Construction workers don't take Vibration White Finger seriously
A questionnaire distributed amongst medical staff across the country shows that construction workers do not take Vibration White Finger (VWF) seriously at all, and that there is a low awareness of Hand Arm Vibrations Syndrome (HAVS) and the personal injuries that they cause.
Builders normally associate VWF with numbness in the fingers and dismiss it lightly. Even worse, medical professionals indicate that there may be some belief amongst workers that seeking medical advice over a small matter like finger numbness is unnecessary and that many don't consider Vibration White Finger to be a disease at all.
Monitoring vibration exposure is essential
If construction workers do not take the condition seriously and fail to look out for signs that they may be developing Vibration White Finger (including numbness and discolouration of the fingers), they will not take steps to make sure that the power tools they are using are appropriate for the job and to monitor the level of vibration they are being exposed to.
Since 2005, information in published material about Vibration White Finger (up/down vibration, forward/back vibration and side-to-side acceleration) has been required and must be given to construction workers under the Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive.
Daily action levels suitable for the type of tool being used should be closely observed. Employers and task managers should only set a job for their workers that are in keeping with guidelines on vibration exposure and should provide tools that are not worn or faulty, which can increase levels of vibration.
Workers should check vibratory tools
Construction workers should read all information given to them carefully, demand the right tools for the job, ask for tools that are faulty or worn to be replaced and take any signs of bodily physical distress from a work-related situation seriously.
Read more about vibration levels at www.hse.gov.uk. A vibration calculator to check the duration of the task for the tools you are using can be found at www.hse.gov.uk.
Making a Vibration White Finger claim
Construction workers regularly suffer from Vibration White Finger, which can be debilitating and painful and prevent them from working in the future.
Despite this fact, many workers do not know enough about the condition or do not take it seriously enough when symptoms appear. The consequences of bravado can be disastrous.
If you are experiencing Vibration White Finger, you have a right to speak up. Our team of personal injury experts can help you make claim. They will be sympathetic to your concerns and will explain the claims process in plain English, with no legal jargon.
You won't be charged a penny to make a claim with YouClaim and you will keep 100% of any compensation that is awarded.
Call us now on 0800 10 757 95 or chat to us online to find out how you can benefit from the excellent success rate of our solicitors. Alternatively, you can request a call-back from one of our advisors, who will discuss your claim at your convenience.
