Hand and Arm Vibration Injury/Vibration White Finger
The industrial disease team at Bond Pearce have experience in vibration white finger claims involving hand vibration, arm vibration and whole body vibration. As a result the vibration white finger lawyers experience and expertise includes acting for people from a wide range of jobs, industries and activities that could give rise to vibrations resulting in vibration white finger.
If you have have suffered a similar industrial accident contact one of our personal injury lawyers for specialist legal advice. You can either fill out our online enquiry form, request a call back or call us direct on 0800 915 4650
What Is Vibration White Finger?
Vibration white finger is a condition caused by regular and frequent exposure to high levels of vibration which can in some circumstances lead to permanent injury.
The early signs of vibration white finger (VWF) are occasional attacks when your fingertips turn white. The symptoms of vibration white finger are usually triggered when your hands or body get cold or wet. Symptoms are usually mild at first. But a wider area may be affected if you continue to work with vibrating tools or machinery. During an attack, your fingers may also become numb. You may experience pins and needles. An attack may end with the whiteness in your fingers turning deep red, which can be very painful.
The two main ways you can be exposed to vibration risks are:
- Hand-transmitted vibration, also known as hand-arm vibration (HAV), from operating hand-held power tools or holding vibrating materials. This is vibration which reaches your hand when you work with hand-held power tools or hand-guided machinery, or when you are holding materials that vibrate as they are being machined.
- Whole-body vibration (WBV) transmitted through the seat of industrial vehicles such as lorries, forklift trucks and tractors, into the driver's body. Vibrations can also pass from the platform of a vehicle or machine into the operator's body through the feet.
What Causes Hand - Arm Vibration?
Regular and frequent exposure to high levels of vibration can lead to permanent injury. Many common power tools produce high levels of vibration. The risk of permanent damage depends on:
- How high the vibration level is.
- How long you use the equipment for, ranging from short occasional spells in a working week, to regular and continuous use over long periods each day.
- How awkward it is to use the equipment.
- How tightly you have to grip.
- How cold and wet you get when using the equipment.
How Can Hand and Arm Vibration Damage My Health?
Regular exposure to HAV can lead to permanent and disabling injuries to your hands, arms and fingers. Taken together, these conditions are known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).
The main injuries include:
- Damage to your blood circulatory system, causing vibration white finger.
- Nerve damage, causing loss of sense of touch and temperature. This includes pins and needles and permanent numbness in your fingers.
- Muscle damage, involving loss of grip and strength.
- Bone damage.
- Damage to joints, including painful wrists, possibly leading to carpal tunnel syndrome.
What is whole body vibration?
Whole-body vibration (WBV) is transmitted through the seat of industrial vehicles such as lorries, forklift trucks and tractors, into the driver's body. Vibrations can also pass from the platform of a vehicle or machine into the operator's body through the feet.
Who Is At Risk From Whole Body Vibration?
Drivers of heavy industrial vehicles, such as tractors, lorries and forklift trucks, and operators of vibrating machinery.
Jobs which could expose you to both whole body vibration and hand/arm vibration leading to vibration white finger
- Building work
- Construction work
- Forestry
- Foundry work
- Heavy engineering
- Military - services
- Mining
- Quarrying
- Cleaning and domestic work
- Public services, such as parks maintenance, clearing watercourses,
- Road sweeping, road works
- Public utilities, including gas, water, electric and telephone installation
- maintenance work
Tools and equipment that can cause both whole body vibration and hand/arm vibration leading to vibration white finger:
- Barking machines
- Brush cutters
- Brush sawchain saw
- Chainsaws
- Chipping hammers
- Chisel scalers
- Circular saws
- Clinching and flanging tools
- Concrete breakers
- Concrete vibro thickener
- Caulking hammers
- Disc cutters
- Disc sanders
- Drills
- Engraving pen
- Floor polishers
- Hammer drill
- Hand held grinder
- Hand held portable grinder
- Hand held sander
- Hand mower
- Hedge trimmer
- Hydraulic concrete buster
- Impact screw driver
- Impact wrenches
- Jigsaws
- Lawnmowers
- Linishers
- Lump hammers
- Metal drill
- Metal saw
- Mowers
- Needle guns
- Needle scalers
- Nibblers
- Nibbling machine
- Nut runners
- Pedestal grinders
- Pedestal linisher
- Pedestal sanders
- Pencil grinders
- Power hammers
- Power chisels
- Power lawnmowers
- Rammers
- Riveting hammer
- Road breakers
- Rock drills
- Rotary burring tool
- Rotary drills
- Rotary hammers
- Router
- Scrabblers
- Scaling hammers
- Shoe pounding machine
- Stone working hammers
- Straight grinders
- Strimmers
- Stump grinders
- Swaggers
- Tampers
