwelling was conducted to identify the layout and room types of each dwelling and to measure the dimensions of building element components.
Future road traffic internal noise levels were modelled based on current construction and building noise attenuation treatment to comply with the adopted noise goals were provided to meet the internal performance requirements of the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) (Infrastructure) 2007.
The assessment identified the internal spaces where the predicted noise levels associated with the operable windows and doors are likely to exceed internal criteria by more than 10 dB(A). These noise-exposed rooms are required to have additional ventilation requirements as openable elements would be required to be closed to achieve internal noise levels.
The report findings were used in negotiations with individual property owners on agreed building noise attenuation measures and then further used to tender for the works by an appropriate construction/installation contractors.
Conclusion
Contact Amenity Acoustics if you require a dwelling noise abatement assessment. Amenity Acoustics has extensive experience in the abatement of transport corridor (road traffic, rail corridor, aircraft) noise and ground induced vibration.
