Perrys Motor Sales fined £147,658 and consultants, S & Ash Ltd fined £12,716 after a worker developed Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome

Motor sales company, Perrys Motor Sales Ltd (PMS) were fined £147,658 (inc.costs) and Occupational Health & Safety Consultants, S & Ash Ltd fined £12,716 (inc.costs) after a worker developed Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). 
S & Ash Ltd. were previously known as Sound Advice Safety and Health Ltd.

The circumstances were:

• An employee of PMS was a small to medium area repair technology (SMART) repairer. 
• He regularly used handheld power tools to undertake small scale vehicle body work repairs.
• S & Ash Ltd was engaged by PMS to provide HAVS health surveillance for employees.
• S & Ash Ltd failed to provide suitable and accurate advice to PMS of the HAVS risks.
• S & Ash Ltd  failed to inform the employee of the results of his health surveillance, even when specifically requested to do so by him.
• PMS had failed to adequately assess and control the foreseeable risk to SMART repairers. 
• Following the diagnosis, PMS took no action to protect the employee from further damage to his health.
• The employee developed HAVS.
• His condition was not reported under RIDDOR.

TheHSE inspector said:
“Vibration can cause long-term painful damage to hands and fingers. The motor vehicle repair trade must understand the importance of suitable risk assessments and having a robust occupational health and safety management system. Employers should ensure that the results of health surveillance are acted upon and employees are protected from the risks from HAV when working with handheld power tools. Occupational health providers are in a unique position in safeguarding the health of employees and must provide accurate reports to employers following HAV health surveillance. Employers must act on these reports.”