The dangers of working with vibrating machinery were highlighted again recently after a man from greater London received a £10,000 compensation payout for Vibration White Finger caused by the machinery he used whilst at work. The man had been using hand held power tools in his job working as a manufacturer at Charcon Tunnels for up to 5 hours every day.
Vibration White Finger (VWF) or Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) as it is sometimes called is an industrial injury triggered by continuous use of vibrating hand held machinery. It affects the blood vessels, nerves, joints and connective tissues of the hand and forearm. Symptoms include tingling numbness in the fingers, and whiteness of the fingers. As the condition becomes more severe the whiteness may extend down from the tip of the finger to the knuckle.
Whilst whiteness of the fingers may be the most obvious symptom, there are other more subtle effects. These can include a loss of manual dexterity, leaving the sufferer unable to use their hands until the effect wears off. These attacks occur more frequently in cold weather or when the sufferer has been outdoors, and they are not confined to work tasks, almost any manual activity can be affected.
In the UK, the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 was designed to prevent excessive exposure of employees to vibrating machinery. The regulations require exposure to vibration to be assessed in terms of length of time and the strength of vibration. However, if an employer has neglected these regulations and exposed employees to excessive vibration, either in terms of time or the severity of vibration.
If you are employed in a job that involves working with vibrating machinery and you think that you may be suffering from Vibration White Finger, then you may have a claim for compensation. Camps Solicitors will be able to tell you whether this is the case, and if we confirm that you are suffering from work-related Vibration White Finger or Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome then we may be able to pursue a compensation claim on your behalf.
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