07.01.16
Reactec signs £1m Network Rail deal to monitor hand-arm vibration
An Edinburgh company specialising in monitoring and management solutions for hand and arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) has landed a three-year £1m contract with Network Rail.
Reactec was nominated as the preferred supplier following a competitive tendering process designed to prevent Network Rail workers from potential injuries caused by heavy power tools.
It will provide HAV monitoring equipment and reporting software to protect rail staff from one of the most common industrial diseases in the UK. Its system monitors vibrations from handheld tools in order to reduce exposure to HAVS, popularly known as ‘vibration white finger’.
Its chief executive, Jacqui McLaughlin, said the innovative equipment is designed to “help prevent this incurable and debilitating condition through the use of bespoke monitoring devices and management software”.
“This investment is not just about equipment, but it is an investment in the health and safety of Network Rail’s workforce,” she said.
Network Rail’s staff and sub-contractors use a variety of tools that can cause HAV, such as concrete breakers, hammer drills, chainsaw and disc cutters, meaning they must be carefully and accurately monitored – especially since there is no cure for the syndrome and inadequate research on safe levels of exposure to vibration.
In 2013, the company’s construction workers on the massive Birmingham New Street project – finished late last year – undertook a programme to improve their health and wellbeing through raised awareness of construction risks like HAV.
They learned how to respond in emergency situations and received complimentary health check-ups.
(Top image c. TfL)