This report presents the proposed Vibration Guidance – Best Practice for Managers, which aims to support managers in identifying, assessing, and mitigation the risks of employee exposure to vibration in the workplace. The guidance algins with statutory health and safety obligations and promotes a proactive approach to employee wellbeing. The Human Resources and Council Tax Committee is asked to approve the implementation of this guidance as a standard of best practice across relevant service areas, in support of the Council’s continued commitment to maintaining a safe working environment.

The Committee heard that, the Council’s current procedures were fully compliant with the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, reflecting its ongoing commitment to safeguarding employee health and wellbeing. Those regulations required employers to assess and monitor vibration exposure, implement effective control measures, and provide health surveillance where risks were identified.

Members were told that, the report (A.1) introduced the Vibration Guidance – Best Practice for Managers, a new document developed to further support managers in effectively identifying, assessing, and mitigating the risks associated with employee exposure to vibration in the workplace. The guidance reflected current best practice and had been developed in collaboration with Human Resources, Unison, and relevant service leads.

Officers informed the Committee that, within certain areas of the Council’s operations, particularly in services such as Public Realm and Engineering, employees might be exposed to vibration through the use of percussive handheld tools or by operating machinery such as mowers and other vehicles. Regular and prolonged exposure to vibration could result in serious and permanent health conditions, including Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which could significantly affect an employee’s ability to work and overall wellbeing.

The Committee was made aware that, to support compliance, employees in high-risk roles benefited from annual health surveillance assessments carried out by an external provider. This proactive approach enabled early detection of any symptoms and reinforced the Council's commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.

Members noted that, all equipment was routinely inspected and maintained in line with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), ensuring it remained safe and fit for purpose. Where a case of HAVS was identified, it was promptly reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR), following a thorough investigation by the Council’s Health and Safety Team.

The Committee was also told that the introduction of the Vibration Guidance – Best Practice for Managers, whilst not a statutory requirement, reflected best practice by providing managers with clear and practical advice on conducting risk assessments, monitoring and recording exposure, implementing control measures, delivering appropriate training, and ensuring timely health surveillance and reporting. Developed in line with recommendations from the HSE, the guidance was designed to enhance the Council’s existing procedures by embedding a consistent and proactive approach to vibration risk management across all relevant service areas.

The Human Resources and Council Tax Committee was asked to approve the implementation of the guidance, in support of the Council’s continued commitment to maintaining a safe working environment and promoting best practice in vibration risk management, noting that the Council was already fully compliant with its statutory obligations in that area.

It was moved by Councillor Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor Baker and unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee:-

a)    acknowledges that the Council remains fully compliant with all relevant statutory obligations in relation to vibration-related risks and therefore approves and adopts the Council’s Vibration Guidance – Best Practice for Managers to support the consistent and proactive management of such risks across relevant service areas; and

b)    requests that Officers report to the Committee in 12 months’ time following implementation to provide an update on how the guidance has operated in practice, including any lessons learned and proposed refinements.