
![]() |
Edward Lowton
Editor |
![]() ![]() |
Home> | Health, Safety & Welfare | >Plant and machinery safety | >Council fined for HAVS exposure |
Council fined for HAVS exposure
10 September 2019
Dacorum Borough Council has been fined for exposing seven grounds maintenance workers to Hand Arm Vibration (HAVS), caused by excessive use of power tools.
Luton Magistrates’ Court heard how Dacorum Borough Council reported seven cases of HAVS between May 2015 and June 2016. The affected employees were all part of its grounds maintenance and street care team, looking after the public spaces in Hertfordshire.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the council had neither adequately planned its working methods nor trained or informed employees on the risks to their health. Furthermore, Dacorum Borough Council did not limit the duration or magnitude of exposure to vibration and failed to put in place suitable health surveillance to identify problems at any early stage.
Dacorum Borough Council of The Forum, Hemel Hempstead, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 and have been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £28,672.62.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Rubeena Surnam said “This was a case of the council failing to identify the risk from hand arm vibration which is a recognised health risk with potentially disabling consequences.
“Unless vibration is identified and properly assessed, an employer won’t know the level of risk and whether action is needed to protect workers.”
- Steel firm fined over death at foundry
- Potato processor fined after worker struck by telehandler load
- Pellet manufacturer fined after man dies in industrial blender
- Agency worker injures hand on lathe – firm sentenced
- Auto-salvage company fined after customer fatally crushed
- Baling machine severs worker’s legs
- Platform collapse causes life threatening injuries
- £800k fine after CNC machine operators develop lung problems
- Sideloader operator killed by toppled steel bundle
- Essar Oil UK fined £1.65m after explosion at Ellesmere Port refinery