Vibration White Finger

What Is Vibration White Finger?

Vibration White Finger; also referred to and HAVS (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome) and sometimes called ‘dead finger’, occurs when the fine blood vessels within the fingers go into spasm, causing the colour of the skin to change. In most cases the fingers go pale at first, then sometimes blue, followed by a dull red as the blood circulation returns. Sufferers often feel a tingling or burning sensation that can sometimes be painful but often just feels numb.

If left untreated the condition can result in permanent numbness of the fingers alongside muscle weakness throughout the hands.

The condition frequently occurs as a result of spending long periods of time working with vibrating equipment, and can be made worse when the hands or fingers are cold.

Vibration White Finger is a secondary form of Raynaud’s Syndrome, and is a widespread industrial disease that affects tens of thousands of people across the world.

The symptoms were first described by Professor Giovani Loriga in Italy in 1911 but were not associated to vibration until 1918 when Doctor Alice Hamilton studied the effects of vibration on quarry workers in the USA. In 1987 the current method of measuring the severity of the symptoms was introduced, called the Stockholm Scale.

In July 2005 the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations were introduced in order to better protect workers from the dangers of working with vibration and vibrating tools. These regulations give clear guidelines as to how to manage the risks of vibration and to minimise the dangers to employees. Companies have a duty to adhere to the regulations and can be prosecuted if they do not uphold the strict safety procedures and systems prescribed within the regulations.

For assistance speak to Mercury Legal on 0800 122 3130 or start a claim online

How Do I Start A Vibration White Finger Claim?

It’s really simple. You can contact one of our highly trained solicitors absolutely free of charge, either by calling our freephone helpline on 0800 122 3130, or alternatively you can click here to provide us with your contact details, and one of our team will call you back at a time of your choice.

When making an enquiry about claiming, you should remember that in most cases strict time limits must be adhered to in order for the case to stand, so contact us today.

When you call us, or we call you back, you are not in any way obliged to continue with the enquiry any further than you wish to. We will not force you into anything; we aim only to guide you through the claims process as swiftly and easily as possible, and to make sure you get the compensation for your vibration white finger injury that you deserve.