Diamond Drilling: The Benefits of Minimal Vibration

An important concern when operating powerful machinery is how to keep our team and anyone in the surrounding area safe. Working in construction can expose workers to power tools and machines that emit powerful vibrations and these vibrations, if experienced for prolonged periods of time, can result in injuries with long-term effects. That’s why the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 provide rules for employers and employees in order to reduce the risk of prolonged vibration.

The safety concerns are also why here at Concrete Drilling Services, we’re strong advocates of diamond drilling being a safer, less disruptive method of drilling for our clients. Diamond drilling emits far less vibrations than other types of construction tools; in this article, we’ve taken a look at the risks exposure to vibration can cause, and why diamond drilling is a viable alternative.

Vibration types:

Construction tools and machinery can cause two types of vibration that puts them at risk:

• Hand-arm: caused by hand held equipment such as power tools
• Whole-body: vibrations experienced all over the body due to larger machinery

The dangers:

If exposed to frequently, the vibrations caused by power tools or large machinery can cause the following long-term effects:

Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) symptoms include:

• Finger numbness and tingling
• Pale fingers – painful, difficult to work in the cold

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS):

• Weakness of the hand
• Numbness and tingling

For construction workers, two years of consistent exposure is typically enough to cause symptoms that can have permanent consequences. The Work Regulations ensure that those using power tools and machinery with hand-arm or whole-body vibrations can only be exposed to the effects for a limited amount of time.

Not only can the effects of vibration pose a physical risk to workers, the related sound and dust caused can also affect the surrounding area. This disruption limits the hours construction workers can operate in, meaning longer delays to projects.

The benefits of diamond drilling

At Concrete Drilling Services, we provide a method that is far safer than many other methods due to the reduced vibrations, sound, and dust our machinery creates. There are many benefits to diamond drilling:

• Less vibrations – Diamond drilling is a far safer method of drilling than others, emitting less vibrations and, therefore, allowing workers to use our machinery for longer without putting themselves at risk.
• Suitable for any working environment – Diamond drilling can be used in almost any working environment due to it being a far less disruptive process than many other types of construction. Our diamond drilling process emits minimal noise and dust, allowing our teams to get your work done at any time of day with little inconvenience to you.
• Accuracy – Our diamond drill bits enable us to provide an extremely precise cut for your requirements, ensuring a more cost-effective method of drilling with a reduced risk to the surrounding area.
• Used for any material – The strength of diamond drill bits means they can be used on almost any hard surface, including concrete and brickwork. This means no matter what your requirements are, we can find a way to assist you.

Concrete Drilling Services provide specialist diamond drilling services nationwide. Our team’s expertise and state-of-the-art equipment ensures we are able to complete even the toughest drilling jobs. For a free quotation or further enquiries, simply contact our team today.