What are the consequences of failing to assess whole body vibration risks?

Failing to assess WBV risks can have both health and legal consequences — and sometimes these don’t show up straight away. From a worker health perspective, long-term exposure to vibration has been linked to lower back disorders, spinal strain, and general musculoskeletal discomfort. Over time, this may result in sickness absence or even long-term injury.

From a compliance point of view, employers are required to identify and control vibration risks where they exist. If an incident occurs or employees raise health concerns and no assessment has been carried out, this could be seen as a failure to manage workplace risk appropriately.

There’s also the enforcement side to consider. Regulators may request evidence that vibration exposure has been evaluated — and where this can’t be provided, improvement notices or further investigation might follow.

Ultimately, skipping the assessment doesn’t remove the risk — it just means it hasn’t been measured or managed yet.