Minerals 2013, 3(1), 16-35; doi:10.3390/min3010016
Article

Comparing Health Risks to Load-Haul-Dump Vehicle Operators Exposed to Whole-Body Vibration Using EU Directive 2002/44EC, ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5

Tammy R. Eger 1,* email, Aaron M. Kociolek 2 email and James P. Dickey 3 email
1 School of Human Kinetics, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario P3E 2C6, Canada 2 Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada 3 School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 5B8, Canada
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 12 December 2012; in revised form: 8 January 2013 / Accepted: 8 January 2013 / Published: 14 January 2013
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taking Health and Safety in the Mining Industry into the 21st Century - Innovative solutions to difficult problems)
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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate health risks to operators of large and small load-haul-dump (LHD) vehicles exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV), based on criteria established in ISO 2631-1, ISO 2631-5, and EU Directive 2002/44 EC. Studies simultaneously evaluating health risks based on all three standards are limited. Operator WBV exposure was measured in accordance with ISO 2631-1 using a tri-axial seat pad accelerometer. According to ISO 2631-1, four of the seven large LHD vehicle operators and three of six small LHD vehicle operators were exposed to WBV above the 8-hour vibration dose value (VDV) health guidance caution zone (HGCZ). According to the EU Directive 2002/44/EC criteria one of the seven large LHD vehicle operators and one of the six small LHD vehicle operators were exposed to WBV above the VDV daily exposure limit. However, health risks predicted by ISO 2631-5 criteria only placed one of seven large LHD vehicle operators and one of the six small LHD vehicle operators in the high probability of an adverse health effect category. Thus, the probability of adverse health effects, associated with WBV exposure during LHD vehicle operation, is suggested to be greatest based on the ISO 2631-1 8-hour VDV HGCZ and lowest based on ISO 2631-5 Sed criterion values.
Keywords: whole-body vibration; ISO 2631-1; ISO 2631-5; EU Directive 2002/44/EC; load-haul-dump vehicle; mobile equipment

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Eger, T.R.; Kociolek, A.M.; Dickey, J.P. Comparing Health Risks to Load-Haul-Dump Vehicle Operators Exposed to Whole-Body Vibration Using EU Directive 2002/44EC, ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5. Minerals 2013, 3, 16-35.

AMA Style

Eger TR, Kociolek AM, Dickey JP. Comparing Health Risks to Load-Haul-Dump Vehicle Operators Exposed to Whole-Body Vibration Using EU Directive 2002/44EC, ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5. Minerals. 2013; 3(1):16-35.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Eger, Tammy R.; Kociolek, Aaron M.; Dickey, James P. 2013. "Comparing Health Risks to Load-Haul-Dump Vehicle Operators Exposed to Whole-Body Vibration Using EU Directive 2002/44EC, ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5." Minerals 3, no. 1: 16-35.

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