The Occupational Disease & Injury Company Limited

What is hand-arm vibration syndrome?

Previously known as 'vibration white finger', hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is the injury to the small nerves and blood vessels in the fingers. Caused by holding or working with machinery that vibrates continuously, symptoms can develop in the fingers, hands and arms. It has been estimated that up to 1 in 10 people who work regularly with vibrating tools may develop HAVS.

It is important to consider the amount of vibration regularly suffered by the person wishing to make the claim. For example, what type of work was undertaken, what power tools or machinery was used and for how long they were used. Power tools such as drills, chainsaws, pneumatic drills, concrete breakers, chipping hammers, jigger picks, vibrating pokers, sanders, angle grinders, vibratory compactors, hammer drills, jigsaws and scabblers are all classes of tools that can and do cause HAVS.

Asbestosis

Asbestos, now illegal to use in buildings, was used extensively in the past. Buildings built before 2000 (e.g. houses, factories, hospitals and schools) may contain asbestos. If you have worked in an environment where you were exposed to asbestos over a number of years (e.g. demolition work, plumbing or lagging), you could be at a high risk of developing asbestosis or a similarly related condition and potentially have a claim.

Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma can occur following prolonged exposure to substances at work, often specific to that industry (e.g. isocyanates, from the manufacture of paint, polyurethane foam, adhesives or surface coatings). When the bronchi tubes in the lungs are irritated, the airways narrow making it difficult to breath. This may cause wheezing or coughing and the chest become tight. The narrowing can be reversible, with the aid of inhalers.

Industrial Deafness

Industrial deafness is usually caused by the repeated exposure to excessive noise at work. Because hearing deteriorates gradually, the sufferer may not be aware that noise-induced hearing loss has occurred. Symptoms can include distorted or muffled sounds and difficulty in understanding speech, particularly in a crowded room. A simple hearing test can tell you if you suffer from noise-induced hearing loss.

Occupational Dermatitis

Occupational dermatitis affects virtually all industries and businesses. Initial symptoms can be redness, itching, scaling and blistering, but the skin can crack or bleed. Dermatitis can be severe enough to keep you off work and serious enough to force you to have to change your job. When spotted quickly and adequate precautions are taken, most people can make a full recovery. However, some people are affected for life.

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome

This condition is caused by the repeated and frequent use of hand held vibrating tools. Symptoms of white finger (VWF) may start when your hands get cold. To begin with, attacks are usually occasional and cause the fingertips to become white. However, with additional vibrations, the injury becomes worse. Sometimes, a person may only suffer with sensory nerve damage, developing problems of pins and needles or numbness in their fingers.

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