Whole Body Vibration Newcastle upon Tyne

Whole-Body Vibration Assessment in Cramlington

This project looked at how everyday driving tasks at the Cramlington site expose workers to whole-body vibration, mainly through the operation of large mobile plant such as loaders, handlers and telehandlers. The aim wasn’t to get overly technical but to understand, in a practical sense, how much vibration people actually experience during a normal shift and whether anything needs tightening up to keep things safe and compliant. 

A lot of the work involved observing how vehicles were being used around the site — mostly on smooth tarmac, but occasionally on gravel surfaces where bumps and jolts can be more noticeable. The report shows that operators were generally confident and drove sensibly, keeping to the site speed limit and adjusting their seating correctly. Still, some roles involve long vehicle operating hours, and that’s really where the vibration exposure starts adding up.

The interesting part is that not all vehicles contribute to risk in the same way. One machine in particular — the log handler — pushes workers closer to the “action level,” meaning it deserves a bit more attention when planning shifts. Others fall comfortably below, though they still contribute some vibration simply due to the nature of the work. The assessment also highlighted that shocks and sudden jolts are often more important than average vibration levels, and thankfully these seemed well controlled on site. 

Recommendations in the report are straightforward: keep vehicles maintained, make sure suspension and tyres stay in good condition, ensure operators are trained properly, and consider job rotation for tasks that involve long driving periods. None of this is dramatic — it’s more about maintaining good habits and avoiding unnecessary strain on the body. 

Overall, the assessment shows that whole-body vibration risks at the Cramlington site are manageable, but they benefit from ongoing awareness and routine checks.