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£8,000 penalty after worker develops hand-arm vibration injury at work (8 February 2017)

Date: 08/02/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, £8,000 penalty after worker develops hand-arm vibration injury at work

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a ground engineering company, after a worker contracted severe hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

An employee working at Keller Limited’s earth retaining division –
known as Phi Group – was diagnosed as suffering from HAVS after repeatedly flagging up his symptoms to the company for more than five years.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found the company did not have the right system in place to manage its workers’ health – and did not have a suitable health surveillance programme in place to monitor for the early onset of HAVS or prevent the irreversible condition from developing.

At Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court, Keller Limited of Oxford Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore in Coventry, Warwickshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 7(1) of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.

The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,263.45.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Mehtaab Hamid said:

“This was a case of the company completely failing to grasp the importance of HAVS health surveillance.

“If they had understood why health surveillance was necessary, it would have ensured that it had the right systems in place to monitor workers’ health and the employee’s condition would not have been allowed to develop to a severe and life altering stage”.


Symptoms of HAVS can include tingling, numbness and pain in the hands. This affects sleep when it occurs at night and sufferers have difficulty in gripping and holding objects, particularly small items such as screws, or doing up buttons, writing and driving.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – No win no fee Hand-Arm Vibration Claims

Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise those who have suffered Hand-arm vibration (HAV) injuries caused by HAVS health surveillance negligence at work – or poor working practices – on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation.

Claims for hand-arm vibration or vibration white finger injuries have to be made within three years of diagnosis.

Duncan Lewis can also advise on cases of serious injury, where rehabilitation might be needed, as well as advising on access to welfare benefits and adaptations to the home, if necessary.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Hand-Arm Vibration Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 0333 772 0409.

Call us now on 033 3772 0409 or click here to send online enquiry.
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