HSE Reveal Nearly Half Enquires Relate To The Condition

A company responsible for maintaining the grounds of a Cornish naval base has been fined after three workers were diagnosed with a debilitating condition.

The workers, who do not wish to be named, were employed by Babcock Flagship Ltd working on the grounds of the HMS Raleigh in Torpoint where they were exposed to high levels of hand arm vibration (HAV) caused by using tools such as hedge cutters and strimmers for long periods of time.

Truro Magistrates Court heard last month that all three were diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) by occupational health providers back in January 2012.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who investigated the case revealed the company was aware each worker had been diagnosed with vibration-related conditions  and that this could be aggravated by vibration.

Babcock Flagship Ltd failed to put control measures in place before or after the condition was identified in the workers, the court was told.

HSE said the Babcock Flagship Ltd failed to assess the risks faced by staff using hedge cutters and strimmers and failed to implement adequate guidelines.

All three of the workers have suffered permanent damage and this has had a significant impact on their quality of life and ability to work.

Babcock Flagship Ltd, Wigmore Street, London, was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs after admitting two breaches of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Emma O’Hara said: “Almost half of all the ill-health reports sent to HSE relate to Hand Arm Vibration and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome associated with working with vibrating tools, many from the horticulture industry.

“Babcock Flagship Ltd failed to take action – despite the warning signs raised in earlier health surveillance reports – to prevent the physical damage caused by prolonged use of such tools, causing these three workers pain and discomfort.

“Babcock Flagship Ltd should have properly assessed the level of vibration to which these workers were exposed and limited the amount of time they spent using tools such as hedge cutters and strimmers.”

Our specialist personal injury solicitors could help you to claim compensation for vibration white finger (VWF), otherwise known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). See our Vibration White Finger Claims page for more information.

Expert Opinion

This case, as well as the recent HSE prosecution, have highlighted that vibration exposure remains a major concern in workplaces that needs to be tackled. <br/> <br/>“There has been a misconception that HAVS/VWF injuries are a thing of the past but this recent HSE prosecution is one of several recently and serves as a timely reminder that vibration exposure in the workplace remains a significant health and safety concern for many employees. <br/> <br/>“Through our work we have seen numerous cases over the years when people have gone on to suffer this condition as a result of employers simply failing to implement basic safeguards which could have made a huge difference to the welfare of staff. <br/> <br/>“We hope that cases like this are a wake-up call to companies involved in industrial work to recognise the dangers of vibration exposure. The health and safety of staff members must always come first. <br/> <br/>“Irwin Mitchell have extensive experience in bringing cases on behalf of workers who have sustained injuries as a result of using hand held vibrating tools, most notably by recently securing over £118,000 in compensation for a former demolition worker, one of the largest settlements for this condition in the UK.” <br/>