For some people, symptoms may appear after only a few months of exposure, but for others they may take a few years. They are likely to get worse with continued exposure to vibration and may become permanent.
Stage 1 - mild, with only occasional attacks affecting the tips of one or more fingers. Stage 2 - moderate, with occasional attacks affecting the distal or middle phalanges of one or more fingers. Stage 3 - severe, with frequent attacks affecting all phalanges of most fingers.
The Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome is primarily caused by the use of vibrating hand-held tools, for instance, pneumatic jackhammers, drills, gas powered chain saws and electrical tools such as grinders. Such tools involve vibration which is transferred form the tool to the hands and arms of the person holding the tool.
Temporary tingling or numbness during or soon after use of a vibrating hand tool is not considered vibration syndrome. To be diagnosed as vibration syndrome, these neurologic symptoms must be more persistent and occur without provocation by immediate exposure to vibration.
Early signs that you are experiencing sensory nerve damage from vibration include numbness or tingling in one or more of your fingers. This sensation might come and go, and could be mild, but severe cases can lead to permanent numbness.
Is there a treatment for HAVS? In general, HAVS is irreversible and there is no effective treatment or cure. Medications can sometimes be effective in reducing the frequency and severity of blanching attacks, and anti-inflammatory medications can be used to reduce pain symptoms.
Hand-arm vibration syndrome is a common occupational disease that affects workers in multiple industries.
Excessive use of vibrating tools can lead to a variety of conditions in the hands and arms, generically described as HAVS – Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome. HAVS can be painful and cannot be cured, it can however be prevented.
You can claim compensation for Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) if it can be proven that your employer regularly exposed you to a harmful level of vibration at work. This will often have been through the consistent use of equipment such as pneumatic drills, jackhammers and grinders.
It can be caused by operating hand-held power tools, such as road breakers, and hand-guided equipment, such as powered lawnmowers, or by holding materials being processed by machines, such as pedestal grinders.
This is called the exposure limit value. The exposure limit value (ELV) is the maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on any single day. For hand-arm vibration the ELV is a daily exposure of 5 m/s2 A(8). It represents a high risk above which employees should not be exposed.
One of the first signs of HAVS you might notice is tingling in your fingers or hands. It might come and go, and you may notice it more at night or after using vibrating equipment.
How often should HAVS be undertaken? Level 1 HAVS surveillance should be conducted at the new-starter stage. Level 2 HAVS surveillance should be conducted annually for those who do not have any symptoms of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) with a level 3 surveillance being conducted every 3 years.
In the U.S. alone about 2.5 million workers are exposed daily to Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) from the power tools they use on-their-jobs.
HAVs affects the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and joints of the hand, wrist and arm. It is not just a discomfort. It can become seriously disabling, if ignored. The early signs are tingling and numbness in the fingers and loss of strength/grip in the hands.
What you should know. Vibration is transmitted into your hands and arms when using hand held / operated tools and machinery. Excessive exposure can affect the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and joints of the hand, wrist and arm causing Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).
When you are experiencing anxiety, you may be wondering, “why are my hands shaking?” While it may be concerning, this is a very normal reaction. As your body produces more adrenaline and your muscles tense up, your hands may shake uncontrollably.
It would be unusual for you to develop hand-arm vibration syndrome unless you had used vibrating tools for at least ten years. If you stop working with vibrating tools it may prevent mild symptoms from becoming worse.
The hand arm vibration syndrome is believed to be caused by damage to nerves, muscles and blood vessels in the fingers, hands and arms. These vibration injuries are divided into three (3) groups depending on the area it affects; it could be neurological, vascular or musculoskeletal.
If your nerve is bruised or traumatized but is not cut, it should recover over 6-12 weeks. A nerve that is cut will grow at 1mm per day, after about a 4 week period of 'rest' following your injury. Some people notice continued improvement over many months.
Nerve damage can become permanent
The pain may reach a high point before reaching a state of constant numbness. Once your nerves become too damaged, they can't send signals to your brain. The constant state of numbness can make walking difficult 一 if not impossible.
It is not usually possible to assess the vibration reduction provided in use by anti-vibration gloves, so you should not generally rely on them to provide protection from vibration. However, gloves and other warm clothing can be useful to protect vibration-exposed workers from cold, helping to maintain circulation.