Vibration disease costs stonemason his job
Sourced from TUC Risks e- bulletin:
A stonemason has been forced to give up his specialist trade after his hands were left permanently damaged by using vibrating tools at work. The 46-year-old from Tadcaster, whose name has not been released, has received £56,000 in compensation after being left with the debilitating condition Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), caused by using vibrating tools on a daily basis in his job as a stonemason for a Yorkshire company. The company admitted liability and settled the claim out of court. The condition means he suffers from constant pins and needles and has been forced to give up his trade after 10 years. He also has had to give up his hobbies of fishing and cycling during the winter. He still works for the firm but is now a delivery driver. He first started noticing a problem with his hands in 2008. He was told by a specialist it was HAVS and was advised to claim compensation. 'Since the doctor said it was work-related I took the claim for my family as I've had to take a significant pay cut,' he said. Oliver Collett from Thompsons Solicitors, who represented the affected worker, said: 'This is a considerable award for this type of condition but this client had to give up his career as a stonemason and take a substantial pay cut. This employer ignored clear rules about properly assessing the levels of vibration and the amount of time workers use vibrating tools. As a result our client's career is at an end.'