Can a generic risk assessment cover WBV, or is a specialist survey required?

A generic risk assessment can sometimes identify that vibration might be an issue — but it usually won’t go far enough to quantify the actual level of exposure. WBV risk depends on a number of factors including the type of vehicle, seat condition, driving style, terrain, speed and how long the equipment is used each day.

Because of this, specialist WBV surveys are often required where exposure is likely to approach or exceed regulatory action levels. These surveys use measurement equipment fitted to the operator’s seat to capture real-time vibration data during normal work tasks.

This data is then used to calculate daily exposure levels — often referred to as A(8), which is basically an average vibration exposure over an 8-hour working day.

So while a generic assessment is useful for screening purposes, a specialist survey is usually needed to determine whether further controls or adjustments are necessary.