Transient Workforce; Health Surveillance Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) Conference

Problem Statement Within the labour supply chain – there is currently a health surveillance gap Capturing and recording daily vibration exposures Sharing of such information Whilst HAVS usage is managed on site – it is not fed back to the ‘employer’

Industry Involvement A working group was put together to look into management of HAVS within labour contingent staff. The WG consisted of various industry parties, including NR, ORR, Contractors and Labour Agencies

Why is there a problem .. Labour Agency supply workers undertake numerous activities for various ‘clients’ They tend to get deployed to the 4 corners of the UK globe, then a different 4 corners following day.... Agency's will deploy workers as and when requests received. What they actually do on site will depend on clients needs.

What a individual did on site yesterday (day before, etc) will not be known by the client they are working for that day. Therefore - the ‘daily’ client will put them to work as they see fit and manage for that particular day.

Currently health surveillance is not conducted on such individuals - as labour agencies don’t have the exposure information needed to identify at risk workers. Here lies the problem. No feedback to the supplier in the workers HAVS daily exposure

Working Group Remit Develop a process for individuals HAVS usage to be re-laid back to the labour supplier What to do about it.. As recognised by the ORR, a Working Group was established to find suitable and workable solution. To develop and agree a process for Principal Contractors, Contractors, Contingent Labour Suppliers and Clients to follow in the management of HAVS health surveillance and to agree appropriate responsibility and accountability

Because... In order that transient workers HAVS health can be managed Understand their daily exposure Stop putting such workers at risk

The How Rather than ‘just’ request labour... Clients to provide expected (and actual) HAVS usage This is then fed back to the labour supplier

The Result Labour suppliers will then be able to... Monitor workers daily usage of HAVs equipment Identify workers at risk of HAVS Stop deploying workers constantly using HAVs equipment 5 days week 4 weeks a month 12 months a year Redeploy workers accordingly Individuals to attend health surveillance where indicated

A Simple Approach A simple process map has been developed. This will be drafted into a simple ‘road map’, (the what and the how) with accompanying guidance

These will be housed on the RSSB portal Clients – Labour Suppliers will be encouraged to adopt process ISLG and members will ‘sign up’ to use

Responsibility The Client.. The Supplier... The Individual.... all have a part to play in this.

Who Does this Benefit Healthier Workforce Apart from legal and ethically responsibilities, the individual will be the ‘winner’ of this process. HAVS is a slow and gradual medical condition. Often when diagnosed - too late HAVS is preventable, but once damage is done it is a permanent condition The effects can be permanent and make everyday life and work difficult Prevention is the key- health surveillance is vital to detect and respond to early signs and symptoms of HAVS This process will close the gap for non direct employed personnel Healthier Workforce