Rank: Forum user 
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Good Afternoon,
I am after some advice regarding the exposure to HAVs.
To give you a bit of background - I am the HS advisor for an arboricultural company. I have one operative who has come to me complaining of stiff joints in his fingers. He consulted a doctor and he is awaiting further tests to confirm if this is due to exposure to vibration. The GP has "assumed" it is white finger.
We carry out all the necessary checks, all machines are tested and monitored, the guys are informed of the symptoms of white finger and required to complete weekly checks on their usage, which they have been shown how to complete.
This particular individual has been scoring under the HSE guidance for HAVs exposure. It has now been confirmed that he often carries out the same type of work in his own time which would then have the potential to take him above the specified guidance.
So as far as I can see we, as a company, are doing all we can to ensure they are not exposed to vibration but his evening and weekend work has potentially seen him being exposed to vibration and now has resulted in this. We have stopped him using any power tools for the time being and will ask for a second opinion to confirm the diagnosis.
I was after some advice on how to deal with this. RIDDOR? Anything would be most appreciated.
Thank you in advance
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Rank: Forum user
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Hi Lessaunders
I'm not expert on this topic but as far as I am aware its not reportable until the individual is referred to a Tier 4 HAVS assessment (carried out by a Doctor) and its confirmed in writing to the employee who should then give a copy to the employer.
I'm sure that the RIDDOR or not argument, will be a split opinion among most, but Id report it rather than trying to explain why you didn't to the HSE later. If you have substantial evidence to show staff dont exceed trigger times and the equipment does not expose them above the action values, you should have a pretty good case as long as the vibration testing was performed by a competent person and recently (within past year for example).
This is tricky subject, Hopefully a HAVS expert will respond soon
Good luck
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Wouldn't it fall under the 'unable to perform their full range of normal duties for more than 7 days' rule?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I must admit to surprise that an arboriculture operative isn't exposed above the EAV - i.e. should already be on a programme of health surveillance.
In the absence of that surveillance, all you have at this time is essentially hearsay. Time (belatedly) to undertake your own assessment of the individual.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I have extensive experience; e.g. I a senior person in the Liverpool problem in the 90's that cost £10 million to solve!
use specialist Occie health professionals only [but not many good ones around!] via your program of health surveillance, not the average GP and have any health tests undertaken by your people not the employees people
best of luck
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