NEOM OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK

PROJECTS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

VIBRATION

NEOM-NPR-SOP-003.1 Rev 02.00, December 2020

Document history

Revision code Description of changes Purpose of issue Date

01.00 First Issue Issued for Implementation 27.07.2020

Revision – Inclusion of
02.00 Second Issue 16.12.2020
Construction Requirements

Document approval

Description Prepared by Approved by

Name Robert Burns Osama Wahba

Job Title Senior Safety Manager - ESCD Director – Technical Support

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 2 OF 14

Contents
Contents ................................................................................................................................................ 3
1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4
2 Training and Competency .......................................................................................................... 4
3 Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 5
3.1 Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................. 5
3.2 Exposure Limit Values and Action Values .......................................................................... 5
3.3 Assessment of the Risk to Health Created by Vibration in the Workplace .......................... 6
3.4 Health Surveillance ............................................................................................................ 8
4 Record Keeping ......................................................................................................................... 8

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 3 OF 14

1 Introduction
(a) This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) applies to all employers within NEOM. This SOP is designed
to incorporate requirements set by NEOM-NPR-GFR. If requirements of this document conflict with
requirements set by another regulatory authority, employers are required to follow the more stringent
requirement.

(b) This SOP establishes the requirements and control measures to ensure that the risks associated with
the exposure to vibration are minimized and that control measures are implemented in accordance with
the hierarchy of control measures in order to prevent injury, illness and disease to persons who might
be exposed to risks arising from exposure to vibration.

(c) It covers all worksites where person(s) could have an exposure to vibration at any level. Worksites
include, but are not limited to construction, maintenance, manufacturing, operation of heavy plant and
equipment, vehicles and trucks.

2 Training and Competency

(a) Employers shall ensure that OSH training complies with the requirements of:

(i) NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 5 – Training, Awareness and Competency;

(ii) NEOM-NPR-SOP 07.0 – Organisation, OSH Practitioner Registration and Appointment of Principal
Contractor
(b) Where risk assessment indicates that employees are/or likely to be exposed to vibration, at or above
the action level, the employer shall:

(i) Provide training on vibration exposure limit values and action levels set by this SOP;
(ii) Identify the significant findings of the risk assessment, including any measurements taken, with
an explanation of those findings;
(iii) Inform and educate employees on the signs and symptoms of vibration related injuries and the
process for reporting and getting treatment for vibration related injuries;
(iv) Inform employees on their entitlement to appropriate health surveillance as required by this SOP
and NEOM-NPR-SOP 05.0 – Occupational Health Screening and Medical Surveillance; and
(v) Provide training on safe working practices and other control measures to minimize exposure to
and injury from exposure to vibration.
(c) The information, instruction, and training shall take account of significant changes in the type of work
carried out or the work methods used by the employers.

(d) Employers shall ensure that any visitors, contractors, or temporary employees are trained as needed to
minimize exposure to vibration.

(e) Employees who are/or likely to be exposed to vibration at or above the action level shall receive annual
refresher training as per the requirements of Section 2(b) of this document.

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 4 OF 14

3 Requirements
3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

3.1.1 Employers

(a) Employers shall undertake their roles and responsibilities in accordance with the general requirements
of NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 1 – Roles and Responsibilities Section 3.2.5.

(b) Where reasonably practicable, employers shall eliminate vibration hazards by purchasing low vibration
producing equipment, maintaining equipment to manufactures specifications, erecting barriers, or
implementing other control measures to eliminate / reduce vibration hazards.

(c) Employers shall ensure when employees are subjected to vibration exceeding limits set in Section 3.2,
reasonably practicable control measures shall be utilized.

(d) Employers shall ensure employees are protected from vibration hazards.

(e) Employers shall ensure defective equipment, or equipment that requires maintenance is reported to
the appropriate department for repair or replacement.

(f) Where necessary, Employers shall monitor vibration to ensure that no damage is being caused to
adjacent buildings and services.

3.1.2 Employees

(a) Employees shall undertake their roles and responsibilities in accordance with the general requirements
of NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 1 – Roles and Responsibilities Section 3.2.7.

(b) Employees shall report any activity or equipment defect relating to vibration exposures which they
believe is reasonably practicable to cause an overexposure to themselves or another person.

(c) Employees shall use appropriate vibration protection, equipment or safety devices provided by the
employer in accordance with any training or instruction received.

3.2 Exposure Limit Values and Action Values

3.2.1 Hand-Arm Vibration

(a) The daily exposure limit shall be ascertained on the basis set out in Appendix 1 Part I.

(b) The daily exposure limit value for hand-arm vibration is 5m/s2 A(8).

(c) The daily exposure action value for hand-arm vibration is 2.5m/s2 A(8).

3.2.2 Whole Body Vibration:

(a) The daily exposure limit shall be ascertained on the basis set out in Appendix 2 Part I.

(b) The daily exposure limit value for whole body vibration is 1.15m/s 2 A(8).

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 5 OF 14

 (c) The daily exposure action value for whole body vibration is 0.5m/s2 A(8).

3.3 Assessment of the Risk to Health Created by Vibration in the Workplace

(a) Employers who carry out work which is liable to expose any of their employees to risk from vibration
shall ensure appropriate risk assessment is undertaken, in accordance with NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 2 –
Risk Management. The risk assessment shall identify the control measures that need to be taken to
meet the requirements of this SOP.

(b) In conducting the risk assessment, the employer shall assess daily exposures to vibration to determine
if employees are to be exposed to vibration at or above the action level or above the exposure limit
value. Assessment shall be by means of:

(i) Observation of specific working practices;

(ii) Reference to relevant information (e.g. Equipment specifications, scientific studies, etc.) On the
probable magnitude of the vibration corresponding to the equipment used in the particular
working conditions; and
(iii) If necessary; measurement of the magnitude of vibration to which employees are liable to be
exposed.
(c) The risk assessment shall include consideration of:

(i) The magnitude, type and duration of exposure, including any exposure to intermittent vibration
or repeated shocks;
(ii) The effects of exposure to vibration on employees whose health is at particular risk from such
exposure;
(iii) Any effects of vibration on the workplace and work environment, including the appropriate
handling of controls, the reading of indicators, the stability of structures and the security of joints;
(iv) Any information provided by the manufacturers of work equipment;
(v) The availability of replacement equipment designed to reduce exposure to vibration;
(vi) Any extension of exposure at the workplace to whole-body vibration beyond normal working
hours, including exposure in rest facilities supervised by the employer;
(vii) Specific working conditions such as low temperatures; and
(viii) Appropriate information obtained from health surveillance including, where reasonably
practicable, published information.

(d) Employers shall assess proposed modifications to equipment, addition of new processes, or the
purchasing of new equipment to assess their effect on the work environment and employees, with
special focus placed on vibration hazards. Employers shall:

(i) Purchase equipment that has built in vibration control devices. Special attention shall be placed
on equipment that can cause whole body vibration (e.g. jack hammers, earth moving equipment,
industrial trucks, etc.) to ensure vibration control devices are built into the equipment and
appropriate for their intended use;

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 6 OF 14

 (ii) Design new work processes to include vibration dampening devices; and
(iii) Implement a maintenance program to ensure equipment is maintained to manufacturer’s
specifications and vibration control equipment is functioning appropriately.
(e) The risk assessment shall be reviewed regularly, and updated if:

(i) There is reason to suspect that the risk assessment is no longer valid; or
(ii) There has been a significant change in the work to which the assessment relates.

(f) The employer shall record:

(i) The significant findings of the risk assessment as soon as reasonably practicable after the risk
assessment is made or changed; and
(ii) The measures which the employer has taken and which they intend to take to meet the
requirements of this SOP.
3.3.1 Elimination or Control of Exposure to Vibration at the Workplace

(a) Where it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk at the source, and an exposure action value
is likely to be reached or exceeded, the employer shall reduce exposure to as low a level as is reasonably
practicable by establishing and implementing a program of organizational and technical measures
which is appropriate to the activity.

(b) The control measures taken by the employer shall be based on the health and safety hierarchy of
controls and shall consider:

(i) Other working methods which eliminate or reduce exposure to vibration;

(ii) Choice of work equipment of appropriate ergonomic design, which, taking account of the work
to be done, produces the least possible vibration;
(iii) The provision of auxiliary equipment which reduces the risk of injuries caused by vibration;
(iv) Appropriate maintenance programs for work equipment, the workplace and workplace systems;
(v) The design and layout of workplaces, work-stations and rest facilities;
(vi) Appropriate information and training for employees, such that work equipment may be used
correctly and safely in order to minimise employee exposure to vibration;
(vii) Appropriate work schedules with appropriate rest periods; and
(viii) Providing clothing, as needed, to protect employees from cold and damp environments.

(c) When employers are not able to eliminate, using engineering control measures, or through
administrative controls to address vibration hazards, the employer shall provide PPE designed to reduce
the transmission of vibrations to the employee (e.g. anti-vibration gloves, anti-vibration mats, etc.). The
vibration attenuation (effectiveness) of personal protective equipment shall be evaluated to determine
if other controls are needed to protect employees, as per NEOM-NPR-SOP 12.0 – Personal Protective
Equipment.

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 7 OF 14

 (d) Section 3.2 shall not apply where the exposure of an employee to vibration is usually below the exposure
action value but varies markedly from time to time and may occasionally exceed the exposure limit
value, provided that:

(i) Over exposure does not occur more than two days per week;
(ii) Any exposure to vibration averaged over one week is less than the exposure limit value, calculated
based on Appendix 1 part ii and Appendix 2 part ii;
(iii) There is evidence to show that the risk from the actual pattern of exposure is less than the
corresponding risk from constant exposure at the exposure limit value;
(iv) Risk is reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable, considering the special
circumstances;
(v) The employees concerned are subject to increased health surveillance; and
(vi) The employer has considered any employee or group of employees whose health is likely to be
particularly at risk from vibration.
3.4 Health Surveillance

(a) If the risk assessment indicates that there is a risk to the health of employees who are exposed to
vibration or likely to be exposed to vibration at or above the exposure action level, the employer shall
ensure the exposed employees are placed in an appropriate health surveillance program in accordance
with the requirements of NEOM-NPR-SOP 05.0 – Occupational Health Screening and Medical
Surveillance.

(b) Health surveillance, which shall be intended to prevent or diagnose any health effect linked with
exposure to vibration, shall include:

(i) Medical evaluation from a physician that has experience in diagnosing and treating vibration
related injuries and diseases and knowledge of the work environment and vibration exposures;
(ii) Documentation of any links between the exposure and identifiable disease or adverse health
effect; and
(iii) A requirement that when a vibration related injury or illness occurs, the treating physician shall
review the job duties of the employee and determine if there is alternative work or light duties
that can be performed by the employee during their recovery.

4 Record Keeping
(a) Exposure monitoring, medical surveillance, examination and consultation records shall be kept for a
minimum of the period of employment plus 30 years, as per NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 9 – Compliance
and Management Review and NEOM-NPR-SOP 05.0 – Occupational Health Screening and Medical
Surveillance.

(b) All compliance and training records shall be kept for a minimum of five (5) years, as per NEOM-NPR-
GFR – MSU 9 – Compliance and Management Review.

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 8 OF 14

 (c) Medical records relating to vibration injuries and illness shall be maintained in the employee’s official
medical record file.

(d) Employers shall keep all medical records confidential unless the employee has provided a written and
signed release stating who can have access to their medical records (e.g.
human resources, employee family members, etc.).

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 9 OF 14

 Reference List

Reference Section
Title
in

NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 1 – Roles and Responsibilities Various

Various
NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 2 – Risk Management.

Various
NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 5 – Training, Awareness and Competency.

NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 9 – Compliance and Management Review Various

NEOM-NPR-SOP 05.0 – Occupational Health Screening and Medical Surveillance. Various

NEOM-NPR-SOP 17.0 – Safety Signage and Signals Various

NEOM-NPR-SOP 32.0 – Personal Protective Equipment Various

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists 2010 TLVs and BEI’s. Various

Health and Safety Executive, the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, No. Various
1093.

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 10 OF 14

APPENDIX 1: Hand-Arm Vibration

Part 1-Daily exposure to vibration

The daily exposure to vibration (A(8)) of a person is ascertained using the formula:

where:

• ahv is the vibration magnitude, in meters per second squared (m/s2;);

• T is the duration of exposure to the vibration magnitude ahv; and

• T0 is the reference duration of 8 hours (28,800 seconds).

To avoid confusion between vibration magnitude and daily exposure to vibration, it is conventional to express daily
exposure to vibration in m/s2 A(8).

The vibration magnitude, ahv, is ascertained using the formula:

where:

• ahwx, ahwy and ahwz are the root-mean-square acceleration magnitudes, in m/s2, measured in three orthogonal
directions, x, y and z, at the vibrating surface in contact with the hand, and frequency weighted using the
weighting Wh.

The definition for the frequency weighting Wh is given in British Standard BS EN ISO 5349-1:2001.

Where both hands are exposed to vibration, the greater of the two magnitudes ahv is used to ascertain the daily
exposure.

If the work is such that the total daily exposure consists of two or more operations with different vibration
magnitudes, the daily exposure (A(8)) for the combination of operations is ascertained using the formula:

where:

• n is the number of individual operations within the working day;

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 11 OF 14

• ahvi is the vibration magnitude for operation i; and

• Ti is the duration of operation i.

Part 2-Exposure to vibration averaged over one week

The exposure to vibration averaged over one week (A(8)week) is the total exposure occurring within a period of seven
consecutive days, normalized to a reference duration of five 8-hour days (40 hours). It is ascertained using the
formula:

where:

• A(8)j is the daily exposure for day j.

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 12 OF 14

APPENDIX 2: Whole-Body Vibration

Part 1-Daily exposure to vibration

The daily exposure to vibration (A(8)) of a person is ascertained using the formula:

where:

• aw is the vibration magnitude (root-mean-square frequency-weighted acceleration magnitude) in one of the

three orthogonal directions, x, y and z, at the supporting surface;

• T is the duration of exposure to the vibration magnitude aw; • T0 is the reference duration of 8 hours

(28,800 seconds); and

• k is a multiplying factor.

To avoid confusion between vibration magnitude and daily exposure to vibration, it is conventional to express daily
exposure to vibration in m/s2 A(8).

Daily exposure to vibration (A(8)) is evaluated separately for the x, y and z directions of vibration.

For horizontal vibration (x and y directions), k = 1.4 and aw is obtained using the Wd frequency weighting. For
vertical vibration (z direction), k = 1.0 and aw is obtained using the Wk frequency weighting.

Definitions for the frequency weightings are given in International Standard ISO 2631-1:1997.

If the work is such that the total daily exposure consists of two or more operations with different vibration
magnitudes, the daily exposure (A(8)) for the combination of operations is ascertained using the formula:

where:

• n is the number of individual operations within the working day;

• awi is the vibration magnitude for operation i; and

• Ti is the duration of operation i.

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 13 OF 14

Part 2-Exposure to vibration averaged over one week
The exposure to vibration averaged over one week (A(8)week) is the total exposure occurring within a period of seven
consecutive days, normalized to a reference duration of five 8-hour days (40 hours). It is ascertained using the
formula:

where:

• A(8)j is the daily exposure for day j.

DOCUMENT CODE : NEOM-NPR- SOP-003.1 REVISION CODE: 02.00 PAGE 14 OF 14