The guidelines for health effects of whole-body vibration are well documented in Australian and International Standards. However, there is still much to be learnt about vibration dose/response relationships. In terms of health criteria, the current International Standard is an improvement on the Australian Standard which was based on the 1985 International Standard. The new standard should provide a truer indication of injury risk due to vibration than the older standard.
The various State Occupational Health and Safety Regulations apply to truck drivers and under these Regulations employers are required to ensure that the systems of work and the working environment of the employee are without risks to health and safety. This would also apply to vibration exposure. However, the Australian Standard for whole-body vibration is not cited in State OH&S Regulations. This means that employers and employees would need to comply with guidelines from the most appropriate Standard available. Being the most recent standard, ISO 2631-1997 is likely to be considered most appropriate.
The fatigue limits in the current Australian Standard have been abandoned in the current International Standard because they were not supported by research. Further research is required to establish realistic fatigue limits.
The guidelines for comfort in the International Standard seem to be reasonably well founded (Griffin 1990) and could be useful in rating truck drivers vibration exposures especially if the contribution of vibration in all axes is included in the assessment. Comfort levels could possibly form the basis for fatigue limits although extensive research would be necessary to confirm such a link.
The various State Occupational Health and Safety Regulations apply to truck drivers and under these Regulations employers are required to ensure that the systems of work and the working environment of the employee are without risks to health and safety. This would also apply to vibration exposure. However, the Australian Standard for whole-body vibration is not cited in State OH&S Regulations. This means that employers and employees would need to comply with guidelines from the most appropriate Standard available. Being the most recent standard, ISO 2631-1997 is likely to be considered most appropriate.
The fatigue limits in the current Australian Standard have been abandoned in the current International Standard because they were not supported by research. Further research is required to establish realistic fatigue limits.
The guidelines for comfort in the International Standard seem to be reasonably well founded (Griffin 1990) and could be useful in rating truck drivers vibration exposures especially if the contribution of vibration in all axes is included in the assessment. Comfort levels could possibly form the basis for fatigue limits although extensive research would be necessary to confirm such a link.
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