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HAND/ARM VIBRATION


CHANGING THE RULES OF THE GAME


When it comes to managing exposure to risk, Reactec CEO Jacqui McLaughlin believes that heavy engineering and rugby have more in common than you might think.


Retirement is meant to be a cause for celebration; an opportunity to spend more time with friends and family; the chance to travel more, do more, and enjoy life uninterrupted by the burdens and obligations of traditional work.


The reality for those who


have spent their lives exposed to dangerous levels of shock and vibration like that caused by repeated collisions or lifelong use of vibrational tools and equipment - is that retirement might only be the beginning of their battle to combat long-term effects caused by ‘hidden’ or ‘silent’ threats to their professions.


HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT Among rugby players, concussions are known as ‘the


hidden epidemic.’ This is because a large number of concussions go unreported, and also because the dangers associated with repeated injuries of this nature aren’t fully realised until the end of an athlete’s career, as symptoms may be mild or non- existent during competition, resulting in continued, largely unmitigated exposure to dangerous collisions. Similarly, among workers in heavy engineering, hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is regarded as a ‘hidden’ threat and is a widespread, under-appreciated problem that may not impact a worker’s quality of life until after they’ve left the workforce.


As with concussions, the symptoms of HAVS can go undetected or remain fairly benign for years, resulting in continued exposure to hazardous conditions, ultimately worsening the problem to a debilitating degree. As health, safety, and environment consultant Harry Gardner emphasises: “It’s a huge problem and people don’t appreciate and understand it . . . I don’t think they see the risk from working with everyday tools.”


It’s only recently that the professional sports world has come to better appreciate the effects of shock and vibration among athletes. While we may not think of a concussion as being caused by factors similar to those that cause HAVS, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a medical condition believed to be caused or triggered by repeated concussions, has also been


26 www.tomorrowshs.com


attributed to prolonged exposure to factors like speed or vibration, even where no collision occurs. Notably, Rugby – as an international network of professional sports


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