Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome Threatens 660,000 UK Construction Workers

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Clik here to view.According to figures from the Construction Skills Network as many as 658,870 construction sector employees in the UK working with vibration equipment could be at risk of developing Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

HAVS includes a range of conditions including vibration white finger (VWF) and vibration-related Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Construction workers are at high risk of ill-health due to the tools they use, which can transmit vibration into hands and arms.

300,000 UK employees are estimated to already have advanced symptoms of HAVS, while it’s estimated that in excess of one million users of hand-held or hand-guided power tools are at increased risk of the disease. The occupations identified by Reactec from Construction Skills Network data as most ‘at risk’ from HAVS are as follows:

Vibration can permanently affect blood circulation damaging parts of the body by restricting blood supply. Although any part of the body can be affected by vibration some of the most commonly affected are the fingers, arms, hands and back.

Those at risk of developing HAVS often use high-vibration hand-held tools such as: hammer drills, jack hammers, chainsaws (and other woodworking machines), power hammers such as caulking and chipping hammers, concrete breakers, pokers and compactors. The risk increases when; the power tools are used for a long period of time, the vibration levels are high, the user gets cold or wet, a tight grip or awkward position is used and when equipment is poorly maintained.

HAVS Symptoms include:

• Tingling and numbness in the fingers
• Loss of sensation (not being able to feel things properly)
• Loss of strength in the hands 
• Fingers going white (blanching) and then become red and painful on recovery (particularly in cold and wet weather).

Every employer has a duty to protect its workers from health & safety risk, which includes injury risks caused by exposure to vibrations. This is done through assessing the risk to health from vibration, ensuring training has been given in both correct use of tools and how to spot warning signs, routine health checks for employees, checking if the tools have vibration controls built in (or if they incorporate such features) and that employees are having regular breaks from using vibrating tools.

To help reduce the risk of developing HAVS an employee should:

• Let employers know if the equipment is faulty
• Take regular breaks or regularly switch between jobs if the work is repetitive
• Use low vibration tools or tools with low vibration handles
• Try to keep the hands & body dry and warm by wearing gloves and weatherproof clothing
• Massaging hands and fingers regularly during breaks.

If you are suffering from any of the above mentioned symptoms and feel that your employer has failed in their duty of care by not adopting working practices and methods that minimise the risk of HAVS then you may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim.

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http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/341911/Hand-Arm-Vibration-Syndrome-Threatens-660-000-UK-Construction-Workers 

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