More Awareness Needed for Vibration White Finger Disease
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 intends to protect employees who work with hand operated power tools. Thus, it requires employers to assess whatever risk they are posing to their workers in this regard and implement measures to protect them.
A failure to do so by Ford Motor Company Ltd in Halewood led to a lawsuit that was filed by one of its former employees Anthony Barry, a 61-year-old ex-toolmaker, who was finally awarded £8,500 as damages as he is suffering from the Vibration White Finger disease due to his work with hand-held power tools.
The claimant had worked with the company for 33 years and had always used vibrating instruments and operated them with his hands. He found in 2005 that his fingers were turning white, which is one of the first symptoms of this disease. The disease also leads to pain in hands, fingers and arms and renders fingers numb. Barry had retired from Ford Motors around a decade back and joined National Museums Liverpool where he works as a visitor assistant.
Barry said that he was not aware of Vibration White Finger or the health implications of operating vibrating tools with hand. When he developed the first symptoms, one of his former colleagues informed him regarding the disease and then it was confirmed by a medical check up. He had used vibrating tools everyday while working at Ford, but he claims the company did not care to inform him about the health risks posed by such tools. This was why he decided to institute the suit that eventually fetched a judgment in his favour. It’s essential for employers to keep themselves up to date with health and safety developments and to train their staff accordingly to avoid potential legal action from employees. An accredited IOSH course from Workplace Law Training can provide the necessary training and knowledge to manage safely and effectively in compliance with both their organisation
