HAND-ARM VIBRATION SYNDROME.

Occupational exposure to vibrating tools can result in peripheral vascular and peripheral neural disorders of the fingers and hands. These conditions, which may be signaled by numbness, pain, and blanching of the fingers, are known collectively as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). An estimated 1.5 million people in the United States use tools that can cause HAVS, such as powered hammers, chain saws, grinders, riveters, drills, and sharpeners. The disorder is chronic and progressive but can be reversed in its early stages if exposure to vibration is eliminated or reduced. Early diagnosis or prevention is essential, because HAVS can lead to permanent loss of function or disfigurement.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health…