0000000000266183
AUTHOR
Georg Zerlett
Acute Effects of Mechanical Vibration
We know that man possesses a highly developed ability to adjust to different environmental conditions. For this function there are physiological regulatory systems, which release reactions in him for protection against such influences. Thus, receptors for light, smell, taste, temperature, sound, touch, position change, pressure, and tension are at hand which, as parts of the cybernetics system, can release physiologically meaningful protective reactions.
Laws, Regulations, Standards, and Guidelines for the Protection of Man Against Mechanical Vibration
Regulations that serve to protect workers from the dangers arising from mechanical vibration have been established by the legislators and agencies responsible for work protection, such as ministries of labor and social affairs and industrial insurance organizations. Furthermore, international agreements have also established such protective measures. The corresponding laws, rules or agreements relate to: 1. Occupational diseases 2. Criteria for the evaluation of risk from mechanical vibration and the establishment of exposure limit values 3. Guidelines for the measurement and evaluation of vibration 4. Medical examinations before employment and regular health examinations 5. Technical and o…
Terminology and Definitions
In order to eliminate as much misunderstanding as possible in the evaluation of various forms of vibration stress, it is necessary to define the technical physical concepts used (Table 1). In addition, the special medical terms are explained at the end of the book (p. 158).
Work-Related Stress from Whole-Body Vibration
During the last 10 years, many field experiments have been carried out in various places of work. Vibration has been measured in buildings, in vehicles, and on ships. These data are currently being compiled (Dupuis and Hartung 1982) to be fed into the vibration data bank at the BIA.
Stress-Strain Concept in Whole-Body Vibration
The strain-stress concept defines stress. First of all, stress refers to vibration exposure (kind, intensity, and duration of vibration) and the additional stress factors that act upon man when exposed. Strain, on the other hand, means the effects of such stress, that is, the reaction (biodynamic, psychological, physiological, damaging) of the human being, taking into consideration the individual endogenous conditions (see Table 2).
Chronic Effects of Whole-Body Vibration
The reactions of the body to stress from mechanical vibration, presented in the section “Acute Effects of Mechanical Vibration” (see p. 12), deal with individual organs and functions. It is now time for the following question to be asked: Are these physiological or pathophysiological changes in reality the external symptoms of a vibration-induced illness of the whole organism? Above all, some Soviet scientists are of this opinion. Andreeva-Galanina (1967) has especially called this concept “vibration illness” and has used it in the sense that the totality of vibration-induced changes in the human organism can be characterized (Rublack 1978). In this systemic “vibration illness,” Andreeva-Ga…
The Influence of Particular Modes of Vibration
When vibration stress occurs at the place of work, 1, 2, or 3 directions of the coordinate system related to man, or vectors of these axes, can be involved (Fig. 1). In such multiaxial vibration, the stress may predominate in one direction or may have similar magnitudes in all directions. In addition, rotational vibration about these axes may also take place (see section “Rotational Vibration,” p. 125).