Surveillance and risk assessment, not blurred
They answer different questions under different regulations. We don't sell one when you need the other.
HAVS assessment, UK
Two questions. Two services. One clear answer for each.
"Is this worker's health being affected?" and "how much vibration exposure does this job involve?" are different questions. We keep them as separate services — health surveillance and risk assessment — rather than folding both into one generic "HAVS check".
- Surveillance tiered to what's needed, not maximised
- Nationwide UK coverage, quote-based pricing
Worker health
Employee HAVS Health Surveillance
Ongoing monitoring for exposed workers, from questionnaire through to physician diagnosis (Tiers 1–4).
Arrange surveillance
Workplace exposure
Hand-Arm Vibration Risk Assessment
Tools, trigger time and resulting A(8) exposure, assessed and documented for your workplace.
Discuss a risk assessment
Surveillance & risk assessment kept separate
Written outcome after every assessment
Tiered to HSE guidance
The tier system
Five tiers, escalating on symptoms.
HSE guidance sets out a tiered approach to surveillance. Nobody needs to start at Tier 4 — most workforces sit comfortably at Tier 1–2 unless a questionnaire flags a problem.
Tier 1
Baseline
Initial questionnaire before vibration work starts.
Tier 2
Annual review
Shorter questionnaire, repeated at least yearly.
Tier 3
Clinical assessment
Hands-on check by an OH professional, if flagged.
Tier 4
Diagnosis
Formal diagnosis and staging by a doctor.
Tier 5
Specialist referral
Optional specialist testing, where indicated.
Who needs it
If your workers trigger vibrating tools, this applies.
Health surveillance is required for employees regularly exposed to hand-arm vibration at or above the Exposure Action Value, or occasionally exposed above it where a risk assessment shows a risk. Typical tools include:
- Breakers and pneumatic hammers
- Angle grinders and sanders
- Impact drills and wrenches
- Chainsaws and powered hand tools
Symptoms
What HAVS actually feels like.
General information, not a diagnosis. Reported symptoms should be assessed, not worked through.
- Tingling or numbness in the fingers
- Finger blanching ("vibration white finger"), usually triggered by cold
- Reduced grip strength and joint stiffness
Exposure values
EAV, ELV, and A(8) in one scale.
Daily vibration exposure is expressed as A(8) — magnitude combined with trigger time, normalised to an 8-hour day — and measured against two thresholds.
EAV2.5 m/s²
ELV5.0 m/s²
0123456 m/s² A(8)
Below EAV — no action required
EAV–ELV — action required
Above ELV — must not be exceeded
How it works
From enquiry to written outcome.
1
Tell us your workforce
Tools in use, headcount, and whether surveillance is already established.
2
Confirm the service
Health surveillance, a risk assessment, or both — and which tier applies.
3
Assessment carried out
At a clinic or on-site for group bookings, scheduled around your workforce.
4
Written outcome
A record for your files, escalated to Tier 3/4 only where indicated.
Employer responsibilities
The duty sits with you, not your workers.
Regulation 5 requires a risk assessment before deciding on controls; regulation 7 requires health surveillance where that assessment shows a risk. Both are employer duties.
For employers
Need HAVS assessments for multiple employees?
Tell us your headcount, the tools involved, and any tiers already established, and we'll confirm a schedule and quote for your group.
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Right service, right tier
Surveillance and risk assessment kept separate, escalated only when the evidence says so.
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Written record for every worker
Every round ends with a record for your employer health files.
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Scheduled for groups
Tell us your numbers and we'll coordinate a schedule so nobody lapses.
Why it matters
Getting the distinction right, not just the paperwork.
Tiered to what's needed
Tier 1–2 stays questionnaire-based unless a response actually indicates escalation to Tier 3 or 4.
Sourced from HSE guidance
Tier structure, EAV/ELV figures and surveillance frequency are checked against HSE's own guidance, not simplified rules of thumb.
What is a HAVS assessment?
It covers two different things: health surveillance, which monitors an individual worker's health once they're exposed to hand-arm vibration, and a risk assessment, which evaluates the vibration exposure in your workplace. Both sit under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, but they answer different questions.
What's the difference between health surveillance and a risk assessment?
Health surveillance monitors worker health through HSE's tiered approach (questionnaire through to physician diagnosis). A risk assessment evaluates workplace exposure — tools, trigger times and A(8) — and is what tells you whether surveillance is needed at all.
How often is HAVS health surveillance required?
At least annually once a worker is under surveillance, with a baseline assessment before or shortly after they start vibration-exposed work. See our full breakdown of surveillance frequency.
What are the HAVS tiers?
HSE guidance describes five tiers: an initial questionnaire (Tier 1), annual review (Tier 2), clinical assessment (Tier 3), formal diagnosis (Tier 4), and optional specialist referral (Tier 5). Read our full tier guide for how they connect.
Do I need a risk assessment before booking health surveillance?
A risk assessment is what establishes whether surveillance is required and for whom. If you haven't assessed your workplace's vibration exposure yet, that's the logical starting point.
Can you handle assessments for multiple employees?
Yes. Tell us your workforce size, the tools involved and any tiers already established, and we'll confirm a schedule for your group.
How much does a HAVS assessment cost?
We don't publish a fixed price list, because the right service depends on your workforce size, the tier required, and whether you need surveillance, a risk assessment, or both. We confirm a quote once we know these details, rather than a number that may not reflect what you actually need.
What happens if a business doesn't comply?
The HSE can issue improvement or prohibition notices and take enforcement action, including prosecution, for breaches of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. Beyond enforcement, the practical risk is workers developing HAVS without surveillance in place to catch it early.
Can HAVS be reversed?
Once nerve or vascular damage has progressed, it doesn't reverse. Early-stage symptoms can stabilise if exposure is reduced quickly, which is why symptoms should be reported and assessed rather than worked through.
How can we reduce vibration exposure?
Lower-vibration tools, shorter daily trigger time, well-maintained equipment, task rotation and scheduled breaks all help. A risk assessment identifies which of these will actually move your A(8) figure, rather than guessing.
Ready when you are
Discuss your HAVS requirements.
Tell us whether it's surveillance, a risk assessment, or both, and how many people are involved.