Breaker and Drill Safety

Pneumatic and electric breakers are used to demolish concrete, break out foundations, and remove hard surfaces.
Breakers transmit severe vibration to the operator, causing hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) with prolonged use.
The daily exposure action value for hand-arm vibration is 2.5 m/s² and the limit value is 5 m/s².
Flying fragments from breaking concrete cause eye and face injuries; full face protection may be required.
Dust from breaking concrete and masonry contains respirable crystalline silica, which causes silicosis and lung cancer.
Buried services including gas, electric, and water may be hidden in the concrete being broken out.
Noise from breaker operations regularly exceeds 100 dB, requiring mandatory hearing protection for operators and nearby workers.
Musculoskeletal injuries from sustained breaker use include back pain, shoulder strain, and tendon damage.
PUWER 1998, the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, and COSHH 2002 all apply to breaker use.
Low-vibration breakers and drill attachments on excavators can significantly reduce operator exposure.

HAVS prevention	Hand-arm vibration syndrome causes permanent numbness, pain, and loss of grip strength. It is irreversible once established.
Silica dust	Breaking concrete without dust suppression exposes workers to silica dust that causes incurable lung disease and cancer.
Service strikes	Buried cables and gas pipes in concrete slabs and foundations cause electrocution and explosions when struck by breakers.

Do

Don't

Use low-vibration breakers and limit daily exposure time to stay below action values.
Wear anti-vibration gloves, hearing protection, and eye protection at all times.
Use water suppression or on-tool extraction to control silica dust during breaking.
Scan for buried services with a CAT and Genny before breaking any concrete.
Take regular breaks from breaker use and rotate tasks to reduce vibration exposure.
Record daily vibration exposure times and report any tingling or numbness in hands.
Inspect breaker chisels, hoses, and connections before each use for damage.
Use mechanical breaker attachments on excavators to eliminate hand-arm vibration entirely.
Set up an exclusion zone around the breaking area for flying debris protection.
Attend health surveillance for HAVS and noise exposure when required.

DON'T exceed the daily vibration exposure limit value of 5 m/s² for hand-arm vibration.
DON'T break concrete without scanning for buried services in the slab first.
DON'T use a breaker without dust suppression or extraction for silica control.
DON'T ignore tingling, numbness, or white finger symptoms; report them immediately.
DON'T remove hearing or eye protection while breaker operations are underway.
DON'T use worn or damaged chisel points; they increase vibration and reduce effectiveness.
DON'T lean your full body weight onto the breaker; let the tool do the work.
DON'T operate breakers near other workers without establishing an exclusion zone.
DON'T use breakers continuously without scheduled rest breaks for vibration recovery.
DON'T bypass the air supply regulator on pneumatic breakers to increase power.

See also: Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) | Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS)

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