Multi-axis whole-body vibration: laboratory studies of the influences on discomfort and human health

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Whole-body vibration affects drivers of heavy machinery and is a significant health risk for between 4 and 7% of the work force in North America. Current international standards for assessing the influence of vibration on the health and comfort of workers is largely based on studies of vertical vibration (ISO-2631-1 and ISO-2631-5), and the standards do not appropriately reflect the influence of multi-axis vibrations (vibrations along all of the 6 degrees of freedom). The long-term goal of this research program is to understand how vibration energy is transmitted and attenuated (absorbed) in humans, and to reduce the risk of workplace injury from whole-body vibration. The long-term objective of this research program is to develop an analytic model which includes the quantitative relationship between features of multi axis whole-body vibration, health and discomfort. This will enable me to predict the level of discomfort associated with specific vibration profiles. I will then be able to predict whether factors such as reduced acceleration level have a meaningful impact on the level of discomfort. To this end, short-term objectives include evaluation of the relationship between individual vibration factors (such as direction (axis), amplitude, frequency spectrum) and discomfort as well as the evaluation of the interactions between combinations of these vibration factors and discomfort. The relationship between vibration and discomfort is important as it influences workplace safety and productivity, and also since it underpins the approach for evaluating the health effects of whole-body vibration. The novelty of this application is the unified set of laboratory studies and the unique statistical model development to characterize the relationship between vibration parameters and the subject discomfort and health effects.