Hand-arm vibration often hides in plain sight. Workers use grinders, drills, sanders, and compactors daily, confident that if a task feels routine, it must be safe. The problem is cumulative: each instance of vibration exposure adds up, gradually damaging nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and joints in the hands and arms. Eventually, a worker may find that holding small parts, turning a key, or gripping a tool becomes painful or impossible.
Hand-arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is a medical conditions caused by prolonged exposure to vibrating tools. It develops quietly and progressively, making early symptoms easy to overlook. By the time loss of feeling or pain becomes noticeable, much of the damage is permanent.
How does HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome) typically develop in workers?
Understanding Hand-Arm Vibration and HAVS
Hand-arm vibration is the mechanical energy transmitted into a worker’s hands and arms by powered tools or machinery such as grinders, saws, drills, polishers, compactors, or pneumatic breakers. The vibration level of each tool, combined with the time it is used, determines the worker’s daily exposure. Repeated and prolonged exposure gradually injures the small blood vessels and nerves in the hands and forearms, leading to long-term circulatory and neurological damage.
HAVS develops in stages. It often begins with tingling or pins and needles after tool use, progressing to numbness and reduced sensitivity. Fingers may turn white or pale in cold conditions, a phenomenon known as “vibration white finger.” Later, they become red, swollen, and painful as blood flow returns. Workers often experience loss of grip strength and reduced dexterity, which affects both work and daily life. The best protection is early intervention through risk assessment, exposure control, worker training, and regular health surveillance.
Case study
A mid-sized fabrication workshop employed over 70 workers responsible for cutting, grinding, and finishing steel structures. Around 30 workers routinely used high-vibration tools such as angle grinders, needle scalers, and hammer drills. A senior fabricator with more than a decade of experience typically spent five to six hours per day operating these tools. The tools were old, maintained only for functionality, and their vibration levels had never been re-evaluated. The environment was old and poorly insulated, especially near open loading bays. The worker began noticing tingling in his fingertips after long grinding sessions, but the symptoms faded overnight. Over several years, tingling developed into numbness, particularly during cold conditions, followed by fingers turning white and painful. Eventually, he began dropping components and struggled with fine assembly work. There was no structured vibration risk assessment, no trigger-time monitoring, and no health surveillance. The workshop culture regarded tingling and cold fingers as “normal.” The issue only came to light after a near miss a dropped component that narrowly avoided injuring a co-worker. An investigation revealed that daily vibration exposure regularly exceeded the Legal Exposure Action Value (EAV), and in some cases, the Exposure Limit Value (ELV). Occupational health assessment confirmed early-stage HAVS and possible carpal tunnel involvement. The worker had to be permanently reassigned to non-vibration duties.
What are the key early warnings signs of HAVS that workers should report at work?
Hazards
- Long daily exposure to vibrating tools (5-6 hours per shift)
- High vibration from old, poorly maintained tools
- No vibration risk assessment exposure calculation
- Absence of individual trigger-time tracking
- Cold, draughty conditions worsening vascular stress
- Lack of worker training or symptom reporting channels
- No health surveillance for early detection
What is meant by “trigger time” and why does it matter?
Control Measures
- Conduct formal HAV risk assessments and calculate daily exposure (A (8)) for all vibrating tools
- Replace or retire high-vibration, outdated equipment and procure low-vibration alternative equipment.
- Implement a maintenance programme focusing on vibration performance (balancing, bearings, mounts, and accessories)
- Organise work to limit trigger time through job rotation, rest breaks, and realistic task planning.
- Improve environmental conditions: heated areas, insulated flooring, and warm rest facilities.
- Improve environmental conditions, heated areas, insulated flooring, and warm rest facilities.
- Provide suitable gloves for warmth and dryness (not as vibration control)
- Train workers and supervisors on HAVS symptoms, early reporting, and safe tool handling techniques.
- Introduce a tiered health surveillance system for all workers exceeding the EAV, including baseline screening and regular reviews.
Summary
This case illustrates how long-term, uncontrolled vibration exposure leads to permanent health damage. The symptoms did not appear suddenly but developed a predictably in the absence of structured risk management. By failing to measure exposure, maintain equipment, and provide health surveillance, the employer allowed a preventable condition to progress unchecked.
Effective HAVS control requires recognising vibration as a major occupational hazard. Through proper assessment, tool management, exposure limitation, and health monitoring, employers can protect both their workforce and productivity. HAVS is not an unavoidable consequence of manual work it is preventable failure of workplace control.
What should a worker do if they suspect HAVS symptoms at work?
