Motor worker gets £8,500 for hand injury (From St Helens Star)

Motor worker gets £8,500 for hand injury

7:20am Saturday 5th September 2009 in News By Ruth Marsden

A FORMER motor worker from St Helens has received £8,500 in compensation after his hands were left permanently damaged from using vibrating tools at work.

Anthony Barry, 51, worked as a toolmaker for Ford Motor Company Ltd, Halewood for 33 years, and as a result developed the debilitating condition Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

HAVS, also known as white finger, is an industrial injury, which affects many people who operate hand-held vibrating power tools over a number of years, such as power drills, chainsaws and pneumatic drills.

The injury leads to poor circulation, damaging the small nerves and blood vessels in the fingers, eventually leading to some loss of function.

Anthony said: “I worked with Ford for 33 years and during that time I used a number of different vibrating tools every day.

“I was never warned about the dangers of developing this condition.

“I met some former work colleagues in 2005 who told me it was HAVS.”

Anthony took early retirement from the company nine years ago, and now works for National Museums Liverpool as a visitor assistant where he no longer uses vibrating tools, but is still suffering the effects.

Lisa Gormley at Thomsons Solicitors added: “Under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, employers are required to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk to health and safety to their employees arising from prolonged use of power tools.

“Mr Barry should have been protected against developing this condition. It is a work-place injury, which he will have to endure the rest of his life.”

One in ten people, who regularly work with vibrating tools, is at risk of developing HAVS.

Symptoms can differ greatly, but common complaints are numbness in the fingertips, discolouration of the skin and general aches and pains in the hands, arms and fingers.