Experts say about two million U.S. workers are exposed to hand-arm vibration on the job and as many as half of them will develop Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Here’s a look at what causes HAVS, how to recognize symptoms and how to mitigate the damage.

Recent statistics indicate that 51% of occupational injuries involve the hand and fingers. The most common types of hand injuries are traumatic injuries, contact injuries and repetitive motion injuries.