Combined Effects of Noise and Hand-transmitted Vibration on Workers’ Muscle and Mental Fatigues in a Simulated Construction Operation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23749/mdl.v114i2.13903Keywords:
Hand-transmitted vibration, Noise, Combined effects, Construction vibrating toolsAbstract
Background: The frequent use of hand-held vibrating hand tools by construction workers exposes them to hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) and noise, which may lead to body fatigue. This study investigated the effect of combined exposure to HTV and noise on muscle and mental fatigue.
Methods: The study was conducted on 40 construction workers exposed to HTV (5 m/s2 rms with frequencies of 31.5, 63, and 125 Hz), HTV (10 m/s2 rms- 31.5 Hz), noise (90 dBA), and concurrent exposure (noise (90 dBA) + HTV (10 m/s2 rms- 31.5 Hz)) for 30 minutes in six days under the conditions of simulating work with building vibration destruction tools. Electromyography signals determined the fatigue amount in the Flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscle for each worker in two pre- and post-exposure periods. The subjects also filled out the Visual Analogue Scale to evaluate Fatigue Severity (VAS-F) subjectively.
Results: The results showed that the concurrent exposure scenario showed the greatest mean differences in muscle and mental fatigue. The effect of exposure to HTV on muscle fatigue was stronger than noise. However, in combined exposure, noise has increased the main effect of HTV on muscle fatigue. The effect of noise on mental fatigue was greater than that of HTV. However, in combined exposure, vibration has increased the main effect of noise on mental fatigue. Low-frequency HTV showed a more significant effect on muscle and mental fatigue than high-frequency HTV.
Conclusion: It is verified that simultaneous exposure to physical stimuli in the workplace, especially noise and HTV should be considered in setting the dose-response threshold limit.
Downloads
References
Lai S-K, Chui J, Tong L, Sun J-Q. A Human-Based Study of Hand–Arm Vibration Exposure Limits for Construction Workers. J Vib Eng Technol. 2019;7(4):379-88. doi: 10.1007/s42417-019-00123-2.
House R, Thompson A. Occupational disease prevention strategy. Hand-arm vibration syndrome. OHCOW, Toronto. 2015.
Geiger MB, Wasserman D, Chervak SG, Henderson CM, Rodriquez-Johnson E, Ritchey A. Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome: Protecting Powered Hand Tool Operators. Prof Saf. 2014;59(11):34-42.
Berhanu F, Gebrehiwot M, Gizaw Z. Workplace injury and associated factors among construction workers in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2019;20(1):523. Published 2019 Nov 9. doi:10.1186/s12891-019-2917-1.
Edwards DJ, Holt GD. Hand‐arm vibration exposure from construction tools: results of a field study. Constr Manag Econ. 2006;24(2):209-17. doi:10.1080/01446190500310643
Weier MH. The Association Between Occupational Exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration and Hearing Loss: A Systematic Literature Review. Saf Health Work. 2020;11(3):249-261. doi:10.1016/j.shaw.2020.04.003.
Krajnak K. Health effects associated with occupational exposure to hand-arm or whole body vibration. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev. 2018;21(5):320-334. doi:10.1080/10937404.2018.1557576.
Widia M, Dawal SZM. The effect of hand-held vibrating tools on muscle activity and grip strength. Aust j basic appl sci. 2011;5(11):198-211.
Dewangan K, Tewari V. Characteristics of vibration transmission in the hand–arm system and subjective response during field operation of a hand tractor. Biosyst Eng. 2008;100(4):535-46. doi:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2008.05.002.
Bidel H, Jafarpisheh A S, Gharari N, Sabour S, Salehi sahlabadi A. Study of the effect of simultaneous exposure to noise and heat stress on the activity level of biceps and flexor muscles. ioh. 2022; 19(1) :93-112. URL:ioh.iums.ac.ir/article-1-3317-en.html.
Jäncke L, Vogt J, Musial F, Lutz K, Kalveram KT. Facial EMG responses to auditory stimuli. Int J Psychophysiol. 1996;22(1-2):85-96. doi:10.1016/0167-8760(96)00013-x.
Kim J-Y, Shin H-J, Lee I-J. The Effect of Noise and Background Music on the Trunk Muscle Fatigue during Dynamic Lifting and Lowering Tasks. J Ergon Soc Korea. 2008;27(3):15-22. doi:10.5143/JESK.2008.27.3.015.
Dong RG, Schopper AW, McDowell TW, et al. Vibration energy absorption (VEA) in human fingers-hand-arm system. Med Eng Phys. 2004;26(6):483-492. doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2004.02.003.
Welcome DE, Dong RG, Xu XS, Warren C, McDowell TW, Wu JZ. An examination of the vibration transmissibility of the hand-arm system in three orthogonal directions. Int J Ind Ergon. 2015;45:21-34. doi:10.1016/j.ergon.2014.11.001.
Xu XS, Dong RG, Welcome DE, Warren C, McDowell TW, Wu JZ. Vibrations transmitted from human hands to upper arm, shoulder, back, neck, and head. Int J Ind Ergon. 2017;62:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.ergon.2016.07.001.
ACGIH T. BEIs: Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices. 2012. Cincinnati, Ohio[Google Scholar]. 2021.
ISO I. 5349-1: Mechanical vibration—measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted vibration—part 1: general requirements. Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Standardization. 2001;62.
ISO 10819 (updated version), Mechanical vibration and shock – Hand-arm vibration – Method for the measurement and evaluation of the vibration transmissibility of gloves at the palm. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
Maniglio M, Chalmers CE, Thürig G, et al. The anatomy and function of a bilateral accessory flexor digitorum superficialis muscle: A case report and review of literature. Morphologie. 2020;104(347):287-292. doi:10.1016/j.morpho.2020.06.002.
Oliveira BM, Fernandes CH, Nakachima LR, Dos Santos JBG, Hirakawa CK, Faloppa F. Prevalence of Absence of Function of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Muscle Tendons in the Fourth and Fifth Fingers of the Hand in the Brazilian Population. Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo). 2020;55(4):448-454. doi:10.1055/s-0039-3402458.
Stegeman D, Hermens H. Standards for surface electromyography: The European project Surface EMG for non-invasive assessment of muscles (SENIAM). Enschede: Roessingh Research and Development. 2007;10:8-12.
Luttmann A, Jäger M, Laurig W. Electromyographical indication of muscular fatigue in occupational field studies. Int J Ind Ergon. 2000;25(6):645-60. doi:10.1016/S0169-8141(99)00053-0.
Park DJ, Lee JW, Park JH, Song JT, Ahn SJ, Jeong WB. Neck/shoulder muscle fatigue of military vehicle drivers exposed to whole-body vibration on field terrain road. Int J Automot Technol. 2020;21(1):115-21. doi:10.1007/s12239-020-0012-0.
Bovenzi M, Prodi A, Mauro M. A longitudinal study of neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders and alternative measures of vibration exposure. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2016;89(6):923-933. doi:10.1007/s00420-016-1131-9.
Lu S-Y, Liu C-C, Lee C-L, Lin Y-H. Vertical vibration frequency and sitting posture effects on muscular loads and body balance. Int J Ind Ergon. 2019;74:102860. doi:10.1016/j.ergon.2019.
Kristiansen J, Mathiesen L, Nielsen PK, et al. Stress reactions to cognitively demanding tasks and open-plan office noise. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2009;82(5):631-641. doi:10.1007/s00420-008-0367-4.
Naqvi F, Haider S, Batool Z, Perveen T, Haleem DJ. Sub-chronic exposure to noise affects locomotor activity and produces anxiogenic and depressive like behavior in rats. Pharmacol Rep. 2012;64(1):64-69. doi:10.1016/s1734-1140(12)70731-4.
McInnes AN, Corti EJ, Tresilian JR, Lipp OV, Marinovic W. Neural gain induced by startling acoustic stimuli is additive to preparatory activation. Psychophysiology. 2020;57(3):e13493. doi:10.1111/psyp.13493.
Muzammil M, Siddiqui SS, Hasan F. Physiological effect of vibrations on tractor drivers under variable ploughing conditions. J Occup Health. 2004;46(5):403-409. doi:10.1539/joh.46.403.
Gl L, Wu J, Xl Z. Effect of tractor vibration on nervous system function in drivers. J Baotou Med Coll. 1995;11:27-8.
Jahncke H, Hongisto V, Virjonen P. Cognitive performance during irrelevant speech: Effects of speech intelligibility and office-task characteristics. Appl Acoust. 2013;74(3):307-16. doi:10.1016/j.apacoust.2012.08.007.
Jahncke H, Hygge S, Halin N, Green AM, Dimberg K. Open-plan office noise: Cognitive performance and restoration. J Environ Psychol. 2011;31(4):373-82. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2011.07.002.
Saeki T, Fujii T, Yamaguchi S, Harima S. Effects of acoustical noise on annoyance, performance and fatigue during mental memory task. Appl Acoust. 2004;65(9):913-21. doi:10.1016/j.apacoust.2003.12.005.
Jiao K, Li Z, Chen M, Wang C, Qi S. Effect of different vibration frequencies on heart rate variability and driving fatigue in healthy drivers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2004;77(3):205-212. doi:10.1007/s00420-003-0493-y.
Ljungberg J, Neely G, Lundström R. Cognitive performance and subjective experience during combined exposures to whole-body vibration and noise. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2004;77(3):217-221. doi:10.1007/s00420-003-0497-7.
Yang L, Zhao Y, Wang Y, et al. The Effects of Psychological Stress on Depression. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2015;13(4):494-504. doi:10.2174/1570159x1304150831150507.
Kim J, Lee W, Won JU, et al. The relationship between occupational noise and vibration exposure and headache/eyestrain, based on the fourth Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS). PLoS One. 2017;12(5):e0177846. Published 2017 May 23. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0177846.
Darvishi E, Golmohammadi R, Faradmal J, Poorolajal J, Aliabadi M. Psychophysiological responses to medium levels of occupational noise: An exposure–response relationships. Acoust Aust. 2019;47(3):217-28. doi:10.1007/s40857-019-00159-0.
Griffin MJ. Frequency-dependence of psychophysical and physiological responses to hand-transmitted vibration. Ind Health. 2012;50(5):354-369. doi:10.2486/indhealth.ms1379.
Downloads
Issue
Section
License
In consideration of the publication of my manuscript or other written work, I hereby transfer to MATTIOLI 1885 SPA the sole and exclusive worldwide rights,
- to secure copyright;
- to produce preprints or reprints for sale or free distribution;
- to republish the article in a collection of articles or any other format related to the Journal.
Furthermore, I affirm that this article (text, illustrations, and/or tables) is original, unpublished, not under consideration by another journal, and not subject to copyright or any other of the rights that are hereby assigned to MATTIOLI 1885.