This document discusses ergonomic vibration risks and controls. Anyone operating vibrating tools or machinery is at risk of developing vibration-induced disorders like numbness, tingling, and pain in their hands, arms, and other body parts. Over 1 million workers are exposed to vibration. Controls include engineering solutions to reduce vibration at the source or during transmission, modifying work processes, limiting exposure time, job rotation, maintenance, training, and use of personal protective equipment.

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