How do I determine whether a WBV assessment is required in my workplace?

In most workplaces, a Whole Body Vibration (WBV) assessment becomes necessary where employees regularly operate mobile machinery or vehicles as part of their job. This might include forklifts, excavators, dump trucks, tractors, ride-on floor cleaners or even some delivery vehicles depending on terrain.

A good starting point is to ask: are workers exposed to noticeable shaking or jolting while seated for extended periods? If the answer is yes — especially on uneven ground, construction sites, warehouses with damaged flooring, or agricultural land — then there’s a reasonable chance that vibration exposure may exceed safe levels.

WBV assessments are usually required where exposure is frequent or prolonged, and where there’s a foreseeable risk of musculoskeletal issues like lower back pain. Even if symptoms haven’t been reported yet, exposure still needs to be evaluated under health and safety regulations.

So really, it’s less about whether complaints exist — and more about whether vibration exposure is a routine part of the job role. If it is, then a formal WBV risk assessment should absolutely be considered.