1. ERGONOMIC VIBRATION

2. WHO’S AT RISK?
s ANYONE WHO ABSORBS MACHINE
VIBRATION THROUGH THEIR HANDS AND
ARMS WHILE WORKING A FAST-MOVING
HAND TOOL --
s OR THROUGH THE BUTTOCKS AND THE
SOLES OF THE FEET WHILE RIDING IN OR
STANDING NEAR VIBRATING, HEAVY
MACHINERY--
s RUNS THE RISK.

3. WHAT IS VIBRATION?
s VASOSPASTIC, NEUROMUSCULAR,
ARTHRITIC DISORDERS OF THE HANDS AND
UPPER LIMBS
s COMPOSITE OF VIBRATION INDUCED SIGNS
AND SYMPTOMS (e.g. NUMBNESS, TINGLING
OF THE FINGERS, EPISODIC BLANCHING OF
THE FINGERS, PAIN, REDUCED GRIP
STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY
s RAYNAUD’S SYNDROME, WHITE FINGER

4. SYMPTOMS OF VIBRATION
SYNDROME?
s DISCOMFORT FROM COLD
s TINGLING, NUMBING
s BLANCHING FINGERS
s PAIN

5. HOW MANY EXPOSED?
s APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION EXPOSED
s 50 -- 60 % OF WORKER POPULATION HAVE
SYMPTOMS

6. TYPES?
s WHOLE BODY VIBRATION
s SEGMENTAL VIBRATION

7. DEFINITION?
s A CYCLE OF SPECIFIC ACTIVITY BACK-
FORTH, UP AND DOWN RESULTING FROM
REVERSAL OF ENERGY
s FREQUENCIES OF 100 HZ OR HIGHER ARE
ABSORBED BY THE HANDS AND WRISTS
s FREQUENCIES UNDER 100 HZ ARE
ABSORBED BY THE UPPER LIMB JOINTS

8. RESPONSE DEPENDS ON:
s FREQUENCY OF VIBRATION
s AMPLITUDE OF VIBRATION
s TIME HISTORY OF VIBRATION EXPOSURE
s DIRECTION OF VIBRATION
s POINT OF APPLICATION OF VIBRATION
s HOW MUCH VIBRATION IS TRANSMITTED
s AFFECT OF CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
s BODY SIZE (HEIGHT AND WEIGHT)
s BODY POSTURE/ BODY TENSION

9. MAGNITUDE IS INFLUENCED
BY:
s TYPE, WEIGHT, AND CONDITION OF TOOL
s ACCELERATION AND FREQUENCY
PRODUCED BY TOOL
• TOOL TYPE, ENVIRONMENTAL, ANTI-VIBRATION
MATERIAL
• OPERATING SPEED, ERGONOMICS OF USE
s GRIPPING FORCES
s ORIENTATION AND POSTURE OF THE
HANDS, ARMS, AND BODY DURING WORK
s PARTS OF HANDS IN DIRECT CONTACT
WITH THE VIBRATING SURFACE

10. TOOLS MOST COMMONLY
ASSOCIATED:
s POWERED HAMMERS
s CHISELS, CHAIN SAWS
s SANDERS, GRINDERS, RIVETERS
s BREAKERS, DRILLS, COMPACTORS
s SHARPENERS, SHAPERS

11. CONTROL STRATEGIES:
s ENGINEERING AND WORK PRACTICES
s ANTI-VIBRATION CLOTHING, EQUIPMENT,
AND TRAINING
s GOALS:
• REDUCE THE INTENSITY
• REDUCE THE EXPOSURE DURATION
• IDENTIFY THE EARLY SIGNS AND
SYMPTOMS

12. ENGINEERING CONTROLS:
s REDUCTION AT SOURCE
s REDUCTION OF TRANSMISSION
s PROCESS MODIFICATION

13. REDUCTION AT SOURCE
s REDUCE SPEED OF TOOL
s REDUCE WEIGHT AND POWER NEEDED TO
DRIVE THE TOOL
s CHANGE TYPE OF TOOL
• E.G. RECIPROCATING ENGINE TO ROTARY OR
ELECTRIC MOTOR
s TOOL MAINTENANCE
s MOUNT EQUIPMENT ON SPRINGS OR
COMPRESSION PADS
s USE MATERIALS THAT GENERATE LESS
VIBRATION

14. REDUCTION AT TRANSMISSION
s PROVIDE CUSHION TO ACT AS A
VIBRATION ISOLATER IN A SEATED TASK
s PROVIDE ANTI-FATIGUE MATS FOR
STANDING OPERATION
s DESIGN TOOLS TO REDUCE VIBRATION
TRANSMITTED TO THE HANDS,
s COUNTERWEIGHT TOOLS TO MINIMIZE
GRIPPING REQUIRED TO OPERATE THEM
• DAMPENING MATERIALS AND GLOVES ARE
USUALLY MORE EFFECTIVE FOR HIGHER
FREQUENCIES.

15. PROCESS MODIFICATION
s CHANGES IN ANY ASPECT OF PROCESS TO
ELIMINATE NEED FOR VIBRATING TOOLS
OR EQUIPMENT
s USING MECHANICAL AIDS (CHUCKS,
CLAMPS) TO HOLD MATERIAL
• REDUCES TIME OR INTENSITY OF EXPOSURE
s ROBOTICS
s AUTOMATION
s SUBSTITUTION OF MATERIALS
• PLASTICS FOR HARD METAL

16. WORK MODIFICATION
APPROACHES
s LIMIT NUMBERS OF HOURS
s REDUCE NUMBER OF DAYS PER WEEK
s ROTATE BETWEEN VIBRATING AND NON-
VIBRATING TOOL TASKS
s SCHEDULE MAINTENANCE BREAKS

17. WORK PRACTICES
s LENGTH OF WORK DAY
s JOB ROTATION
s SELECT LOW VIBRATION TOOLS
s DESIGN WORK TASK AND WORKPLACE
ERGONOMICALLY
s REDUCE GRIP FORCE APPLIED
s REDUCE FORCE APPLIED
s RESTRICT USE OF PIECE WORK AND
INCENTIVE PAY
s ERGONOMIC WORK POSTURES

18. ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
s PPE
s REDUCE TRANSMISSION OF VIBRATING
ENERGY TO THE HAND
s PROTECT AGAINST EXPOSURE TO COLD
AND TRAUMA
s TRAINING
• SOURCE OF VIBRATION
• ADVERSE HEALTH AND SAFETY EFFECTS
• EARLY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• USE AND AVAILABILITY OF VIBRATION PROTECTIVE
CLOTHING
• ANTI-VIBRATION DEVICES
• VALUE OF GOOD TOOL MAINTENANCE
• WORK PRACTICE PROCEDURES