Minimises vibes
June 1st 2005 Legislation comes into force in July that drastically reduces a worker’s permitted exposure to vibration levels.
Its aim is to reduce the risk of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, a condition caused by excessive occupational use of vibrating machinery.
Howmet, part of Alcoa Group, has started a comprehensive programme to address the risk of vibration to its workforce.
Following vibration monitoring studies, it has stopped using some equipment altogether, and other elderly machinery has been replaced with more modern equipment with low vibration properties.
Grinding wheels in some applications have been replaced with 3M’s abrasive belt system. Mike Blacksmith, product manager of 3M Abrasive Systems Division, says “The grinding system combines 3M Cubitron abrasive belts with a powerful Metabo fettling machine, reducing costs within the post cast operations, improving productivity and minimising the potential hazard of incurring HAVS. More articles from 3M UK PLC: | 
