Collection Occupational hygiene, Issue 25, 1989 year

Vibration and noise loads and the incidence of vibration disease in agricultural machine operators

V. I. Chernyuk, I. D. Tashker


doi

Kiev Research Institute of Occupational Hygiene and Occupational Diseases

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In the present study, we used materials from mass medical examinations of agricultural machine operators (823 people). Based on the information available in the professional route, the levels of vibration and noise to which each operator was subjected, the length of service were retrospectively established, and the length of service dose of noise and vibration loads was calculated.

All identified cases of vibration disease were classified according to the severity of the pathological process: O-I stage - working capacity is preserved, complaints of constant, mild headache, sometimes dizziness, increased sensitivity of extremities to cold, paresthesias of hands, cyanosis and hyperhidrosis of the hands; Stage I - the presence of cerebral-peripheral ahyodystonic syndrome; Stage II - the presence of polyradiculoneuropathy syndrome. As a rule, more severe stages of the disease are diagnosed in people with more work experience.

If we take the maximum length of service in the profession of a machine operator for 40 years, the permissible vibration level for an 8-hour working day will be:

DB = 121 dB - 10 ^ 40 = 105 dB,

which is 2 dB less than the regulated level according to CH 3044-84.

Taking into account that the machine operators are in contact with vibration sources part-time (about 4-5 hours), as well as the seasonality of the main field agricultural work, such a general vibration remote control should guarantee the absence of vibration sickness.

References

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