Relationship between hand–arm vibration exposure and onset time for symptoms in a heavy engineering production workshop

Can we explain the exposure variability found in hand-arm vibrations when using angle grinders? A round robin laboratory study

“…The relationship was derived from investigations of individuals exposed to high values of vibration (C13 m/s 2 ), among whom the frequency of ''white finger'' is high. The standard does not consider other disorders, such as sensorineural disturbances, which may appear earlier and at lower exposure values (Barregard et al 2003;Bovenzi 1998;Burström et al 2006;Griffin 1997;Hagberg et al 2008). Thus, extrapolation down to potentially significant, but much lower (such as 2 m/s 2 ), values of exposure has obvious limitations (Gemne et al 1993;Gemne and Lundström 2000).…”

Epidemiological Evidence for New Frequency Weightings of Hand-Transmitted Vibration

“…Overestimation of VWF risk was found in eleven studies (52.4%), mainly in worker groups exposed to high magnitudes of low frequency vibration from percussive tools such as rock drills, road breakers, stone hammers, and sand rammers 9, 11, 13, 14,18-21, 23, 25, 26) . Seven studies reported underestimation of the risk for VWF (33.3%) in workers who operated tools producing vibration with high frequency components (riveting tools, grinders) 8,12,15,18,20,27,30) . Good agreement with the ISO prediction was found in three studies of forestry workers 20) , snowmobile drivers 22) , and stone workers using rotary tools solely 25) (14.3%).…”

“…Seventeen studies were of cross-sectional type 8, 9, 11,13-15,17-23, 25, 26, 28, 29) and four had both cross-sectional and longitudinal design 12,27,30,31) . Most of the studies reported disagreement with the occurrence of VWF predicted by the ISO models.…”

Exposure monitoring system for day-long vibration and palm force measurements

“…Nevertheless, Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) remains a significant occupational health problem as disease symptoms continue to occur even when vibration exposure levels believed to incur low risks have been reached. Burstro¨m et al (2004) studied metal workers where tools produced low vibratory exposures with frequency-weighted accelerations between 2.1 and 2.5 m/s 2 but the prevalence of vascular (39%) and neurological symptoms (47%) still existed, with the vascular incidence rate being 24.2 cases per 1000 exposure years. In a study of automobile mechanics, Barrega˚rd (2003) and Barrega˚rd et al (2003) determined through intermittent observations on a representative sample population that the average duration of daily power tool use was 14 min with 80% of the tool use involving nut runners having an average weighted acceleration of 3.6 m/s 2 .…”