Two construction firm partners have been fined after exposing employees to vibration when using vibrating tools and failing to carry out hand-arm vibration syndrome health surveillance
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Andrew Hatto and Paul Kiff, trading as Roywood Contractors, failed to control the risk of hand-arm vibration syndrome to their employees from exposure to vibration when using vibrating tools
Employees of Roywood Contractors worked at various construction sites using vibrating tools without adequate control of the risk of exposure.
As a result, an employee who had been working at the company for 12 years suffered significant ill-health from hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).
Roywood Contractors pleaded guilty to breaching the Control of Vibration Regulations 2005
Andrew Hatto and Paul Kiff, trading as Roywood Contractors, of Tilford Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6 (1) and 7 (1) of the Control of Vibration Regulations 2005.
They were each fined £1,150 and ordered to pay costs of £3,500 each at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on September 20 for not having appropriate measures to control exposure or place employees under suitable health surveillance to monitor their condition.
HSE Inspector Leah Sullivan said: “This was a case of the company completely failing to grasp the importance of hand-arm vibration syndrome health surveillance.
“If they had understood why health surveillance was necessary, it would have ensured that it had the right systems in place to monitor worker’s health and the employee’s condition would not have been allowed to develop to a severe and life-altering stage.”
