It is important to know the vibration levels of any hand operated power tool, especially if it is going to be used for prolonged periods of time.
Over exposure to vibration levels can lead to Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome or White finger, which is is a widespread hazard in the UK, with over 1 million UK workers exposed to vibration over the old Health and Safety executive action limit of 2.8m/s². At present at least 300,000 UK workers have reported symptoms of Hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). HAVS is the most common disease assessed by the DSS and is the most common disease reported under the Reporting of Injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrence, regulations (RIDDOR).
Hand Arm Vibration injury builds up over time and is irreversible.
The excessive exposure to hand held vibrating tools can cause damage to nerves, impair blood circulation, and cause musculoskeletal damage. The symptoms associated with HAVS include numbness, tingling, pain and subsequent reduced dexterity of the hands. (source http://www.whitefinger.co.uk/ ) - More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibration_white_finger
As far as we can see, there are no Australian guidlines or limits to the exposure to hand arm vibration, so we can look at the European guidelines.
According to the European Directive 2002/44/EC which came into effect on 5th July 2005:
- Daily Exposure Action Level (EAV) is set at 2.5m/s2 daily exposure; this is the level at which practical action must be taken to limit the risk.
- Daily Exposure Limit Level (ELV) is 5.0m/s2 daily exposure; this is the level that no one should be exposed to at any time.
This does not mean that machines generating higher values than 2.5m/s2 cannot be used. It means that their use may have to be restricted to short periods of time.
A high vibration tool that is only used for a short period of time can have a lower overall daily exposure than a medium vibration tool used for a short time.
Try this calculator www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/hav.xls to calculate the daily exposure.
According to the above calculator:
- the CL50/75 can be used for 4 hours and 53 minutes before reaching the limit action level of 2.5m/s2
- the PL905 can be used for over 13 hours before reaching the limit action level of 2.5m/s2
- the JP901 can be used for 1 hour before reaching the limit action level of 2.5m/s2
For more information visit www.hse.gov.uk/vibration 
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