Programme
- Note:
-
All sessions (except where indicated) are delivered by Dr Roger Cooke, consultant in occupational medicine, and a leading expert in hand–arm vibration syndrome
- Day one:
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Monday 9 June 2025 – Remote Learning
- 9.00
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Registration
- 9.05
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Overview of course
- 9.10
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Introduction to vibration and HAVS
- Includes principles of vibration, including measurement, history, epidemiology, concepts of dose-response relationships.
- Principles of control
- 10.00
-
Legal framework & statutory requirements
- Control of vibration at work regulations 2005
- Risk assessment
- Recent prosecution cases
- Common law aspects
- 11.10
-
Coffee break
- 11.25
-
Aetiology and Pathology
- Summary of concepts of pathological basis of each component of HAVS and CTS
- 12.40
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Lunch
- 13.25
-
Clinical assessment (part 1 – vascular)
- Overview
- Raynaud’s phenomenon and the vascular component of HAVS
- Vascular staging systems
- 14.25
-
Clinical assessment (part 2 – sensorineural and CTS)
Dr Susannah Gillibrand
- Overview
- The sensorineural component
- Sensorineural staging
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Other neurological differential diagnoses
- 15.25
-
Tea break
- 15.40
-
Clinical assessment (part 3 – musculoskeletal and other conditions)
- Musculoskeletal symptoms
- Cramp
- Grip strength
- Dupuytren’s
- Other conditions
- 16.25
-
Working in a team to carry out assessments
- 16.50
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Questions and discussion
- 17.00
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Close of day one
- Day two:
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Thursday 12 June 2025 (Birmingham) – Face to face learning
- 9.00
-
Registration and coffee
- 9.10
-
Welcome and discussion of issues arising from Day 1
- 9.25
-
Principles of health surveillance
Andrew Cooke
- HSE tiered approach
- Professional and legal requirements
- 9.55
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OH management of cases
- Advice to employees and employers
- Legal issues including Equality Act
- Fitness for work
- 10.35
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Coffee break
- 10.50
-
Clinical assessment
- Assessing sensation, including monofilaments, two point discrimination, Pegboard
- Assessment of vascular status
- Other relevant tests including Allen’s, Phalen’s, Tinel’s, Adson’s, Roo’s
- 11.15
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End of session questions
- 11.30
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Case studies
- 12.30
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Lunch
- 13.15
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Group work – clinical testing in practice
- 14.45
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Tea
- 15.00
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Questions, discussions and revisions
- 15.45
-
Faculty examination
- 17.15
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Close of course
Benefits of attending
This training for OH professionals examines the requirements for health surveillance for a workforce exposed to hand-transmitted vibration, and the diagnosis and management of an individual with HAVS. It will provide an in-depth understanding of HAVS, and of the OH role in managing issues related to hand transmitted vibration in the workplace.
You will receive printed documentation for future reference, plus all delegates will be given a FREE copy of Hand-arm vibration syndrome: a guide for occupational health practitioners by Dr. Roger Cooke.
About our expert tutors
Dr Roger Cooke is a consultant in occupational medicine, and honorary senior lecturer at the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of Birmingham. His experience and interest in vibration-related disease extends over 40 years, including clinical practice, teaching, advising industry and specialist groups, writing on the subject and acting as expert witness in legal proceedings. He is the author of the book, Hand–arm vibration syndrome: a guide for occupational health practitioners, published by The At Work Partnership in 2020.
Three other expert tutors play an important role in the running of this course and other At Work Partnership HAVS courses by leading the group work and/or lecturing. They include: Dr Susannah Gillibrand, independent consultant occupational physician, Dr Bernard Yew, medical director, PAM Group, and Andrew Cooke, clinical director at Clarity Healthcare.
Who should attend?
This training is designed for OH nurses and doctors. Previous experience of HAVS is not essential, but experience in OH is required. It is possible to attend the course without taking the examination.
What qualifications are needed to take the examination?
In order to take the exam: The FOM requires doctors or nurses to hold the appropriate UK registration with the GMC or NMC and will need to approve qualifications from overseas candidates.
Further guidance regarding undertaking Tier 3 assessments without supervision
Once you have completed the course and passed the exam, and hold the appropriate registration above, you also need a higher OH qualification to meet HSE requirements. Doctors should hold a diploma in occupational medicine as a minimum. Other OH staff should have a higher qualification in occupational health, e.g. diploma* or degree.
*Please note that we are awaiting confirmation from the FOM of whether the new FOM Diploma in Occupational Health Practice is approved for this purpose. Until this is resolved, if this is the only OH qualification held, you will currently require supervision to carry out Tier 3 assessments.
The HSE regulations also state that some specific tasks can be devolved to a technician but the suitably qualified OH practitioner must retain overall responsibility for the work of the OH Technicians.
Extract from HSE Guidance on assessments
Pre-course reading
All delegates will receive a FREE copy of Hand-arm vibration syndrome: a guide for occupational health practitioners by Dr. Roger Cooke, and this is required pre-course reading. It will be sent when the course fees have been paid.
Examination and certification
Revision
You are not allowed to refer to any materials during the exam. Therefore, please allow sufficient time between the first and second day of the course to revise and consolidate your learning – using your documentation pack, the pre-course reading and your notes.
Examination
A formal examination, set by the FOM, takes place at the end of the course. Attendance at all sessions is regarded as a pre-requisite to sitting the examination, as the examination is based on content taught in the course. Those doctors and nurses who successfully complete the examination will receive a Certificate of Competence accredited by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
The majority of the exam is a mixture of true/false questions and multiple choice questions (approx. 30 questions per paper).
For nurses – there is a 30 minute exam (one paper only)
For doctors – there is a 60 minute exam (two papers)
