The Risks of Battery Tool Use in the Workplace (HAVS)

This HSE report explains how Hand-Arm Vibration (HAVS) and noise emissions (db) of battery-powered tools and traditionally powered tools compare.

Specific results on battery-powered tools’ vibration and noise emissions may not always be lower than traditionally powered tools.

The Health and Safety Executives (HSE) have prepared research on the risks of battery tool use in the workplace. Specifically around hand-arm vibration and noise emissions compared with equivalent traditional powered tools. Safety PAL (Plan Act learn) brings you this research to help you better understand the risk of battery tool use in the workplace while ensuring all Safety PAL users have a Safety Alert relating to the hazards and control measures.

Occupational Levels of Exposure

Hand-held power tools such as saws, drills or sanders can produce noise and vibration. Occupational levels of exposure can cause damage to workers’ health if they are not effectively controlled. Exposure to noise can cause hearing damage, and the tools’ vibration can cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

Battery-powered tools are increasingly used at work, for example, in construction, motor vehicle repair and grounds maintenance. Many manufacturers that make these power tools suggest that the battery-powered tools produce considerably less noise and vibration emissions. However, the accuracy of these suggestions is not known.

The HSE’s report describes their research and compares noise and vibration emissions by battery-powered hand-held tools with those by traditionally-powered equivalents. The researchers made an ‘in-use’ test on a representative selection of tools; chain saws; cut-off saws; combi-drills; reciprocating saws; impact drivers/wrenches; and angle grinders. Their research found that battery-powered tools’ noise and vibration emissions can be higher or lower than those of traditionally powered equivalents.

Here are a few key messages the HSE has highlighted from their research.

The aim of their research is to further understand noise and vibration exposures in battery-powered hand-held power tools compared to traditionally-powered equivalents. They have done this by undertaking tests on various tools and traditionally powered equivalents.

1. Noise and/or vibration emissions of battery-powered tools can be higher or lower than similarly performing power tools using another type of power source.
2. Infrequently, the ‘in-use’ noise and/or vibration emissions from the sampled battery-powered tools were higher than those from equivalent sampled tools powered by other means (such as mains or petrol engines).
3. Frequently, the ‘in-use’ noise and/or vibration emissions were lower than, or about the same, as those from equivalent tools powered by other means.
4. The selection of tools based on efficiency will help to address higher exposures caused by the extended time taken to complete a task.

The HSE research findings support the use by duty holders of HSE’s existing guidance on power tool selection to protect workers’ health.

Safety Alert

Every user with access to Safety PAL who works in a discipline associated with HAVS will have received this report as a Safety Alert. The duty holder will have the evidence that the worker has seen the alert and read and understood it.

To read the HSE research in full, click here.

To support all workers, managers and duty holders, you can download a free copy of the HSE PDF research, click here.

Click here to download a free copy of the HSE Code Of Practice and guidance on ‘Hand-Arm Vibration’.

To view the Control of Noise at Work Regulations L140, click here.

Click here to download a free copy of the HSE research on ‘Controlling noise at work’.

Vew the full PDF of L108, click here.