The aim with the investigation was to study the relation between on-set time for symptoms (vascular and neurological) and the vibration load at the time for on-set, among a group of vibration exposed workers. Information on self-stated year for first occurrence of symptoms was collected by means of questionnaires. Through interviews data were obtained on self-stated estimations of daily exposure time, type of tool and number of months/years with different exposures. The estimations of the vibration magnitudes of exposure were based on conducted measurements. From these data the individual vibration exposure at time for onset of the symptoms were calculated.

The result shows that there was a high incidence of symptoms among the group of workers at this company. Moreover, the first onset of symptoms appeared after in average 12 years of exposure. For the workers the symptoms of vascular or neurological disorders started after about the same number of exposure years. The calculated accumulated acceleration was best correlated with onset time of symptoms. Furthermore, since the workers exposure to vibration is below the action level established in the European vibration directive, the results suggest that the action level is not a safe level for developing vascular and neurological symptoms.