To HAV and to Hold
The history of HAVS or Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome is extensive. Breathtakingly broad as it is deep. To an ordinary person like me looking in from the outside it seems overwhelming. Imagine suffering from it and KNOWING first hand how it can make your life a living hell!
Three blogs ago I began a look at a subject that up until now I knew absolutely nothing about but I wanted to so I could highlight the plight of Chris Booth and his struggle against a BGD (big Government Department) who admittedly have their work cut out for them trying to process Accident Compensation Claims, but you know, tough! That’s why they’re there.
They’ve held out on Chris Booth’s claim for 18 long months on a technicality, that is, he was initially diagnosed with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome which is understandable given their similar pain patterns but since that initial diagnosis he has revisited the BGD’s authorised specialist and a revised diagnosis was given stating that Chris was suffering from HAVS.
In a particularly dim-witted fashion the BGD will not accept the amended diagnosis without him going back to square one and resubmitting all the same paperwork and attaching the new diagnosis. Now since I’m not privy to the finer details of how the process works let me just say, that from where I’m sitting this is bureaucracy at its most absurd. Ridiculous and a complete and utter waste of tax-payer monies.
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome HSG 88
The HAVS history continues from 1994 when the Health & Safety Executive in the UK published its generic guidance on Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome HSG 88. A year later there was a requirement for employers to report vibration white finger under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
Vibration-Reduction Case Studies
It was in 1997 that the Health & Safety Executive first published a book of Vibration-Reduction Case Studies. The interim results from that research indicated that the numbers of people exposed to high levels of vibration may have exceeded 1 million. On the 30 September 1997 the High Court awarded £127,000 compensation for Vibration White Finger to 7 miners with 12,500 more cases in the pipeline.
Phase 3 of the Health & Safety Executive’s ‘Good Health is Good Business‘ began in the Spring of 1998 and encouraged better management of the risks from HAVS. Some four years after this on June 25th 2002 the legislation for the minimum Health and Safety requirement regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (vibration) was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Member States then had 3 Years from 6 July 2002 to implement the Directive.
In 2003 the UK Parliament debated the issue of Vibration White Finger and the prevalence of HAVS in occupations outside the prescribed list of occupations. In July 2005 Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive (2002/44/EC) reduced vibration threshold exposures to lower levels (Threshold level 1 m/s2, Action level 2.5 m/s2, Ceiling level 5 m/s2).”
Contribution of Vibration to Musculoskeletal Disorders in New Zealand
Here in New Zealand a paper presented to the Wiley InterScience Journal in 2006 by R. D. Wigley, J. A. de Groot and C. Walls entitled: ‘Contribution of Vibration to Musculoskeletal Disorders in New Zealand’ was a study aimed at reminding Australasian doctors about the importance of vibration as an occupational exposure capable of causing musculoskeletal disease. Only four reports have been found in Australasian published work.
Nine cases are reported together with a summary of vibration disorders and their nomenclature. Of the nine cases reviewed, six arose from compensation disputes and two resulted in Department of Labour prosecutions. Three patients had hand symptoms arising from using vibrating concrete drills, two patients used heavy floor-polishing machines in hospitals and three used heavy metal polishing machines. One had general pain from whole-body vibration in a digging machine.
Minor circulatory signs were found in two patients, but cold exposure was not noted. Vibration disease is under reported in New Zealand. Doctors must question patients about vibration exposure in taking an occupational history, as vibration is an important factor in the causation of occupational musculoskeletal disorders. As vibration can be controlled, illness can be prevented.”
Chris is at his witsend now. The financial burden is proving both onerous and stressful. His partner has had to leave her job to care for him full-time, they have creditors knocking on the door every other day. In a last ditch effort to bring his situation to light Chris may have to go to the media. There is some interest but their research time has already taken well over two weeks.
If HAVS is an area of expertise for you, will you email me using the Contact Form in this website and allow me to put you in contact with the appropriate media research person. If you live in New Zealand all the better but if yours is a reputation of international standing then I’d sincerely appreciate hearing from you too. And thank you. Why am I doing this? In Central Hawkes Bay, it’s what you’d do. Look after one another.
* This is 4 of a 4 part blog.
UPDATES: I’d like to thank Dr Richard Wigley’s wife who kindly returned my email enquiry because Richard was down South receiving another Doctorate, but in Rheumatology.
