Vibration exposure on fork-lift trucks

Malchaire, J.; Piette, A.; Mullier, I.

Affiliations

¹Unité Hygiène et Physiologie du Travail, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 3038, B-1200 Bruxelles, Belgium

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of the main characteristics of the working condition on the vibration exposure on fork-lift trucks. Four hundred and eighty recordings were made on five trucks equipped with four different types of tyres and a ‘normal’ or an ‘anti-vibration’ seat, driven while empty or loaded, on a smooth or a rough track by three workers. An analysis of variance was performed to study the main effects and the significant interactions between these factors. A mathematical model is proposed for the weighted acceleration on the floor and on the seat in the vertical axis. This shows quantitatively that the vibration exposure is mainly influenced by the roughness of the track, the speed and the quality of the seat. Inflated tyres are preferable when an anti-vibration seat with a very low resonance frequency is used. In other cases, cushion tyres are more indicated.

Links

DOI: 10.1016/0003-4878(95)00058-5

WoS: A1996TX68400007

History

Received: 1995-01-17

Cited Works (1)

Year	Entry
1990	Griffin MJ. Handbook of Human Vibration. London, UK: Academic Press Limited; 1990.

Cited By (11)

Year	Entry
2009	Oliver M, Jack RJ, Eger T, Dickey JP, Conrad L, Harnish C. Quantification and characterization of 6-degree-of-freedom whole-body vibration exposure spectra from the chassis of selected mobile machines used in the steel making industry. In: 4th International Conference on Whole Body Vibration (WBV2009). June 2-4, 2009; Montreal, QC.73-74.
2004	Cann AP, Salmoni AW, Eger TR. Predictors of whole-body vibration exposure experienced by highway transport truck operators. Ergonomics. October 22, 2004;47(13):1432-1453.
2005	Rehn B, Lundström R, Nilsson L, Liljelind I, Järvholm B. Variation in exposure to whole-body vibration for operators of forwarder vehicles: aspects on measurement strategies and prevention. Int J Ind Ergon. September 2005;35(9):831-842.
2008	Eger T, Stevenson J, Callaghan JP, Grenier S; VibRG. Predictions of health risks associated with the operation of load-haul-dump mining vehicles, II: evaluation of operator driving postures and associated postural loading. Int J Ind Ergon. 2008;38(9-10):801-815.
2002	Bovenzi M, Pinto I, Stacchini N. Low back pain in port machinery operators. J Sound Vibrat. May 23, 2002;253(1):3-20.
2002	Donati P. Survey of technical preventative measures to reduce whole-body vibration effects when designing mobile machinery. J Sound Vibrat. May 23, 2002;253(1):169-183.
2005	Hoy J, Mubarak N, Nelson S, Sweerts de Landas M, Magnusson M, Okunribido O, Pope M. Whole body vibration and posture as risk factors for low back pain among forklift truck drivers. J Sound Vibrat. June 21, 2005;284(3-5):933-946.
2016	Oliver M, Hope P, Conrad L, Jack RJ, Dickey JP, Eger T. Reducing whole-body vibration through field vibration tested heavy equipment seat retrofitting. Occup Ergon. 2016;13(1):15-22.
2011	Conrad LF. Whole-Body Vibration on Mobile Machines Within the Steel Making Industry: Assisting Industries With Proper Seat Selection to Retrofit Existing Machines [Master's thesis]. Guelph, ON: University of Guelph; January 2011.
2012	Jack RJ. Investigating Whole-Body Vibration Injuries in Forestry Skidder Operators: Combining Operator Vibration Exposures and Postures in the Field With Biodynamic Responses in the Laboratory [PhD thesis]. Guelph, ON: University of Guelph; January 2012.
2014	Wegscheider P. Development and Assessment of a Virtual Reality Forklift Simulator as a Research Tool to Study Whole-Body Vibration [Master's thesis]. University of Western Ontario; 2014.