HAVS and Vibration White Finger Claims

Last reviewed: June 2026 · EA Personal Injury Solicitors

Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), including vibration white finger, is nerve and blood-vessel damage caused by regular use of vibrating tools such as grinders, drills and breakers. Employers must assess and limit exposure under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. If they failed to, you can usually claim within three years of learning your symptoms were work-related.

TL;DR — Quick Summary

Key Points

HAVS has vascular, neurological and musculoskeletal components — all taken into account in valuing your claim
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 impose duties on employers
Three-year limitation period from date of knowledge
Anti-vibration gloves alone do not satisfy the employer's duty
Vibration white finger is a prescribed industrial disease — Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit may also be available
No win, no fee — if the claim succeeds, a success fee may be deducted from your compensation

What Is Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome?

Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is an umbrella term for the range of conditions that can develop in the hands and arms of workers regularly exposed to hand-transmitted vibration from power tools. The syndrome has three main components:

Vascular component — vibration white finger (VWF): episodic blanching (whitening) of one or more fingers triggered by cold. The condition is caused by damage to the small blood vessels supplying the fingers. In warm conditions, blood flow may be relatively normal; in the cold, spasm of the damaged vessels cuts off circulation, causing the affected fingers to turn white and then, on rewarming, blue and then red. This can be extremely painful.
Neurological component (sensorineural): tingling, numbness and reduced sensation in the fingers, caused by damage to peripheral nerves. Workers may report reduced ability to feel small objects, difficulty with fine motor tasks, and persistent or intermittent "pins and needles".
Musculoskeletal component: in more severe cases, joint damage, reduced grip strength and muscle weakening.

Employer Duties Under the Vibration Regulations

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to assess vibration risks, take action to eliminate or reduce vibration exposure, provide health surveillance, and inform and train workers. Where daily vibration exposure exceeds the Exposure Action Value (EAV) of 2.5 m/s² A(8), employers must introduce a programme of controls. Above the Exposure Limit Value (ELV) of 5.0 m/s² A(8), exposure must not continue. Appropriate steps include selecting lower-vibration tools, limiting daily tool use time, providing tool maintenance, introducing job rotation and warm working environments.

Industries Where HAVS Claims Arise

Construction — road breaking, drilling, compacting
Quarrying and mining — rock drilling, scaling
Engineering — chipping, grinding, impact wrenches
Forestry — chainsaw operation
Agriculture — hedge trimmers, strimming equipment
Gas and water utilities — pipe laying, roadworks
Shipbuilding and repair — needle scaling, chipping

Medical Assessment and Staging

HAVS is assessed using the Stockholm Workshop Scale, which grades the vascular and neurological components separately. Vascular (vibration white finger) staging is:

Stage 0V: No attacks
Stage 1V: Mild — occasional attacks affecting only the tips of one or more fingers
Stage 2V: Moderate — occasional attacks affecting the distal and middle phalanges of one or more fingers
Stage 3V: Severe — frequent attacks affecting all phalanges of most fingers
Stage 4V: Very severe — as Stage 3V, with trophic changes in the fingertips

Neurological staging ranges from Stage 0SN (normal vibrotactile perception) to Stage 3SN (intermittent or persistent numbness reducing dexterity). The stage at diagnosis, the number of affected fingers and whether both components are present all significantly affect the compensation value.

Older Exposure: What Employers Should Have Known

For exposure before the 2005 Regulations, the courts assess what the employer knew or ought to have known about vibration risks at the relevant time, using guidance such as the Stockholm Workshop paper (1987) and British Standard BS 6842 (1987) as benchmarks. Claims based on exposure in the 1970s and 1980s can still succeed where the three-year period runs from a later date of knowledge.

No Win, No Fee HAVS Claims

We act under a Conditional Fee Agreement. You pay nothing if the claim fails. If the claim succeeds, a success fee may be deducted from your compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HAVS?

Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is an occupational disease caused by regular and frequent use of vibrating hand-held tools. It has three components: a vascular component (vibration white finger — blanching of fingers in cold conditions), a neurological component (tingling, numbness, reduced grip strength) and a musculoskeletal component (in severe cases).

What is vibration white finger?

Vibration white finger (VWF) is the vascular component of hand-arm vibration syndrome. It causes episodic blanching (whitening) of the fingers — typically triggered by cold — due to spasm of the small blood vessels damaged by vibration. On rewarming, the fingers become blue and then red and may be very painful.

Is vibration white finger the same as Raynaud's disease?

They share similar symptoms — finger blanching triggered by cold — but vibration white finger is caused by occupational vibration exposure while primary Raynaud's disease is idiopathic (not work-related). A medical expert can distinguish between them on the basis of your history, the pattern of affected fingers and clinical tests.

Can I claim for both vibration white finger and the neurological symptoms of HAVS?

Yes. Both the vascular (VWF) and neurological (sensorineural) components of HAVS are compensatable and are assessed separately in calculating the total award.

What tools cause HAVS?

Any power tool that transmits significant vibration to the hands can cause HAVS with regular use. Common tools include road breakers, hammer drills, angle grinders, chain saws, impact wrenches, needle scalers, chipping hammers, riveters and pedestal grinders.

How long do I have to make a HAVS claim?

Three years from the date of knowledge — when you knew (or ought to have known) your symptoms were caused by vibration from your work. Many workers are diagnosed years after exposure but remain within the time limit.

Can I claim if I still use vibrating tools at work?

Yes. You do not have to stop work to make a claim. However, you should seek occupational health advice and your employer has a continuing duty to manage your vibration exposure under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.

How is HAVS severity assessed?

HAVS severity is assessed using the Stockholm Workshop Scale, which separately grades the vascular and neurological components on a scale from Stage 0 (no symptoms) to Stage 4 (severe). Medical assessment involves a clinical history, provocation tests (such as cold provocation and nerve conduction studies), and hand-arm vibration exposure assessment.

What if my employer provided anti-vibration gloves?

Anti-vibration gloves are not an effective primary control measure and are not recognised as a substitute for engineering controls to reduce tool vibration. If your employer relied on gloves rather than reducing vibration at source, selecting lower-vibration tools or limiting exposure time, they may well have breached their duty under the Vibration Regulations.

Published by EA Personal Injury Solicitors

Edward and Amaury Limited · SRA No. 800525

Verify the firm and its regulated people on the SRA Register. General information only; this is not legal advice.