Vibration white finger
What is Vibration White Finger?
Vibration White Finger (VWF) is a Repetitive Stressful Injury also known as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). The injury results from the continuous use of vibrating hand machinery for prolonged periods without sufficient breaks. Vibration white finger causes the fingers to become numb and begin turning white. You may later experience tingling and numbness in your fingers making it difficult for you to hold objects. Eventually you may lose your fingers altogether. The disease is irreversible.
It may take years before you start experiencing pain because it takes time for vibration white finger to reach a level where it causes problems.
In most cases, vibration white finger starts with slight muscular aches and pains every now and then. However, as you continue to use the vibrating equipment in your work place, the damage to the muscles gets worse. When the situation becomes severe, you start experiencing pain most of the time even with the slightest movement.
The symptoms include: tingling and numbness in the fingers; one finger temporarily turns white; the same finger then turns white with increasing frequency; other fingers begin turning white; and then you start experiencing frequent painful attacks.
If you are suffering from vibration white finger, you may be entitled to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or compensation.
What Causes Vibration White Finger?
Vibration white finger is mostly caused by repeated and frequent use of hand held vibrating tools, such as power drills, chainsaws, pneumatic drills, etc.
Who is at risk of suffering from vibration white finger?
- Concrete breakers and chippers at construction sites
- Hand held Chainsaw users;
- Hand held Vibrating poker users at construction sites;
- Vibratory compactors at construction sites;
- Hammer drillers at construction sites;
- Scabblers at construction sites;
- Road repairs using hand held Pneumatic drillers;
- Hand held electric drillers.
How does the health and safety law protect you?
A claim for compensation can be made against current and previous employers for causing vibration white finger.
The health and safety law requires employers to:
- Take steps to diminish the risk of vibration white finger
- Carry out risk assessment to establish ways of controlling the risk to their workers of suffering from a vibration injury
- Act to control vibration risks
- Provide low vibration tools
- Ensure that the handles of any tools are warm when in use
- Provide protective clothing such as padded gloves
- Repair tools immediately
- Train and instruct their employees how to use vibration tools
Proving that Your Employer Was at Fault
You will be able to prove that your employer was to blame if you can show that:
- Your employer caused or permitted you to use vibrating tools in the process exposed you to high levels of vibration;
- Your employer negligently failed to make suitable and sufficient risk assessments to establish ways of controlling the risk to you of suffering from a vibration injury
- Your employer failed to provide tools which had been designed to reduce harmful vibrations
- Your employer failed to provide you with the use of specially padded gloves to reduce the effects of vibration;
- Your employer failed to take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of injury to you;
- Your employer required you to work for prolonged and unbroken periods;
- Your employer failed to instruct you how to perform your work safely.
If you are experiencing vibration white finger due to your work, give us a call on 0800 321 3287 for free advice. You may be entitled to make a personal injury claim for compensation.