The effects of VWF on workers’ lives

Vibration White Finger (VWF) is a condition which affects tens of thousands of people throughout the UK. In many cases it is a work-related injury, due to the fact that most sufferers are only over-exposed to vibration in their workplace.

Many professions are at risk of contracting the painful hand condition, ranging from gardeners and forestry workers to miners and engineers.

Whilst it is not a fatal condition as it is still significantly disabling for those who suffer from it.

The effects of VWF

The main symptoms of VWF are a numbness in the fingers, along with a noticeable loss of strength in your hands. Many workers initially write these symptoms off as a temporary side-effect of working with vibrating machinery but sadly these are a permanent indication of the damage that has been done to the blood vessels in the hand.

Picking up objects such as pins or nails also becomes more difficult as feeling in the fingers decreases, along with a loss of strength and grip in the hands. Furthermore, pain, tingling and numbness in the arms, wrists and hands can make sleep difficult.

Even years after stopping working with such machinery, the symptoms will persist and may well have an effect on the life of the person. A mechanic who developed the condition through use of power tools commented that he found using his thumb to grip small objects particularly difficult, not to mention painful, and that his symptoms are worsened by cold weather.

Another worker who was exposed to the vibration of pneumatic tools during his work said that the work injury leaves his hands almost permanently cold. He commented that he now has trouble handling fiddly things such as buttons and finds that he drops things more regularly.

If you have been diagnosed with either Vibration White Finger and have found that is affecting your daily life, then you could be entitled to claim. Contact an experienced Personal Injury Lawyer today.