On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 20:25:15 -0000, jbilmes <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I would appreciate your thoughts on the legal requirement for assessment
of employee's symptoms relating to exposure to vibrating tools. Whilst I
appreciate that this may still be considered as 'best practice', I am
trying to determine what to do with individuals who decline an assessment
and how best to advise the employer.
>With increasing changes to the relevant legislation, I'm keen to ensure
that I provide the most appropriate advice.
>
>Jenny Bilmes
>OHN
>
I can't help but reflect upon the irony that some of the screening tests
for VWF probably evolved from attempts by successive government
adminstrations to avoid payment of Disablement Benefits - hence the long
legal fight by coal miners to win their disablement claims for VWF!
I'm unaware of "increasing changes to the relevant legislation" regarding
VWF or HAVS, but the forthcoming implementation of the Physical Agents
Directive in the EU may not be the vehicle which introduces the long
awaited reliable and/or consistent VWF/HAVS screening tests.
Perhaps subscribers to this List should lobby HSE to put forward a research
contract on this topic? I seem to be aware that researchers at
Southampton University [the NVRC under Prof. Griffin] have been active in
ths area in the recent past.
Dennis M
|