Occupational Health · Mandatory · Construction

HAVS Health Surveillance Record

The health surveillance record for workers exposed to hand-arm vibration at or above the EAV. Documents the tiered surveillance system from annual questionnaires through to OH physician assessment, Stockholm Workshop Scale staging, and fitness for work outcomes. Records must be retained for 40 years. HAVS is reportable under RIDDOR when diagnosed.

Last reviewed: 29 March 2026 — This guide reflects UK law as of this date. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 remains current with no amendments enacted as of 29 March 2026. Next scheduled review: 29 March 2027.

Legal basis	Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (COVWR 2005) Reg 7
Tiered system	Tier 1: annual questionnaire. Tier 2: review by trained assessor. Tier 3: OH clinical assessment. Tier 4: formal diagnosis by OH physician.
Record retention	40 years from date of last entry — one of the longest retention obligations in UK health and safety law
RIDDOR	HAVS confirmed by a doctor is reportable under RIDDOR 2013 as an occupational disease
Staging	Stockholm Workshop Scale — vascular stages 0–3, sensorineural stages 0SN–3SN

1. HAVS Health Surveillance — The 40-Year Record Obligation

HAVS health surveillance carries one of the longest record retention obligations in UK health and safety law. Employers must retain health surveillance records for 40 years from the date of the last entry. This obligation reflects the nature of HAVS as a condition that develops over years or decades of cumulative vibration exposure, and the fact that civil claims for HAVS can be brought years after the exposure that caused the condition has ended.

The tiered surveillance system is designed to be proportionate and practical. Tier 1 is an annual screening questionnaire completed by the worker, asking about symptoms of blanching, numbness, tingling, and grip strength loss. Tier 2 is a review of the questionnaire by a person trained to assess the responses and identify workers who need referral. Tier 3 is a clinical assessment by an occupational health professional, including standardised tests. Tier 4 is a formal diagnosis by a qualified occupational health physician, who stages the condition using the Stockholm Workshop Scale and provides fitness for work advice.

The health surveillance record must document each tier assessment, its findings, and any actions taken. If HAVS is confirmed by a doctor, it becomes reportable under RIDDOR 2013 and the employer must review the risk assessment, consider whether additional controls are needed, and ensure the affected worker's exposure is reduced or eliminated.

Use SEQOHS-accredited OH provider

For Tier 3 and Tier 4 assessments, use an occupational health provider accredited under the Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service (SEQOHS) scheme. This ensures the clinical assessments meet recognised standards and the fitness for work advice is evidence-based.

2. Key Components

The following table sets out the key components that a HAVS health surveillance record must address. Each element supports the 40-year record obligation and provides the evidence base for fitness for work decisions and RIDDOR reporting.

Component	Detail
Worker details	Full name, date of birth, NI number, employer, trade/role, and project — must be sufficient to identify the individual across 40 years of records
Employer details	Name and address of the employer at the time of each surveillance event — workers may change employers multiple times over the record retention period
Surveillance date	Date of each surveillance event — annual Tier 1 questionnaire, and any Tier 2, 3, or 4 assessments triggered by the questionnaire results
Tier conducted	Which tier of assessment was conducted — Tier 1 (questionnaire), Tier 2 (trained assessor review), Tier 3 (OH clinical), or Tier 4 (OH physician diagnosis)
Vibration exposure	Summary of the worker's vibration exposure since the last surveillance — tools used, daily exposure A(8), exposure points, and duration of exposure in months or years
Tier 1 questionnaire	Worker's responses to the annual screening questionnaire — symptoms of blanching, numbness, tingling, pain, grip strength loss, and any changes since last questionnaire
Tier 2 review	Outcome of the trained assessor's review of the Tier 1 questionnaire — whether symptoms are reported, whether referral to Tier 3 is required, and any interim actions
Tier 3/4 clinical	Outcome of the occupational health clinical assessment or physician diagnosis — Stockholm Workshop Scale staging (vascular 0–3, sensorineural 0SN–3SN), clinical findings, and recommended actions
Fitness for work advice	OH provider's determination of fitness — fit, fit with restrictions (e.g. reduced trigger time, no specific tools), or unfit for vibration-exposed work
RIDDOR required?	Whether the case is reportable under RIDDOR 2013 — HAVS confirmed by a doctor is a reportable occupational disease
Record retention	40 years from date of last entry — records must be stored securely and remain accessible for the full retention period, even if the employer ceases trading

3. Common Mistakes

Keeping records for less than 40 years

The 40-year retention obligation is absolute. Many employers retain health surveillance records for only a few years after the worker leaves their employment, which is a breach of COVWR 2005. When an employer ceases trading, the records must be transferred to a responsible person or offered to HSE. Civil claims for HAVS can be brought decades after the exposure ended, and the absence of health surveillance records significantly weakens the employer's defence.

Allowing workers to self-manage Tier 1 without review

Tier 1 is a screening questionnaire, but it is only effective if the responses are reviewed by a trained person at Tier 2. Distributing questionnaires without a structured review process means that early symptoms may be missed and workers who need referral to occupational health are not identified. The surveillance system depends on each tier triggering the next when indicated — without Tier 2 review, the entire system fails.

4. Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Stockholm Workshop Scale?▾

The Stockholm Workshop Scale is the international staging system for HAVS used by occupational health physicians to classify the severity of the condition. The vascular component (vibration white finger) is staged from 0 (no attacks) through 1 (occasional attacks affecting tips of one or more fingers), 2 (occasional attacks affecting distal and middle phalanges), to 3 (frequent attacks affecting all phalanges of most fingers). The sensorineural component is staged from 0SN (vibration perception and sensory function normal) through 1SN (intermittent numbness with or without tingling), 2SN (intermittent or persistent numbness with reduced sensory perception), to 3SN (persistent numbness with reduced tactile discrimination and manipulative dexterity). Staging determines fitness for continued vibration-exposed work and is essential for RIDDOR reporting and civil claims.

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