What is HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome) training?

Key facts

• Legal driver: the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, which set Exposure Action Values (EAV) and Exposure Limit Values (ELV) for hand-arm vibration.
• Course length: typically half a day, awareness level.
• Refresher: every 3 years recommended; sooner if tools or work change, or if health surveillance flags a concern.
• Who needs it: operators of hand-held vibrating tools and their supervisors. Breakers, grinders, sanders, drills, chainsaws, polishers, needle guns, impact wrenches and many other tools all transmit vibration.
• EAV: 2.5 m/s² A(8) daily exposure. ELV: 5 m/s² A(8) daily exposure.
• Health surveillance is separately required for workers regularly exposed at or above the EAV.

What is Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome?

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is a permanent and progressive condition caused by long-term exposure to vibration transmitted through the hands and arms from vibrating tools. It has three main components:

• Vascular. Vibration White Finger (Raynaud’s phenomenon): fingers turn white and numb in the cold or on contact with cold surfaces.
• Neurological. Numbness, tingling, reduced sensation and reduced dexterity. Affects fine motor control.
• Musculoskeletal. Reduced grip strength, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome.

HAVS is permanent. Once a worker is symptomatic, the damage does not reverse. The condition can be controlled by reducing further exposure, but the existing symptoms remain. This is why prevention via the Regulations is so heavily weighted toward exposure limits and health surveillance.

What the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 require

The 2005 Regulations set two numerical exposure thresholds calculated as A(8) values (averaged across an 8-hour working day):

• Exposure Action Value (EAV): 2.5 m/s² A(8). Above this value the employer must take action: assess the exposure in detail, provide information and training (HAVS Awareness), introduce control measures, and start health surveillance.
• Exposure Limit Value (ELV): 5 m/s² A(8). Workers must not be exposed above this value on any working day. If exposure approaches the ELV, the employer must take immediate action to reduce it.

Vibration magnitudes for individual tools are published by manufacturers. The HSE’s HAVS calculator combines tool magnitude with trigger time (how long the operator actually grips the running tool) to produce the daily A(8) figure.

What the half-day HAVS Awareness course covers

The MPTT half-day HAVS course covers: what HAVS is and the health effects of vibration exposure, the structure of the 2005 Regulations and the EAV/ELV thresholds, how vibration magnitude and trigger time combine to produce daily exposure, recognising the early symptoms of HAVS and the duty to report them, control measures (tool selection, low-vibration tools, anti-vibration gloves and their limitations, work rotation, trigger time management), the role of health surveillance, and the worker’s personal responsibility to report symptoms early. Delivered classroom-based at our centre or on-site for employer groups.

Tools that transmit hand-arm vibration

HAVS exposure is associated with a wide range of tools used in construction, civils and ground works:

• Hand-held breakers and chipping hammers
• Angle grinders
• Disc cutters and stone saws
• Impact wrenches and impact drivers
• Hammer drills and SDS drills
• Needle guns and scaling tools
• Sanders and polishers
• Chainsaws
• Strimmers and brushcutters
• Tampers and compactors

Tool selection is one of the most effective controls. Low-vibration alternatives exist for almost every category and the trigger time required to reach the EAV doubles when the tool magnitude halves.

Health surveillance: a separate legal duty

For workers regularly exposed at or above the EAV, the employer must provide health surveillance under Regulation 7 of the 2005 Regulations. Health surveillance typically runs as a tiered programme:

• Tier 1. Baseline questionnaire on starting vibration-exposed work.
• Tier 2. Annual questionnaire to detect early symptoms.
• Tier 3. Clinical assessment by a qualified occupational health nurse where Tier 2 flags a concern.
• Tier 4. Diagnosis by an occupational health doctor where Tier 3 confirms the concern.
• Tier 5. Standardised tests of vascular and neurological function.

HAVS Awareness training is the front-line awareness layer that makes the health surveillance programme effective. Without awareness, workers do not recognise the early symptoms and do not report them at Tier 2.

Where HAVS sits in the wider awareness programme

HAVS, Noise at Work, Manual Handling and COSHH are the four big regulation-driven awareness courses for any workforce using power tools and hand tools. They map to four different sets of regulations but overlap in audience: most operators using vibrating tools are also exposed to noise, dust and handling load. Many employers package them as a 2-day awareness block for new starters, refreshed on a 3-year rolling cycle.

Related questions

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• How long is Manual Handling training valid for?
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• What is Fire Marshal / Fire Warden training?
• What’s the difference between IOSH and NEBOSH?

Quick answers to related questions

Is HAVS training a legal requirement?

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 require the employer to provide information and training where exposure may reach or exceed the Exposure Action Value of 2.5 m/s² A(8). HAVS Awareness training is the standard way employers meet that duty.

What are the EAV and ELV for hand-arm vibration?

The Exposure Action Value (EAV) is 2.5 m/s² A(8) daily exposure. The Exposure Limit Value (ELV) is 5 m/s² A(8). Workers must not be exposed above the ELV on any working day.

Do anti-vibration gloves stop HAVS?

No, not on their own. The Regulations and HSE guidance both treat anti-vibration gloves as a partial control, useful for warmth and grip but not relied on as a primary exposure control. Tool selection, trigger-time management and work rotation are the effective controls.

Last updated: 2026-05-21. Reviewed by the MPTT health and safety training team, IOSH- and NEBOSH-accredited instructors.