Wrexham County Borough Council of the Guildhall, Wrexham pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It has been fined £150,000 with more than £10,901 in costs.
Wrexham Magistrates' Court heard how the 57-year-old employee worked for the local authority's StreetScene department.
After the worker was diagnosed with HAVS in September 2015, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an investigation and found the council failed to address the issue of HAVS following an audit in February 2011, which identified a failure to assess the risk to employees from vibration.
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Despite having developed a number of policies dating back to 2004 to tackle the risk of HAVS, HSE found these policies were not implemented.
Following the introduction of HAVS occupational health surveillance for users of vibrating tools, a further 11 diagnoses of HAVS or Carpal tunnel syndrome have been reported.
HSE inspector Mhairi Duffy said: "This employee now suffers from a long term, life changing illness. The council should have implemented the policy they devised following the audit in 2011.
"Workers' health should not be made worse by the work they do; all employees have the right to go home healthy at the end of the working day."
(LM)
