Harm Vibration Meters (HARM) and Whole Body Meters are an important weapon in the fight against harmful vibration that can cause permanent damage to the human body.
Vibration induced health conditions progress slowly. In the beginning it starts as a pain. As the vibration exposure continues, the pain may develop into an injury or disease. Pain is the first health condition that is noticed and should be addressed in order to stop the injury.
Vibration-induced white finger (VWF) is the most common condition among the operators of hand-held vibrating tools. Vibration can cause changes in tendons, muscles, bones and joints, and can affect the nervous system. Collectively, these effects are known as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). The symptoms of VWF are aggravated when the hands are exposed to cold.
Workers affected by HAVS commonly report:
attacks of whitening (blanching) of one or more fingers when exposed to cold
tingling and loss of sensation in the fingers
loss of light touch
pain and cold sensations between periodic white finger attacks
loss of grip strength
bone cysts in fingers and wrists
The development of HAVS is gradual and increases in severity over time. It may take a few months to several years for the symptoms of HAVS to become clinically noticeable.
Whole-body vibration can cause fatigue, insomnia, stomach problems, headache and “shakiness” shortly after or during exposure. The symptoms are similar to those that many people experience after a long car or boat trip. After daily exposure over a number of years, whole-body vibration can affect the entire body and result in a number of health disorders. Sea, air or land vehicles cause motion sickness when the vibration exposure occurs in the 0.1 to 0.6 Hz frequency range. Studies of bus and truck drivers found that occupational exposure to whole-body vibration could have contributed to a number of circulatory, bowel, respiratory, muscular and back disorders. The combined effects of body posture, postural fatigue, dietary habits and whole-body vibration are the possible causes for these disorders.
Studies show that whole-body vibration can increase heart rate, oxygen uptake and respiratory rate, and can produce changes in blood and urine. East European researchers have noted that exposure to whole-body vibration can produce an overall ill feeling which they call “vibration sickness.”
Many studies have reported decreased performance in workers exposed to whole-body vibration.
Please telephone 0044 (0)1603 279557 or contact us for assistance in choosing the right HAVS product for your workplace.
Harm Vibration Meters
Calibration Services from CMR
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