| Have you worked in the construction industry or | | | | started to examine measures to reduce the |
| forestry? Are you a grounds man, a green | | | | incidence of the disease. By the early 1990's the |
| keeper or professional gardener? Then your | | | | difference between VWF, a mainly vascular |
| profession could triggered Vibration White Finger | | | | complaint, and HAVS, which affects both blood |
| (VWF) or Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). | | | | vessels and nerves of the hand, wrist and arm, |
| Anyone working with vibrating hand-held tools | | | | was defined. With all this medical evidence to |
| over a prolonged period, whether it's a | | | | draw on British Coal was taken to court by seven |
| lawnmower or a jackhammer, is potentially at risk | | | | mine workers severely affected by the disease |
| of this painful debilitating disease. Vibration White | | | | as a result of prolonged use of chainsaws and |
| Finger is a secondary form of Raynaud's Disease, | | | | drills, the High Court awarded them £127,000. |
| where fine blood vessels in areas like the | | | | Subsequently the government set up a fund to |
| fingertips, toes, ears and nose go into spasm. | | | | settle any similar claims and because VWF is a |
| VWF is where the small blood vessels in the | | | | recognized disease, workers affected may be |
| fingertips, often triggered by contact with the | | | | eligible for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. In |
| cold, go into spasm. The first symptom is a pins | | | | 2002 the European Union passed a Directive |
| and needles sensation and loss of dexterity. The | | | | governing the minimum health and safety |
| fingertip turns white as the vessels constrict and | | | | requirements for workers exposed to vibrations. |
| they may start to ache, as the vessels relax the | | | | Exposure to vibrating machinery is measured as |
| fingertip becomes a dull red as the blood floods | | | | 'trigger time', the amount of time a finger is |
| back. If the circumstances don't change, attacks | | | | actually on the 'on button'. The design of the tool, |
| become more frequent and increasingly painful, | | | | its age and condition and the way it's used can |
| affecting more fingers. In severe cases it leads to | | | | vary these measurements enormously. The HSE |
| skin ulcers or gangrene especially when the work | | | | published a list of tools and their vibration levels |
| is outside in the cold and wet such as in forestry. | | | | with a graph showing the safe limits of a workers |
| The disease affects a huge range of occupations | | | | daily trigger time. If you have a history of |
| where hand-held vibrating machinery is used, from | | | | working with vibrating hand-held tools and think |
| hedge-trimmers and chainsaws to angle grinders | | | | you may suffer from VWF or HAVS, then get it |
| and riveters. French miners first reported the | | | | diagnosed. Help yourself by keeping your hands as |
| symptoms of Vibration White Finger in the early | | | | warm as possible to stop the arteries going into |
| 19th century after pneumatic tools were | | | | spasm. Some medicines may also help. If you |
| introduced. Professor Loriga recorded similar | | | | smoke, quit, as this will improve your circulation. |
| muscular spasms in the hands of Italian miners in | | | | Finally stop or reduce the time you use the tools |
| 1911. Seven years later Dr Alice Hamilton identified | | | | that may be causing the problem. Check what |
| the link between prolonged use of vibrating | | | | your 'trigger time' should be and ensure the |
| hand-tools and VWF in quarry cutters and noted | | | | equipment is in good order and used correctly, |
| that cold weather severely aggravated the | | | | possibly update to a model that vibrates less. If |
| condition. Despite all this evidence it wasn't until | | | | the disease means you can no longer work or it's |
| 1975 that Dr Pelmear and Dr William Taylor | | | | severely restricting your livelihood then explore |
| developed the Taylor-Pelmear scale to measure | | | | pursuing a compensation claim. For further |
| the affliction. In 1980, following a research paper | | | | information, please visit |
| by Professor Mike Griffin of Southampton | | | | We deal in a range of claims, including personal |
| University, VWF became a prescribed industrial | | | | injury claims and compensation. Please visit .co.uk |
| disease and the Health and Safety Executive | | | | for further information. |