Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome: The Hidden Risk in Victorian Manufacturing's Power Tools

The disease you cannot hear coming

Every Victorian manufacturer with a noise problem knows the drill: measure it, compare it against the exposure standard in the OHS Regulations, fix it if it is over. Vibration from powered hand tools does not work that way, which is exactly why hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is one of the most under-managed occupational diseases on Victorian factory floors.

Angle grinders, sanders, impact wrenches, chipping hammers, jackhammers, riveters and chainsaws all transmit vibration through the hand and arm. Safe Work Australia specifically lists jack-hammers, chainsaws, grinders, drills, riveters and impact wrenches as HAV sources. If your plant runs a fabrication bay, maintenance workshop, foundry finishing line or civil crew, workers are almost certainly on one or more of these tools for extended periods most shifts.

What HAVS actually is

HAVS is not one condition but a cluster of them, caused by regular, long-term exposure to excessive hand-arm vibration. Safe Work Australia's guide describes four distinct effects:

• Vibration white finger (a form of Raynaud's phenomenon) — a sudden constriction of blood vessels that slows blood flow to the fingers, causing whitening, tingling and, in severe cases, complete loss of touch sensation and manipulative dexterity.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome — tingling, numbness, pain and weakness in the hand.
• Musculoskeletal disorders — weakness, pain and stiffness in the joints of the hand and arm, with reduced or no grip strength.
• Dupuytren's contracture — fingers becoming permanently curled toward the palm, with reduced grip strength.

None of this is reversible once established — the core reason HAVS sits alongside noise-induced hearing loss as a disease you manage prospectively, not after someone reports symptoms.

The regulatory gap: why there is no numeric vibration limit in Victoria

For noise, the OHS Regulations 2017 contain a specific control regulation — regulation 34, Control of exposure to noise — requiring employers to keep exposure below the noise exposure standard via a defined hierarchy: eliminate the source, then quieter plant or engineering controls, then administrative controls, then hearing protectors. WorkSafe Victoria's own guidance on impact and vibration noise in materials handling confirms that noise exposure standard sits at 85 dB(A) as an eight-hour average, with a 140 dB(C) peak limit.

There is no equivalent regulation for hand-arm vibration. WorkSafe Victoria's summary of what the 2017 Regulations changed lists the hazards specifically dealt with: manual handling, noise, falls, confined spaces, plant and high-risk work, hazardous substances, asbestos and lead, construction, major hazard facilities, mines and licences. Vibration is not among them, and no "control of exposure to vibration" provision sits alongside regulation 34. Safe Work Australia's own national HAV guidance likewise sets no mandatory numeric daily exposure figure. That does not mean vibration is unregulated — it means there is no single number to measure a tool against and tick a compliance box. The duty is broader, and in some ways harder to discharge, than the noise duty.

What the general duty requires anyway

Section 21 of the OHS Act 2004 requires every employer to provide and maintain, so far as reasonably practicable, a working environment safe and without risks to health. WorkSafe Victoria's own explanation of that general duty spells out what it covers: safe plant (tools suitable for their purpose and kept in safe condition), safe systems of work (including work organisation and pace), monitoring employee health where relevant, and the information, instruction, training and supervision workers need to do their job safely.

HAV exposure sits squarely inside that duty. A grinder that vibrates excessively because it is worn or poorly balanced is not "safe plant." A worker running a chipping hammer for six hours straight with no rotation is not on a "safe system of work." Consistent with the hierarchy of controls that governs OHS risk management in Victoria generally, you are expected to identify vibration as a hazard, assess the risk, and apply controls — from elimination down to PPE — even though no regulation hands you a pass/fail number.

Practical controls that actually reduce HAV risk

Safe Work Australia's guide sets out a clear preference order — worth following closely, because some intuitive fixes, gloves in particular, do less than most people assume.

Eliminate or substitute first. Replace hand-operated tools with alternatives that remove the exposure entirely — mechanised equipment instead of a hand-held jackhammer, for instance. Where the tool cannot be removed, choose one with lower vibration emission; manufacturers publish that data.

Fix the transmission path. Keep tools properly maintained — worn bearings, unbalanced grinding wheels and damaged anti-vibration mounts all increase vibration output for the same job. Rubber bushing between the tool body and grip reduces how much vibration reaches the hand.

Reduce exposure time. Job rotation and task design limiting how long any one worker spends on high-vibration tools per shift is a legitimate, effective administrative control. Shorter, more frequent breaks reduce cumulative daily exposure even where total task time is unchanged.

Do not rely on gloves. Counterintuitively, Safe Work Australia's guidance is explicit that anti-vibration gloves are of limited effectiveness and, depending on vibration frequency, may even increase transmission. Gloves help protect against cold, which worsens vibration white finger, but they are not a substitute for controlling the vibration itself.

Reduce grip and push force. Workers commonly grip and push tools harder than the task needs, increasing transmitted vibration. Training in correct technique — holding the tool lightly and letting it do the work — is a genuine, low-cost control.

Consult your workers. Safe Work Australia's information sheet is specific that workers must be consulted, so far as reasonably practicable, on how HAV risk is managed — they know which jobs leave hands numb or tingling by day's end.

Health monitoring: catching it before it becomes permanent

Because HAVS symptoms develop gradually and are not reversible once established, early detection matters more than with most hazards. Safe Work Australia's guide recommends workers complete an annual questionnaire covering symptoms such as tingling, numbness or pain, and be referred to a medical practitioner where that questionnaire, or a worker's own report, indicates a need for clinical assessment. That is the kind of monitoring that turns "we didn't know" into a documented system if WorkSafe ever asks how you manage the risk — the same logic behind the exposure standards that already apply to noise, dust and fume in your plant.

If your hazard register does not currently list hand-arm vibration for grinding, sanding, riveting, impact wrench or jackhammer tasks, that is a genuine gap. The absence of a specific number does not reduce your general duty exposure if a worker develops HAVS symptoms tracing back to unmanaged tool use in your plant.

FAQ

What is hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)? A group of conditions caused by regular, long-term exposure to excessive hand-arm vibration from powered tools. Safe Work Australia's guidance identifies four effects: vibration white finger (a form of Raynaud's phenomenon), carpal tunnel syndrome, musculoskeletal disorders in the hand and arm joints, and Dupuytren's contracture. Symptoms are generally not reversible once established.

Does Victoria have a numeric exposure limit for hand-arm vibration, like it does for noise? No. The OHS Regulations 2017 contain a specific noise regulation (regulation 34) tied to a defined exposure standard. There is no equivalent vibration regulation, and WorkSafe Victoria's own summary of the 2017 Regulations does not list vibration among the hazards specifically regulated. Safe Work Australia's national HAV guidance also sets no numeric daily exposure figure, so managing the risk is a general duty obligation, not a measure-and-compare test.

Which tools carry the highest HAVS risk in a manufacturing plant? Safe Work Australia names jack-hammers, chainsaws, grinders, drills, riveters and impact wrenches as HAV sources. In manufacturing, angle grinders, hand-held disc grinders, chipping hammers, orbital sanders and pneumatic impact tools used for extended periods are the most common contributors.

Are anti-vibration gloves an effective control? Not on their own. Safe Work Australia's guidance is explicit that anti-vibration gloves are of limited effectiveness and, depending on vibration frequency, may even increase transmission. Gloves help protect against cold, which worsens vibration white finger symptoms, but effective control comes from tool selection, maintenance, exposure time limits and reduced grip force — not gloves.

What does the general duty under the OHS Act 2004 require for vibration risk specifically? Section 21 requires employers to provide and maintain, so far as reasonably practicable, a working environment safe and without risks to health — safe plant, safe systems of work, and adequate information, instruction, training and supervision. WorkSafe Victoria's guidance on this duty confirms it extends to keeping tools in safe condition and organising work so it does not expose workers to unnecessary risk, which covers hand-arm vibration even without a dedicated numeric regulation.

Hand-arm vibration slips through a hazard register built around whatever has a number attached to it. If it is not in yours, book a site assessment with Ardmor and we will help you identify where powered hand tools are creating real exposure, and what controls actually work.

This article is general information for Victorian manufacturers, not legal advice. Last updated: 20 September 2026.