Examining the impact of non-neutral sitting postures on vibration transmissibility up the spine

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Operators of mobile machinery are exposed to whole-body vibration. International standards exist to suggest safe exposure durations for vibration exposure; however, the existing standards do not account for increased injury risk associated with non-neutral working postures. Yet, many machine operators have to adopt bent forward and twisted neck and trunk postures in order to operate mobile machinery. In order to understand the impact of non-neutral postures, in combination with whole-body vibration exposures, on injury risk, the transmission of vibration through the body can be studied. This project will measure vibration transmissibility from the seat to several levels of the spine and head under different levels of vibration exposure and rotated trunk/neck postures. If vibration travels through the body differently it could indicate machine operators working in non-neutral postures have a higher injury risk than operators in neutral postures exposed to the same vibration. An improved understanding of vibration transmissibility under non-neutral postures can also be used to improve existing international standards that are used to determine safe vibration exposure durations. Improved standards will help to protect equipment operators from negative health outcomes, such as low-back pain. Injury prevention will be beneficial to machine operators, industry and the Canadian economy.