Pathology and Therapy of Vibration Hazards

Evaluation of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome Owing to Nerve Conduction Study and Cumulative Exposure Index—A 2.5-Year Cohort Study

“…11 In Japan, HAVS, particularly VWF, has occurred in forestry workers since around 1950, when chain saws started being widely used, and vibration damage caused by chainsaws in the national forests came under public scrutiny especially in the 1960s. 12 The number of new cases of HAVS in forestry has been decreasing with increased popularity of low-vibration chainsaws and since the Ministry of Labor (now the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare [MHLW]) issued a notice to regulate the continuous working hours of vibratory tools in 1975. On the other hand, vibratory tools such as grinders and sanders are still used in many manufacturing industries.…”

“…In the history of vibration disorders, the main symptoms of Raynaud’s phenomenon, numbness and dullness of the senses, were first described by Loriga in 1911 11 . In Japan, HAVS, particularly VWF, has occurred in forestry workers since around 1950, when chain saws started being widely used, and vibration damage caused by chainsaws in the national forests came under public scrutiny especially in the 1960s 12 . The number of new cases of HAVS in forestry has been decreasing with increased popularity of low-vibration chainsaws and since the Ministry of Labor (now the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare [MHLW]) issued a notice to regulate the continuous working hours of vibratory tools in 1975.…”