Trouble is you have a duty to monitor and control exposure - cost, time and effort are not going to cut it, because the duty not to expose over the limit value is absolute! http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l140.pdf You have to go down the route of determining exposure in some way - and colour tagging is probably a good start. If you are above the action value then you will probably need to use monitors as well (as risk assessment identifies) I have always started with a list of all tools and the vibration rates, put these into a spread sheet (use the maths in the guidance) and calculate time taken to reach action value (this is easier with colour tagging as you can use worst case figures to screen) next record trigger time (which you say you already do) Input this into the spread sheet to calculate estimated exposure using the literature information if risk is high - measure to confirm health surveillance is only a requirement once over the action value (or if risk assessment indicates a risk) - I note you do this, but don;t forget this is a reactive measure and when you have an employee diagnosed with HAVS it's a bit late. So the answer - there is no easy solution, and when a claim comes through you will need to be able to prove what the exposure was!

When you mention HAV metres there are ones which ‘dock’ onto a docking station. This could be held in the office. From there the operator picks it up at the start of the day. He then attaches it to the tool. There is a colour scheme to give a green/amber/red visual to the operator and or supervisors who might be watching. Also once the HAV metre is ‘docked’ back up to the station there is data taken and readings can be produced. If you are concerned about claims I would (if you could) go done the route of enforcing some of the more appropriate control measures. As you’ll know you’ll need to do an assessment and with the best will in the world getting the ‘trigger’ time as accurate as you can is a job in itself. Theses HAV metres do this for you. I would try and dig deep and even try a trial with them? See what comes of that?

If cost is an issue and you have a small number of users then take a look at the HAVi. http://www.thehavi.com we use these in our sanding shop and have found them a good and cost effective solution to measuring trigger time and daily points exposure