Case Study:
Ubico HAV Monitoring
Landscaping & Groundworks
Using Real-World HAV Data to Support Grounds Maintenance & Fleet Operations at Scale
Ubico is a large environmental services provider delivering services for local authorities across Gloucestershire and West Oxfordshire. With a workforce of around 1,000 people operating across a wide geographical area, the organisation delivers a broad range of environmental and grounds maintenance services all year round.
A significant proportion of Ubico’s operational staff are involved in grounds maintenance and landscaping activity. In the region of 135 operatives are engaged in grounds maintenance and street cleansing work, with further support from smaller fleet teams assigned to individual contracts for vehicle maintenance and repair. The grounds teams regularly work across parks, housing estates and residential areas, public external spaces, school grounds and cemeteries. These teams make routine use of vibrating equipment such as strimmers, hedge cutters, chainsaws, blowers and mowers. While activity continues throughout the calendar, exposure to HAV-generating tools increases notably during the spring and summer months as workloads intensify. For Ubico, managing hand arm vibration exposure has always been a practical consideration rather than a theoretical one.
Existing Monitoring in Practice
Before introducing the HAVSense monitoring system, Ubico already had processes in place to monitor HAV exposure. As the organisation grew and took on larger contracts, they were keen to update their approach to exposure monitoring.
Much of the exposure data was gathered during tool servicing and testing, using workbench measurements rather than information based on real-world use. While this provided a useful baseline, it did not account for variations between operators, differences in grip, trigger time or how tools were actually used across a shift. As tools were rotated between operatives depending on the task, it was difficult to build a clear picture of exposure to the individual over time.
Ubico was not looking to replace good practice, but to gather real-world evidence that reflected how tools were actually being used on site.
Bringing HAVSense into Operational Use
HAVSco’s monitoring system was introduced in early 2024 and moved into operational use within a week of delivery. The rollout was handled pragmatically, with the system used as a monitoring and sampling tool rather than a constant presence for every individual.
Dosimeters are deployed more heavily during periods of higher activity, particularly in spring and summer, with additional focus on larger contracts and individuals identified as being more at risk. While supervisors cannot observe every task throughout the day, the data provided a clearer picture of exposure patterns when combined with existing records of tool use and task allocation.
For operatives, the system proved simple to use and quickly became familiar. With monitoring being carried out periodically rather than continuously; it has become a familiar aspect of the employee welfare processes.
As teams began using the system more widely, Ubico also looked at how it could be worn comfortably across different tasks and durations. While most operatives used the dosimeters without issue, a small number preferred an alternative approach for longer periods of use. In those cases the option to use a tool strap proved useful, allowing monitoring to continue without distraction. This flexibility helped ensure that exposure data could still be gathered effectively across a range of working patterns and tasks, without becoming a point of friction for the teams involved.
What Changed Once Real Data Was Available
One of the most immediate benefits of introducing HAVSense was the visibility it provided into real-world tool use and behaviour.
An example of this is when HAVSense data highlighted unusually high vibration exposure associated with a strimmer in use on site. The tool was taken out of service and inspected, where a fault was identified and repaired. Without real-world exposure data this issue may not have been detected as quickly, potentially resulting in operatives being exposed to higher vibration levels than expected.
The new data has reinforced existing good practice, where Ubico already operated task rotation to manage exposure, HAVSense has provided clear evidence to support this approach and strengthened the way HAVS training is delivered. Where individuals are identified as more vulnerable due to medical notification or working patterns that increase exposure, additional focus can be applied to ensure risks are managed appropriately.
Rather than driving wholesale change, the data has helped supervisors make small, informed adjustments day by day, supporting decisions around task planning, rotation and workload.
Confidence in Compliance and Risk Management
From a compliance perspective, HAVSense has increased confidence across the organisation. The ability to demonstrate that exposure is being actively monitored alongside existing controls, provides clearer evidence during audits and internal reviews. When operatives raise concerns, supervisors now have data that can be reviewed and fed back directly, supporting more constructive and informed conversations.
Risk assessments have been updated using real exposure data rather than estimates alone, helping Ubico refine how risks are managed across different environments and tasks. This has been particularly valuable given the variety of locations and working conditions encountered by grounds maintenance teams.
Looking Forward
As Ubico continues to deliver grounds maintenance services, particularly during peak seasonal periods, HAVSense has become a useful tool for strengthening existing systems rather than replacing them. It has added clarity where it matters most, in real-world use, across a geographically dispersed operation.
It now sits alongside training, supervision and equipment management as another practical reference point, helping Ubico keep oversight of HAV exposure without adding complexity to day-to-day work.
“The HAVSense equipment has given us a much clearer picture of how vibration exposure affects our teams day-to-day. It’s helped us make smarter decisions, improve our risk assessments, and support the way we manage HAV exposure across our operations.”
Gregory Padfield, Environmental and Quality Lead
Before |
After |
| Exposure based largely on workbench testing and estimates | Exposure informed by real-world data captured during actual tasks |
| Limited visibility of variation between operators | Clearer understanding of how different users and tasks affect exposure |
| Issues with tools not always apparent in servicing data | Faulty equipment identified early through elevated vibration readings |
| Reliance on rotation policies without supporting evidence | Rotation and planning reinforced with measured exposure data |
| Compliance supported by process and judgement | Compliance supported by demonstrable monitoring alongside existing controls |
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