What is HAVS? Plus symptoms

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What is HAVS?

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is an occupational health issue usually caused by working with vibrating work tools. It can cause symptoms in the hands, fingers and arms, including the loss of feeling, pins and needles or numbness.

What is HAVS

Although it is not clear how the vibration causes the condition, it is thought that the vibration causes slight but repeated injuries to the nerves and blood vessels in the fingers and hands. According to statistics, around one in 10 people who work with vibrating tools may develop HAVS.

It is a preventable condition, but damage can be permanent if these tools are not handled correctly. It is thought that the frequent use of these kinds of tools, without the correct protections could cause HAVS after around 10 years.

What causes HAVS?

It is thought that the regular use of hand-held vibrating tools can cause HAVS. Some of the common tools which can cause HAVS include the following:

Chainsaws
Concrete breakers/road breakers
Cut-off saws (for stone etc.)
Hammer drills
Hand-held grinders
Impact wrenches
Jigsaws
Needle scalers
Pedestal grinders
Polishers
Power hammers and chisels
Powered lawn mowers
Powered sanders
Scabblers
Strimmers/brush cutters.

You are particularly at risk if you regularly operate:

Hammer action tools for more than about 15 minutes per day; or
Some rotary and other action tools for more than about one hour per day.

Symptoms of HAVS

Tingling and numbness in the fingers (which can cause sleep disturbance).
Not being able to feel things with your fingers.
Loss of strength in your hands (you may be less able to pick up or hold heavy objects).
In the cold and wet, the tips of your fingers going white then red and being painful on recovery (vibration white finger).

If you continue to use high-vibration tools these symptoms will probably get worse. For example:

The numbness in your hands could become permanent and you won’t be able to feel things at all;
You will have difficulty picking up small objects such as screws or nails;
The vibration white finger could happen more frequently and affect more of your fingers

Occupations with a higher risk of HAVS

Some jobs have a higher risk of workers developing HAVS. According to HSE, this includes the following:

Building and maintenance of roads and railways;
Construction;
Estate management (e.g. maintenance of grounds, parks, water courses, road and Railside verges);
Forestry;
Foundries;
Heavy engineering;
Manufacturing concrete products;
Mines and quarries;
Motor vehicle manufacture and repair;
Public utilities (e.g. water, gas, electricity, telecommunications);
Shipbuilding and repair.

How to protect yourself from HAVS

Your employer is responsible for protecting you against HAVS, but you should help to prevent it by asking your employer if there is a way your job can be done differently – without using vibrating tools. If this cannot happen:

Ask to use suitable low-vibration tools.
Always use the right tool for each job (to do the job more quickly and expose you to less hand-arm vibration).
Check tools before using them to make sure they have been properly maintained and repaired to avoid increased vibration caused by faults or general wear.
Make sure cutting tools are kept sharp so that they remain efficient.
Reduce the amount of time you use a tool in one go, by doing other jobs in between.
Avoid gripping or forcing a tool or workpiece more than you have to.
Store tools so that they do not have very cold handles when next used.
Encourage good blood circulation by:
- Keeping warm and dry (when necessary, wear gloves, a hat, waterproofs and use heating pads if available);
- Giving up or cutting down on smoking because smoking reduces blood flow; and
- Massaging and exercising your fingers during work breaks.

What else can I do?

Learn to recognise the early signs and symptoms of HAVS.
Report any symptoms promptly to your employer or the person who does your health checks.
Use any control measures your employer has put in place to reduce the risk of HAVS.
Ask your trade union safety representative or employee representative for advice.

HAVS rules and regulations at work

Your employer has a duty to protect workers and ensure you have a safe place of work, with safe machinery and a safe system of work.

If this is not the case, your employer could be found to be negligent and a claim could be made against them. Employers must adhere to the following laws and regulations:

Health and Safety Act 1974

Every employer has a duty so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the safety and welfare of employees.
Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Duty to undertake adequate risk assessment (Reg. 3)
The requirement to undertake health surveillance (Reg. 6)

HAVS calculator

Rules have been set out around how much vibration workers should be exposed to under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. The regulations require employers to make an assessment of exposure in order to identify whether the ‘exposure action value’ or the ‘exposure limit value’ is likely to be exceeded.

The ‘exposure action value’ is the daily level, after which employers are required to take action to control exposure. The ‘exposure limit value’ is the maximum amount that an employee can be exposed to in a day. The values are measured using a formula which works out the average (A) exposure over an 8-hour day.

To access the vibration calculator, visit the HSE website.

When can I claim against my employer?

You can claim compensation for Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) if it can be proven that your employer regularly exposed you to a harmful level of vibration at work. An industrial disease claim can be made if your injury has been caused or made worse by your employers’ negligence regarding your safety and you may be able to receive compensation.

If you wish to make a claim against your employer, you may be asked to provide evidence such as medical history, history of the relevant and significant vibration exposure, and evidence of no underlying condition causing the symptoms.

How much can I claim?

Compensation will be awarded based on the severity of your condition. Each claim is unique and range from £2990 for minor injuries to £38,430 for the most severe injuries to young sufferers.

How to make a claim

To make a claim, contact Oakwood Solicitors today to get in touch with our experienced team of solicitors. We will assess your claim and give advice on how to proceed.

The team works with an extensive network of orthopaedic surgeons and hand surgeons. They have dealt with a number of claims in all areas of Industrial Disease and have achieved some excellent results.