HAVS calculator One worker’s estimated daily hand-arm vibration exposure across all their tools.
- Free, no account
- HSE figures and 5,474 makers’ models
- Nothing is stored
Only the time the tool is running in their hands. Breaks add up, they do not reset it.
Maker’s declared figure 8.5 m/s² (K 1.5) ·
The maker’s declared figure when this link was made.
Daily exposure
No result yet
Not counted yet: Makita GA5030R (no time entered).
About this estimate
Based on HSE-published data (HSE, Vibration risk assessment, Table 1 "Some typical vibration levels for common tools", read 16 September 2026) and, for a named make and model, the figure its maker declares in its manual or product information. HSE and the makers have not reviewed or endorsed this calculator. An estimate to support an exposure assessment, not a measurement, a risk assessment or a compliance certificate.
What are the HAVS action and limit values?
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set two levels for one person’s day, all tools together: 100 points and 400 points.
| Daily exposure | What the employer must do |
|---|---|
| Under 100 points | Keep exposure as low as you reasonably can. Workers who already have symptoms still need protecting. |
| 100 points Action value, 2.5 m/s² A(8) | Reduce exposure, and give training and health checks to those regularly exposed. |
| 400 points Limit value, 5 m/s² A(8) | Cut exposure at once, find out why, and change the work so it does not happen again. |
How to calculate HAVS points
The same sums as HSE’s HAVS calculator, with HSE’s published figures.
- Count trigger time only: the tool running in the worker’s hands.
- Work out each tool’s points: 2 × vibration (m/s²)² × hours.
- Add up the points from every tool that person uses that day.
| Tool | Points |
|---|---|
| Breaker 14 m/s² for 1 hour | 392 |
| Angle grinder 7 m/s² for 2 hours | 196 |
| The day | 588 Over the limit |
HSE vibration levels for common tools
HSE’s starting figure for each tool, and how long one tool alone takes to reach 100 points.
| Tool | m/s² | 100 points after |
|---|---|---|
| Drill | 5 to 11 | From 25 min |
| Impact wrench | 5 to 10 | From 30 min |
| Stapler | 4 | 3 h 8 min |
| Angle grinder | 4 to 9 | From 37 min |
| Die grinder | 8 | 47 min |
| Straight grinder | 8 | 47 min |
| Pedestal grinder | 8 | 47 min |
| Cut-off saw | 13 | 18 min |
| Reciprocating saw | 18 | 9 min |
| Jigsaw | 11 | 25 min |
| Nibbler | 12 | 21 min |
| Sander | 9 to 12 | From 21 min |
| Polisher | 3 | 5 h 33 min |
| Router | 3 | 5 h 33 min |
| Tool | m/s² | 100 points after |
|---|---|---|
| Breaker | 14 | 15 min |
| Demolition or rotary hammer | 18 | 9 min |
| Pneumatic hammer | 25 | 5 min |
| Chipping hammer | 20 to 31 | From 3 min |
| Stone hammer | 18 | 9 min |
| Rock drill | 26 | 4 min |
| Scabbler | 12 | 21 min |
| Needle scaler | 7 to 19 | From 8 min |
| Tool | m/s² | 100 points after |
|---|---|---|
| Plate compactor | 4 to 18 | From 9 min |
| Water jetting gun | 4 | 3 h 8 min |
| Brushcutter or strimmer | 5 to 7 | From 1 h 1 min |
| Chainsaw | 7 | 1 h 1 min |
| Hedge trimmer | 7 | 1 h 1 min |
| Hand-guided mower | 6 | 1 h 23 min |
Sources
- HSE, Vibration risk assessment and tool figures
- HSE, Hand-arm vibration advice for employers
- HSE, INDG175: Hand-arm vibration at work
- Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005
Driving plant and vehicles are whole-body vibration, which this calculator does not cover; noise has the noise exposure calculator. HSE has not reviewed or endorsed this calculator.
HSE figure or the maker’s figure?
Search the calculator by make and model to use that tool’s declared figure, or by type of tool to use HSE’s.
- Maker’s declared figure
- The vibration emission declared for that exact model, measured in a standard test and printed in its manual or product information. A test is not site work: worn discs, hard materials and poor upkeep can push real use higher.
- HSE’s figure
- HSE’s typical in-use figure for the type of tool. Use it when you do not know the model, or to check a declared figure that looks low.
- Your own measurement
- Readings from your tools, on your work, beat both. Enter them as your own figure.
Tool vibration data by make and model
Declared vibration figures for 5,474 models from 46 makes, taken from their own manuals and product information, each with the document it came from. The number is how many of that make’s models have one.
- Makita 2,194
- Bosch Professional 690
- HiKOKI 347
- Husqvarna 242
- Metabo 230
- DeWalt 211
- Hilti 170
- Ryobi 152
- STIHL 147
- Chicago Pneumatic 94
- FEIN 94
- Milwaukee 91
- Einhell 90
- FLEX 88
- SENCO 83
- Atlas Copco 72
- Festool 65
- Altrad Belle 59
- ECHO 55
- Mikasa 54
- Wacker Neuson 53
- Evolution 45
- Mafell 31
- Trend 24
- Tacwise 15
- Rapid 14
- Paslode 9
- BOMAG 8
- Efco 6
- Ammann 5
- Clarke 5
- SPIT 5
- STIGA 4
- Black & Decker 3
- Stanley FatMax 3
- Erbauer 2
- Honda 2
- Norton Clipper 2
- Scheppach 2
- Titan 2
- EGO 1
- Hayter 1
- Mac Allister 1
- Oleo-Mac 1
- Stanley Infrastructure 1
- WORX 1
Every model’s declared vibration and noise, side by side: power tool vibration and noise data.
The makers have not reviewed or endorsed this calculator. Tool missing? Tell us the make and model.