Employers Obligated to Prevent HAVS
HAVS or Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, popularly known as Vibration White Finger, is an occupational disease suffered by workers who use powerful vibrating tools during their employment for a long period.
The condition has many adverse effects, such as pain in one’s hands, arms and fingers, colourless skin, numbness in the tips of fingers and a need to protect hands from cold weather. The symptoms can be quite different for different victims of HAVS.
According to the Legal Administrator of GMB, Andrea Austin, HAVS is a common disease among workers in various commercial establishments and occupations. The condition can be devastating, and can cripple the life of the victims both at home and at their profession.
Austin urged that a detailed report addressing all the risks should be prepared by the employers on the potential impact of using vibrating tools on the health of the workers. This is a mandatory responsibility under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, she said.
Recently, Keith Rowley, who had to regularly use vibrating tools in his capacity as a fitter, was struck by HAVS. General Kinematics Limited, his employer, took the prudent decision to settle the case out of court when GMB, the trade union of which Keith is a part, employed Thompsons Solicitors to claim compensation. A settlement was reached for £10,000, even though the company did not accept liability. Employers need to provide appropriate training for their employees to reduce both lost time through work related injuries and/or potential employer’s liability claims. Manual handling training enables your organisation to be compliant with the requirement to train persons involved in manual handling activities; click on manual handling courses for more info.
In the opinion of Martin Fell of Thompsons Solicitors, if the employers do not provide protection against HAVS, then the worker has a right to claim compensation if he suffers from the condition. This is because HAVS is a work-related disease, which has a permanent negative impact on the worker’s health.
