Donation to Worthing Soup Kitchen

Post Date

23/01/2023

As in previous years, we have decided to make a charity donation rather than to send out Christmas cards and gifts.
This year we have chosen to support “Worthing Soup Kitchen”

Worthing Soup Kitchen are a local charity supporting homeless people in the Worthing area.

1. 2025 HAVS Compliance Updates for Sussex

Key Changes from HSE

Lower Exposure Action Value (EAV): Now 2.5 m/s² (down from 2.8 m/s²).
Mandatory Health Surveillance: Required if workers exceed EAV for 15+ days/year.
Digital Record-Keeping: Employers must log vibration levels in cloud-based systems.

Sussex-Specific Risks

Gatwick-area factories: High use of pneumatic tools in aerospace supply chains.
Brighton food processing: Prolonged vibrating conveyor belt exposure.

Case Example: A Crawley metalworks faced £12k in fines after workers reported numbness. Our HAVS assessment identified grinders exceeding 5 m/s²—fixes cut exposure by 60%.

2. Which Sussex Industries Need HAVS Testing?

Industry	High-Risk Tools	Common Violations
Automotive (Gatwick)	Impact wrenches, sanders	Missing tool maintenance logs
Construction (Brighton)	Demolition hammers, drills	No worker rotation system
Food Processing (Horsham)	Dough mixers, packers	Inadequate health checks

Sussex Compliance Hotspots:

Shoreham Port factories: Shipbuilding tools (need daily monitoring).
Burgess Hill warehouses: Forklift vibration risks.

3. How HAVS Testing Works (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Tool Vibration Measurement

We use ISO-compliant accelerometers to measure m/s² exposure.
Test 10+ tools per site (e.g., angle grinders, jackhammers).

Step 2: Worker Exposure Assessment

Track daily usage time per employee.
Flag workers exceeding EAV (2.5 m/s²) or ELV (5 m/s²).

Step 3: Mitigation Plan

Engineering controls: Anti-vibration gloves, tool upgrades.
Administrative fixes: Job rotation, reduced shifts.
Health surveillance: Annual medical checks for at-risk staff.

Pro Tip: Sussex factories using Hilti TE 6-A22 drills reduced HAVS claims by 45% after our workplace noise assessments.

4. Penalties for Non-Compliance in Sussex

HSE Inspections: 40% of Sussex factories failed spot checks in 2024.
Common Fines:
- £5,000: Missing vibration logs.
- £15,000+: Worker injury lawsuits.

How to Avoid Fines:
✔ Pre-test high-vibration tools quarterly.
✔ Train staff on HAVS symptoms (tingling, numbness).
✔ Use HSE’s vibration calculator for self-checks.