Carillion and Lancaster University work to reduce injuries

Construction firm Carillion is working with researchers at Lancaster University in a bid to reduce the number of workers who suffer from hand/arm vibration syndrome.

The affliction, known as HAVS, is the result of employees being overexposed to heavily vibrating equipment and machinery.

University researchers are experimenting with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to see if it can track how long workers are exposed to vibrating apparatus such as jackhammers and drills, according to RIFD Journal.

Gerd Korteum, a professor in Lancaster University's computer department told the site that the research could see RFID being used in more health and safety arenas.

"I think we have seen many opportunities for this technology to measure health and safety risk," he said.

The project is known as Networked Embedded Models and Memories of Physical Work Activity and is funded by the government's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council agency.

RFID is an identification method which stores and remotely retrieves data using tags which are incorporated into a person or product.