Car dealership hit with £200k fine after employees diagnosed with 'painful' condition

A car dealership has been slapped with an over £200,000 fine in court after employees were left with a permanent medical condition. Workers located at the car dealership in Trispen, Truro, were diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) back in 2022.

HAVS can lead to tingling and numbness in the fingers and is typically caused as a result of prolonged exposure to vibrations. The two workers are believed to have been diagnosed with the condition after using powerful hand tools at the petrol, diesel and electric car site. At the time of the diagnosis, the site was owned by Rowes Garage. It is now operated as Vertu Motors Truro.

One of the affected workers who remained unnamed, admitted their symptoms were getting worse.

The worker said: “It’s hard to say exactly how long I have had the symptoms for, but I think maybe about eight years.

“My fingers would go white and I’d lose feeling. This was particularly bad in damp or cold weather.

“I can say that over the years, my symptoms seem to have got worse. The blanching has spread and I find it hard to pick up small items.”

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who found the dealership did not put in place “adequate management arrangements”.

The analysis also found that the site did not “assess and monitor the exposure of its employees to vibration” and had no sufficient risk assessment in place.

After pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, the firm was fined £204,000 and £8,099 in additional costs.

HSE inspector Emma O’Hara stressed the site had fallen “below the expected standards”.

She said: “Rowes Garage Ltd had been exposing employees to the risks arising from the use of vibrating tools for a significant period of time.

“They fell below expected standards which has been reflected in the fine that has been imposed. HAVS is a serious and disabling permanent condition and HSE will not hesitate to take action against employers that fall below the expected standard.”

In a statement, a representative for Vertu Motors stressed that the diagnosis had come before Vertu Motors took over the site.

They told Express: “This case relates to events that occurred before we acquired the Rowes businesses.

“We continue to take the health, safety, and wellbeing of all our colleagues extremely seriously.”