Among the various hazards in the industry, vibration is an occupational hazard that is very widespread for employees. It is present in wide-ranging sectors such as construction, energy, manufacturing, etc. When a worker or an operator is in contact with the surface of a machine that is vibrating, the mechanical vibrations are transmitted directly to the body. This affects the individual tissues or even the entire body. The vibration affecting humans is termed human vibration, which is further subdivided into hand-arm vibration (HAV) or whole-body vibration (WBV). Human exposure to vibration remains a significant risk factor which is associated with neural, vascular, and musculoskeletal disorders in the body. Vibration-induced injuries cause significant organizational costs, including much pain and suffering for the worker/operator.
HAV exposure at work arises from using hand-held tools/equipment, hand-guided machinery and hand-fed machines. Hand-arm vibration occurs when one or both upper limbs are in contact with a vibrating surface.
Examples of machines where workers may encounter hand-arm vibration are
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