The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging employers to assess the risks to their employees from exposure to vibration, after a Hampshire Company was fined a total of £21,000 for ignoring the safety of a worker and failing to carry out a risk assessment. Tews Engineering Limited pleaded guilty at Aldershot Magistrates Court, to contravening the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations SI 1999/3242.
The employee, Bill Leonard, made a complaint to the HSE about his excessive use of vibrating tools while working at Tews, which had caused him to suffer hand-arm vibration syndrome. Mr Leonard informed his employer of his symptoms and asked to be re-deployed for the sake of his health. However, the company continued to require him to work predominantly with vibrating tools, which made his health problems worse. Mr Leonard now has permanent damage to his hand, making it impossible to continue his work.
HSE Inspector Ray Kelly commented, "The worker in this case has suffered unnecessary, permanent disability because of a failure to manage his health and safety at work. Employers should take heed that when the HSE finds evidence of flagrant breaches of health and safety law, particularly where there is a history of previous warnings and advice as was the case here, we will not hesitate to prosecute."
