Health effects of occupational exposures to mechanical vibration

Exposures to mechanical vibration at the workplace may occur from either hand-held powered tools (hand-transmitted vibration, HTV) or machines and vehicles driven in industry, forestry, agriculture or public utilities (whole-body vibration, WBV). Excessive exposures to HTV from powered processes or tools are associated with an increased occurrence of symptoms and signs of disorders in the vascular, neurological and musculoskeletal systems of the upper limbs. The complex of these disorders is called hand-arm vibration syndrome. Long-term occupational exposure to WBV is associated with an increased risk for disorders of the lumbar spine and the connected nervous system. With a lower probability, the neck-shoulder, the gastrointestinal system, the female reproductive organs, the peripheral veins, and the cochleo-vestibular system are also assumed to be affected by WBV. However, there is a weak epidemiological support for WBV-induced disorders of organ systems other than the lower back. In addition to the health effects of human vibration, this chapter reviews the currently available knowledge of the exposure-response relationships for HTV and WBV. Elements of prevention and health surveillance of vibration exposed workers are also provided.