Affiliations: Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis,
MO, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Ann Marie Dale, Washington
University School of Medicine, Division of General Medical Sciences, Campus Box
8005, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA. Tel.: +1 314 454 8470;
Fax: +1 314 454 5113; E-mail: adale@dom.wustl.edu
Abstract: Objective: Occupational use of vibrating hand tools contributes to
the development of upper extremity disorders. While several types of vibration
damping materials are commercially available, reductions in vibration exposure
are usually tested in the laboratory rather than in actual work environments.
This study evaluated reductions in hand vibration with different vibration
damping interventions under actual work conditions. Methods: Three
experienced sheet metal assemblers at a manufacturing facility installed sheet
metal fasteners with a pneumatic tool using no vibration damping (bare hand)
and each of six anti-vibration interventions (five different gloves and a
viscoelastic tool wrap). Vibration was measured with tri-axial accelerometers
on the tool and the back of the hand. Results: Unweighted mean vibration
measured at the hand showed reduced vibration (p< 0.001) for all six
interventions (range = 3.07–5.56 m/s^{2}) compared to the bare hand
condition (12.91 m/s^{2}). Conclusions: All of the interventions were
effective at reducing vibration at the hand during testing under usual work
conditions. Field testing beyond laboratory-based testing accounts for the
influences of worker, tools, and materials on vibration transmission to the
body from specific work operations.
