Vibration white finger compensation guide
Vibration white finger, or as it is sometimes called, Hand-Arm Vibration syndrome, is a devastating progressive condition which can be caused by being exposed to vibration. Almost all cases of vibration white finger are caused by the use of heavy industrial machinery of the type found on construction sites, in factories and in quarries; really anywhere that large machinery is used on a daily basis.
Vibration white finger is thought to affect thousands of workers who have worked in heavy industry in the UK alone. Whilst recent years regulations have seen limits to both the length of time someone is allowed to operate vibrating machinery and the actual level of vibration which is allowed in hand-held machinery, it has only been in the past 25 years or so that the issue has begun to be taken seriously by employers.
The condition affects the blood vessels, nerves, muscles and joints; mainly those in the hand, wrist and arm. The most common symptom is the whiteness of the tips of the fingers, which is accompanied by a feeling of numbness or tingling. As the condition progresses, the whiteness might extend down your fingers. This whiteness is where the condition gets it’s common name, and is caused by loss of circulation to the tips of the fingers.
The longer a person with Vibration White Finger is exposed to vibrating machinery as part of their work, the more severe the condition is likely to become. In the most serious cases, the loss of feeling in the fingers can become very frequent and can reduce the dexterity of the hands and the strength of your grip, making almost any task requiring your hands very difficult if not impossible.
Vibration white finger compensation figures
According to the Judicial Studies Board guidelines, the likely range of compensation someone suffering from Vibration White Finger might expect for their injuries (if they make a compensation claim against their employers and it is successful) will be between £1,900 and £24,500. This is a broad range and reflects that the condition itself can affect people in a variety of ways, from those who only suffer occasional, short attacks of numbness, right up to people who have to battle with their condition every day.
The compensation figures here also don’t take into account the multitude of other things that might be included within a work accident claim, such as loss of future earnings, which could be a substantial amount if your condition has forced you to leave work years or even decades before you might have expected to retire.
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