1. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Vibration Directive 2002/44/EC Eleni Dapergola Bucharest, 20 and 21 October 2005

2. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Within the meaning of Art. 16(1) of the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC 16th individual Directive 2002/44/EC on vibration 17th individual Directive 2003/10/EC on noise 18th individual Directive 2004/40/EC on MMF 19th individual Directive 2005/XX/EC on optical radiation

3. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment 2002/44/EC on vibration n It applies the principles of the Framework Directive to risks arising from vibration, setting minimum requirements for the prevention of vibration-related ill health. Ô Added value to the existing requirements of the Framework Directive by establishing agreed levels of exposure above which employers must take certain actions to control risks Ô Member States are required to implement the Directive by 6 July 2005

4. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Framework Directive 89/391/EEC- Art. 6 (2) General obligations on employers n (a) – (g) collective protective measures by n Design of workplaces, choice of work equipment n Methods, organization of work etc. n (h) Giving collective protective measures priority over n Individual protective measures - PPE

5. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment 2002/44/EC on vibration n Hand-Arm Vibration n Whole-Body Vibration Ô Protecting workers from the risks arising from vibrations owing to their effects on the health and safety of workers: n Muscular and bone structure disorders n Neurological disorders n Vascular disorders

6. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment 2002/44/EC on vibration Gloves protecting against Hand- Arm vibration

7. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Main causes of Hand Arm Vibration Risks to all who regularly use hand-held tools n Concrete breakers n Chipping hammers n Sanders n Angle grinders n Compactors n Jigsaws n Hammer drills

8. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment 2002/44/EC on vibration Whole-Body Vibration – Not any PPE available!

9. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment 2002/44/EC on vibration  Hand-arm vibration (HAV): (a) the daily exposure limit value (8h period) shall be 5 m/s2 (b) the daily exposure action value (8h period) shall be 2,5 m/s2  Whole-body vibration (WBV): (a) the daily exposure limit value (8h period) shall be 1,15 m/s2 or a vibration dose value of 21 m/s1,75 (b) the daily exposure action value (8h period) shall be 0,5 m/s2 or a vibration dose value of 9,1 m/s1,75

10. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment 2002/44/EC on vibration  Exposure action value (EAV): Once the exposure action values are exceeded, the employer shall establish and implement a programme of technical and/or organisational measures  Exposure limit values (ELV): In any event, workers shall be exposed above the ELV; if despite the measures taken, the ELV is exceeded, the employer shall take immediate action to reduce exposure below the ELV

11. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Determination and assessment of risks  The employer must assess and, if necessary, measure the levels of MV to which workers are exposed  An employer who has identified risks to workers' health from vibration is expected to have an action plan for controlling those risks

12. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Avoiding or reducing exposure Risks arising from exposure to MV must be eliminated at their source or reduced to a minimum 'taking account of technical progress and the availability of measures to control the risk at source'

13. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Information, training, consultation  More Information, More Protection  Training to enable workers to understand the risks, the EAV and ELV, the actions needed to be taken to minimise risks, report symptoms, etc  Workers or their representatives must be consulted and allowed to participate in decisions on matters covered by the directive

14. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Health surveillance Health surveillance is intended to give an early indication of vibration-related ill health in individuals and also provide information to the employer regarding the effectiveness of the control measures.

15. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Transitional periods Member States have a maximum transitional period of 5 years (2010) where work equipment given to workers before 6 July 2007 does not permit the exposure limit values to be respected In addition, for agriculture and forestry, this deadline can be extended by up to 4 years (2014).

16. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment Derogations Member States are permitted to grant derogations from the WBV exposure limit value in cases of air and sea transport For WBV and HAV, derogation powers are available to allow occasional exposures above the ELV where the exposure is below the EAV. Increased health surveillance is a condition for derogation

17. European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Antenna for Improvement of the Working Environment 2002/44/EC on vibration Thank you for your attention