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