Tool data, Where do I get it? And how do I compare it?

For well over 10 years now, we have been working and specialising in the field of HAV (Hand-arm vibration). We have visited numerous clients both large and small; both high risk and low risk. Each company or organisation that we have met had different challenges that they faced; whether it was difficulty getting engagement from the operators or even unknown exposure times within the organisation. Each Business had a different issue, but knowing how compliance would be achieved we were able to advise and offer guidance as to what needed to be put in place and help the organisations towards this. The common issue that we came up against was tool data. so much so was the issue, that from just providing a small tool timer (HAVi); we then needed to start carrying out vibration measurements as well. Now this was all well and good for the companies that could:

• Afford to pay for the vibration assessments 
• Knew about HAV in order to identify which bits of kit needed testing and how often this needed to happen 
• Had enough resource to manage the issue of HAV In the workplace

What we quickly identified and started to understand is that there was a massive lack of understanding within the industry surrounding HAV, but also that a lot of companies that struggle with this element, so we thought; how do we make this element of managing HAV simpler?

Where did we start?  

We started with the HAVi-total our cloud-based HAV management system. We had lots of tool data from the HAVi-total system just sitting there, valuable data gathering dust.

So how did we use and evolve this data?

We did something clever with it, we anonymised it and then used a statistical average known as the 75th percentile and made this available to existing clients. So vibration values across a range of tasks could be compared. It was very apparent that when we started to build the portal that the database had an enormous strength, not only for vibration data but also for other elements such as weight, power and the noise of tools and equipment.

We also thought it would be great to be able to compare like for like attributes of tools easily.

What we have done is consistently strive to look for ways to improve the availability of information to the people that matter. This database has new tools and updated vibration values added daily and this will only continue to grow.

The creation of this database has been no mean feat and the pride that the team involved with it feel this achievement is worth all the effort over the last 18 months. We hope that it will help guide businesses and individuals to find the right tool for the right job.

Joel Clarke