Failures led to employees’ incurable hand conditions

A Bolton limousine and hearse manufacturer has been fined after its employees developed hand arm vibration.
Woodall Nicholson Ltd was sentenced at Trafford Magistrates’ Courts on 16 August after workers developed the condition over a period of six and a half years.
The men, aged between 25 and 62, developed the condition between July 2005 and December 2011, following daily use of grinders, saws and pneumatic tools.
The court heard that that the company failed to ensure that the risk from exposure to these tools was reduced as low as reasonably practicable over a protracted period of time. The HSE issued an Improvement Notice requiring changes to working practices after becoming aware of the workers’ condition.
The employees suffered with tingling and numbness in their fingers which can cause sleep disturbance, loss of strength in the hands and pain in the fingertips during cold weather — an incurable condition known as vibration white finger.
Woodall Nicholson ltd was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £13,485 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of regulation 6(1) of the 2005 Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.
The company has since introduced measures to reduce the level of vibration by purchasing new lower-level vibrating tools and reducing the amount of time workers spend using them.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Mike Lisle said: “The risks of hand-arm vibration syndrome are well-known in the manufacturing industry and employers have a legal duty to make sure the exposure of workers to vibrating equipment is kept as low as possible.
“Some of the workers now have difficulty picking up small objects, such as screws and nails, which is essential for the job they do. They will also suffer some level of pain in their hands for the rest of their lives.”
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Failures led to employees’ incurable hand conditions
A Bolton limousine and hearse manufacturer has been fined after its employees developed hand arm vibration.
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