Safety first as UK’s biggest tool hire firms commit to HAVmeters

UK vibration specialist Reactec has received a major boost to its industry credentials in 2011, after seeing half of the UK’s top eight tool hire firms providing its HAVmeter safety monitors to customers.

Four of the country’s biggest tool hire firms – GAP Group, Speedy Hire, A-Plant and Brandon Hire – are currently offering HAVmeters to their clients in order to improve safety for workers and keep them protected from vibration-related injuries.

The firms are among the top eight UK hire companies listed by Executive Hire Magazine, and provide hire equipment and tools to many of the biggest companies in the engineering, construction and manufacturing sectors.

Jim O’Hagan, managing director of Reactec, said: "It’s been a tremendous year for us in 2011. We’ve seen many major companies throughout the company purchasing HAVmeters to keep their workforces protected from injury, and the system is rapidly being viewed as the industry standard for vibration safety.

"One of our biggest successes has been to get some of the UK’s leading tool hire firms committing to the HAVmeter system and providing the monitors to their customers. At present, we have half of the top eight tool hire firms listed by Executive Hire News magazine offering HAVmeters in their catalogues, so our focus for the coming year is to see the other major hire firms also providing the technology.

"Vibration safety remains one of the biggest problems for any industry that regularly uses vibrating power tools, and workers need to be properly protected from the dangers. If companies do not have an accurate way of monitoring vibration exposure in place, they not only run the risk of staff contracting incurable diseases like hand arm vibration syndrome but also leave themselves open to compensation claims or fines.

"Thankfully more and more companies are realising that continuous vibration monitoring is the best method of protecting staff, and that the HAVmeter system is the highest-rated product on the market to do this. The recognition we have from the tool hire sector is another major endorsement of our technology and cements our strong performance in 2011, which has included growing our sales and influence in the UK as well as achieving a place on the prestigious Deloitte Fast 50 list."

HAVmeter is the UK’s leading system for monitoring vibration exposure and, in addition to being offered by major tool hire firms, it is used by many of the country’s biggest construction and manufacturing companies – including Tarmac, Aston Martin, Balfour Beatty and Everton FC.

Under the system, every employee is issued with an individual HAVmeter monitor that records their exposure from hand held tools and other vibrating equipment in order to keep them within the limits set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).