Another Employer Prosecuted – What the Rowes Garage Case Tells Us About Managing Vibration Risks
If In early May 2025, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) released another sobering update: Rowes Garage Ltd, a car dealership franchise operating in Devon and Cornwall, has been fined more than £200,000 after two of its employees were diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).
This isn’t just another name in a press release. This case highlights what can happen when vibration risks are poorly managed — both to people and to businesses. And sadly, it’s a story we’re hearing far too often.
The Human Cost of Inaction According to the HSE report, the two workers were regularly exposed to vibration from tools like random-orbital sanders and reciprocating saws while performing car body repairs. One of them described experiencing symptoms for as long as eight years:
“My fingers would go white and I’d lose feeling… the blanching has spread and I find it hard to pick up small items.”
HAVS is a permanent, life-altering condition that affects blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and joints in the hands and arms. It can be painful. It can limit dexterity. And it can lead to an early end to someone’s career. For Rowes Garage, the consequences came in the form of a £204,000 fine and £8,099 in court costs — but for those employees, the impact will last a lifetime.
Where the Employer Went Wrong The HSE investigation found multiple failures in Rowes Garage’s approach to vibration risk:
- No suitable and sufficient risk assessment
- No control measures, despite the likelihood of exceeding daily exposure limits
- No information, instruction or training provided to staff
- Failure to act even when symptoms were reported for years.
These are clear breaches of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and they also point to violations of specific vibration regulations:
- The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 Employers must assess risk, reduce exposure, and ensure that the Exposure Action Value (EAV) and Exposure Limit Value (ELV) are not exceeded.
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RIDDOR 2013: HAVS is a reportable occupational disease. Employers must notify the enforcing authority when cases are confirmed.
Unfortunately, this case shows what can happen when regulation becomes an afterthought, and when systems aren’t in place to monitor risk proactively.
How HAVSPRO Could Have Helped
At SIXIS Technology, we’ve spent years developing HAVSPRO, a tool-mounted vibration monitoring solution that helps employers manage risk in real time — and avoid exactly the kind of scenario that played out at Rowes Garage.
Here’s how HAVSPRO directly addresses the gaps identified in this case:
✅ Real-Time Monitoring
HAVSPRO sensors are mounted directly onto tools and record vibration exposure for each individual user. This means there’s no guesswork — just clear, actionable data.
✅ Automatic Exposure Logging
All usage is automatically tracked and logged, giving managers a full record of exposure across the team. This simplifies risk assessments and ensures that EAV and ELV breaches can be spotted — and stopped — before they happen.
✅ Instant Alerts
HAVSPRO’s traffic light system notifies users when they’re approaching or exceeding safe exposure thresholds. It’s behaviour-based safety, delivered in real time.
✅ Training and Engagement
HAVSPRO supports a culture of awareness and accountability. When workers can see and understand their exposure, they’re more likely to take protective measures — and more engaged in health and safety overall.
The Bottom Line
This case is another powerful reminder that HAVS is preventable — but only with the right systems in place. Employers have a legal and moral duty to protect their teams from long-term harm. Tools like HAVSPRO aren’t just a compliance tool — they’re an investment in people.
Don’t wait for symptoms to surface or for the HSE to come calling.
Take the Next Step
Download our free Vibration Risk Checklist – perfect for safety audits and toolbox talks using the form below.
Or contact us to book a free demo of the HAVSPRO system and see how it works in real time.
Let’s work together to #MAKEHAVSHISTORY.
