£42,000 For Vibration White Finger
A road worker has been awarded £42,000 in compensation for injuries caused by exposure to vibrating tools. The unnamed man had worked for Derbyshire County Council. During that time the Council neither carried out medical checks nor provided protective equipment. As a result the road worker developed both Vibration White Finger (VWF) and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).
CTS occurs when a nerve running through the wrist becomes compressed. It causes twitching and numbness in the hand. Common symptoms also include decreased grip strength and a diminished ability to perform delicate tasks with the hand.
VWF is caused by the restriction of blood vessels in the hands. This restriction leads to symptoms including tingling, inflammation and significant pain. The condition gets its name from the fact that one or more fingers often turn white. In severe cases it can ultimately result in the loss of the fingers.
One common cause of both these conditions is the use of vibrating machinery over a period of time. In this case, the Council had continued to employ the road worker despite his showing early signs of these conditions. This was in breach of health and safety regulations.
The court awarded the road worker £31,000 for loss of future earnings and £11,000 for pain and suffering.
New regulations came into force on 6 July 2005 which seek to limit and prevent injuries caused by vibration at work from equipment, vehicles and machines. Employers have a duty to keep up to date with the latest health and safety working practices and take reasonable steps to incorporate any required changes. Failure to do so is not only a breach of health and safety law but may also leave an organisation open to a claim for personal injury where an employee suffers injury as a result.
See the Health and Safety Executive's guidance on this topic .
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