Prosecutions

Plymouth City Council fined £200,000 for HAVs failures

By Belinda Liversedge on 10 July 2023

Plymouth City Council has been fined £200,000 after employees who were exposed to vibrations in roles, including grass cutting, developed hand and wrist conditions.

Between 2017 and 2019, two council employees developed hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and a further four were diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). These life changing conditions were caused by “prolonged and uncontrolled exposure” to hand arm vibration while the workers cut grass or carried out arboriculture activities, said HSE.

HAVS sufferers experience permanent and painful numbness and tingling in the hands and arms, with symptoms including painful joints and muscle weakening. The condition is caused by slight but repeated injury to the small nerves and blood vessels in the fingers. People with CTS can experience numbness in the hands and difficulty gripping.

Plymouth City Council was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay £25,877 in costs at Plymouth Magistrates Court on 29 June. Photograph: N Chadwick / Geograph

HSE found that between 2005 and 2019, Plymouth City Council failed in its legal duty to comply with legislation or to follow guidance to prevent these conditions.

Plymouth City Council was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay £25,877 in costs at Plymouth Magistrates Court on 29 June for breaching Section 2(1) of the health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Investigating HSE inspector Janet Hensey said: “The fine imposed on Plymouth City Council should underline to everyone carrying out similar activities that the courts, and HSE, take a failure to follow legislation seriously.

“We will not hesitate to take action against companies which do not do all that they can to keep people safe. Exposure to vibration is a recognised health risk with potentially disabling consequences.”

She added there has been ‘relevant’ legislation regarding assessing and controlling exposure to vibration since 2005. “This was a case of the organisation completely failing to identify the risk to employees when carrying out grass cutting and arboriculture activities.”