(MTP Ordinance no. 426, of September 7, 2021)
Summary
- Objectives
- Scope
- General provisions
- Preliminary Exposure Assessment
- Quantitative Exposure Assessment
- Preventive measures
- Objectives
1.1 To establish the requirements for the assessment of occupational exposure to hand and arm vibration (HAV) and whole-body vibration (WBV), when identified in the Risk Management Program (RMP) provided for in NR-01, and to support the implementation of preventive measures.
- Scope
2.1 The provisions of this Annex apply to occupational exposure to hand and arm vibration (HAV) and whole-body vibration (WBV).
- General Provisions
3.1 Organizations shall take measures to prevent and control exposure to mechanical vibration that may affect the safety and health of workers, and to eliminate the risk or, where technology is demonstrably not available, to reduce it to the lowest practicable level.
3.1.1 The elimination or reduction of risks related to exposure to mechanical vibration shall take into account, inter alia, physical effort and postural aspects.
3.2 When performing preventive and corrective maintenance on vehicles, machinery, equipment and tools, the organization shall demonstrate that measures have been taken to control and reduce exposure to mechanical vibration.
3.3 Vibrating hand tools that produce accelerations in excess of 2.5 m/s2 in the operator’s hands shall provide information on the vibration emitted by the tools together with their technical specifications, indicating the test standards used for measurement.
- Preliminary Exposure Assessment
4.1 Preliminary exposure assessment to WBV and ILV shall be carried out, taking into account the following aspects:
a) work environments, processes, operations and exposure conditions;
b) characteristics of the machinery, vehicles, tools or work equipment
c) information provided by the manufacturer on the vibration levels generated by the exposed tools, vehicles, machines or equipment, if available;
d) conditions of use and state of repair of vehicles, machinery, equipment and tools, including components or insulation and damping devices which affect the exposure of operators or drivers;
e) in the case of WBV, the characteristics of the driving surface, the loads carried and the operating speeds;
f) estimated effective daily exposure time;
g) evidence of specific working conditions which may contribute to aggravating the effects of exposure;
h) physical effort and postural aspects;
i) available occupational exposure data; and
j) information or records on complaints and medical history of exposed workers.
4.2 The results of the preliminary assessment shall support the adoption of preventive and corrective measures, without prejudice to other measures provided for in the other NRs.
4.3 If the preliminary assessment is not sufficient to determine the need for preventive and corrective measures, a quantitative exposure assessment shall be carried out.
- Quantitative Exposure Assessment
5.1 The quantitative assessment shall be representative of the exposure and shall cover the organizational aspects and environmental conditions in which the worker is involved in the performance of his duties.
5.1.1 The quantitative assessment procedures for WBV and HAV, to be adopted within the scope of this annex, are those established in the Occupational Hygiene Standards, published by FUNDACENTRO.
5.2 Quantitative assessment of workers’ exposure to HAV
5.2.1 Occupational exposure to hand and arm vibration shall be assessed using measurement systems that provide the resultant acceleration of normalized exposure, a parameter representative of the worker’s daily exposure.
5.2.2 The action level for assessing the daily occupational exposure to hand and arm vibration is equivalent to a value of resultant acceleration of normalized exposure of 2.5 m/s2.
5.2.3 The daily occupational exposure limit value for hand and arm vibration is equivalent to a value of resultant acceleration of normalized exposure of 5 m/s2.
5.2.4 Occupational exposures above the action value, regardless of the use of personal protective equipment, imply the mandatory adoption of preventive measures, without prejudice to the provisions of item 1.5.5 of NR-01.
5.2.5 Occupational exposures above the exposure limit value, regardless of the use of personal protective equipment, imply the mandatory adoption of corrective measures, without prejudice to the provisions of item 1.5.5 of NR-01.
5.3 Quantitative assessment of workers’ exposure to WBV
5.3.1 Occupational exposure to whole-body vibration shall be assessed using measurement systems that allow the determination of the resultant acceleration of normalized exposure and the resultant vibration dose value (VDVR), parameters that are representative of the worker’s daily exposure.
5.3.2 The action level for assessing the daily occupational exposure to whole-body vibration is equivalent to a value of the resultant acceleration of normalized exposure of 0.5 m/s2 or a value of the resultant vibration dose of 9.1 m/s1.75.
5.3.3 The daily occupational exposure limit value for whole-body vibration is equal to:
a) resultant acceleration of normalized exposure of 1.1 m/s2; or
b) resultant vibration dose of 21.0 m/s1.75.
5.3.3.1 For the purpose of assessing exposure, the organisation shall demonstrate the assessment of the two parameters described above.
5.3.4 Occupational exposures above the action level imply the mandatory adoption of preventive measures, without prejudice to the provisions of item 1.5.5 of NR-01.
5.3.5 Occupational exposures above the occupational exposure limit imply the mandatory adoption of corrective measures, without prejudice to the provisions of item 1.5.5 of NR-01.
- Preventive measures
6.1 Preventive measures shall include:
a) periodic exposure assessments;
b) guidance to workers on the risks arising from exposure to vibration and the proper use of work equipment, and the right to inform their supervisors of abnormal vibration levels observed in their work;
c) monitoring of workers’ health, focusing on the effects of exposure to vibration; and
d) adoption of alternative work procedures and methods to reduce exposure to mechanical vibration.
6.1.1 The preventive measures described in this item do not exclude other measures that may be considered necessary or recommended depending on the particularities of each work condition.
6.2 Corrective measures shall include at least one of the following, following the hierarchy set out in Item 1.4. 1 of NR-01:
a) in the case of exposure to HAV, modification of the work process or operation, which may include: replacement of tools and accessories; rearrangement or reorganization of workbenches and workstations; modification of work routines or procedures; adjustment of the type of tools, accessories used and operating speeds;
b) in the case of exposure to WBV, modification of the work process or operation, which may include: redesigning work platforms; rearranging, reorganizing or changing work routines or procedures and organization; adjusting the vehicles used, in particular by introducing anti-vibration seats; improving the conditions and characteristics of floors and walkways used for moving machinery and vehicles;
c) reducing the duration and intensity of daily exposure to vibration; and
d) alternating activities or operations that involve exposure to higher levels of vibration with others that do not involve exposure or involve exposure to lower levels.
6.2.1 The above corrective measures do not exclude other measures that may be deemed necessary or advisable depending on the specifics of the individual working conditions.
