A manufacturer has been fined £120,000 for failing to adequately assess and control the risks to its employees from exposure to vibration when using vibrating tools.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that prior to June 2019, Trucast Limited, a manufacturer of turbocharger wheels for the automotive industry, had failed to assess the health risks to employees using vibrating equipment. The company failed to take steps to control employees’ exposure to vibration and did not provide suitable information, instructions and training to its employees regarding the risks they were exposed to. The investigation also found the company failed to put in place an adequate health surveillance programme to monitor its workers’ health.
Trucast Limited, of Marlborough Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay £12,204.06 in costs at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on 15 March 2023.
HSE Inspector Rebecca Lumb said: “Where employees are at risk from vibration exposure, companies have a duty to first assess the work and then consider where they might be able to eliminate vibration entirely. Where this is not possible, employers should put in place controls to reduce exposure, such as selecting low vibration tools and introducing employee rotas to limit exposure times.
“Information and training is key to establishing a knowledgeable workforce who use equipment correctly and safely and are aware of the potential health consequences of their work. A health surveillance programme is vital for monitoring the health of anyone who is identified as being at risk of HAVS so an employer can act promptly, should symptoms be identified.”
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