June 11, 2019
Operating power tools, vehicles, and heavy equipment can have both immediate and long-term impacts on the body. For millions of workers across industries like construction, mining, forestry, transportation, agriculture, and automotive, prolonged exposure to vibration—whether it’s hand-arm or whole-body—can lead to serious health problems. So, what can be done to help prevent these issues?
Workers who regularly use power tools are at risk of developing hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), a condition that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) describes as encompassing various neurological, vascular, and musculoskeletal disorders in the hands and arms.
Common tools linked to HAVS include chainsaws, drills, grinders, riveters, and jackhammers. The risk is present whether the tool is powered by electricity, gasoline, or air.
Symptoms of HAVS include tingling, numbness, pain, and discoloration in the fingers, along with weakened grip due to nerve and blood vessel damage. A key disorder associated with HAVS is vibration white finger, also known as Raynaud’s syndrome, an irreversible and potentially disabling condition where repeated vibration exposure causes the blood vessels in the fingers to collapse.
Prevention is critical. According to Thomas McDowell, program assistant coordinator for the NIOSH Health Effects Laboratory Division, “Once a worker starts exhibiting symptoms, you’ve already gone past the point of no return.” McDowell emphasizes the importance of employers providing warm and dry work environments and eliminating, when possible, the need for workers to operate handheld power tools.
OSHA offers tips for reducing the risk of HAVS, including:
Uneven terrain, bumpy roads, potholes, and even choppy waves at sea are common contributors to whole-body vibration. When vehicles like trucks, tractors, or ships traverse these obstacles, vibrations transfer through the vehicle and its seat to the operator’s pelvis and lumbar spine. Over time, repeated exposure can impact the spinal discs and contribute to lower back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders.
Nathan Fethke, an associate professor of occupational and environmental health at the University of Iowa, notes that “any sort of equipment where an operator is in a seated position has the potential to impart mechanical vibration that could be problematic.”
Advancements in Seat Technology: While air ride seats have been popular for mitigating whole-body vibration, experts are now pointing to advanced seat suspension systems as more effective solutions. These systems, though often costly, can help reduce vibration and its effects by processing data in real-time to cancel out forces that would otherwise impact the operator.
David Wilder, a professor in the department of biomedical engineering at the University of Iowa, notes, “People have been dreaming about this for decades, and it’s only recently that the technology has become good enough to do it well.”
While the European Union has established regulatory standards for vibration exposure, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has yet to enforce similar regulations. However, various consensus standards related to vibration—such as those from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)—are in place and often align closely with EU regulations.
Employers and manufacturers are increasingly paying attention to these standards. For example, tools sold in Europe must meet strict EU regulations, and manufacturers often apply these same standards to tools sold in the U.S., benefiting American workers.
Key Takeaways for Employers:
By prioritizing worker safety and staying informed about technological advancements and regulatory developments, employers can better protect their teams from the harmful effects of vibration exposure.
