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Dose-response patterns for vibration-induced white finger

Dose-response patterns for vibration-induced white finger
Dose-response patterns for vibration-induced white finger
Aims: To investigate alternative relations between cumulative exposures to hand-transmitted vibration (taking account of vibration magnitude, lifetime exposure duration, and frequency of vibration) and the development of white finger (Raynaud’s phenomenon).
Methods: Three previous studies have been combined to provide a group of 1557 users of powered vibratory tools in seven occupational subgroups: stone grinders, stone carvers, quarry drillers, dockyard caulkers, dockyard boilermakers, dockyard painters, and forest workers. The estimated total operating duration in hours was thus obtained for each subject, for each tool, and for all tools combined. From the vibration magnitudes and exposure durations, seven alternative measurements of cumulative exposure were calculated for each subject, using expressions of the form: dose = {sum}amiti, where ai is the acceleration magnitude on tool i, ti is the lifetime exposure duration for tool i, and m = 0, 1, 2, or 4.
Results: For all seven alternative dose measures, an increase in dose was associated with a significant increase in the occurrence of vibration-induced white finger, after adjustment for age and smoking. However, dose measures with high powers of acceleration (m > 1) faired less well than measures in which the weighted or unweighted acceleration, and lifetime exposure duration, were given equal weight (m = 1). Dose determined solely by the lifetime exposure duration (without consideration of the vibration magnitude) gave better predictions than measures with m greater than unity. All measures of dose calculated from the unweighted acceleration gave better predictions than the equivalent dose measures using acceleration frequency-weighted according to current standards.
Conclusions: Since the total duration of exposure does not discriminate between exposures accumulated over the day and those accumulated over years, a linear relation between vibration magnitude and exposure duration seems appropriate for predicting the occurrence of vibration-induced white finger. Poorer predictions were obtained when the currently recommended frequency weighting was employed than when accelerations at all frequencies were given equal weight. Findings suggest that improvements are possible to both the frequency weighting and the time dependency used to predict the development of vibration-induced white finger in current standards.
vibration-induced white finger, vibration frequency, magnitude, duration, raynaud’s phenomenon
1351-0711
16-26
Griffin, M.J.
24112494-9774-40cb-91b7-5b4afe3c41b8
Bovenzi, M.
47528879-9888-4068-b988-9786ff263bb1
Nelson, C.M.
19efaaa8-92a0-47eb-aff8-7858aab3a8fb
Griffin, M.J.
24112494-9774-40cb-91b7-5b4afe3c41b8
Bovenzi, M.
47528879-9888-4068-b988-9786ff263bb1
Nelson, C.M.
19efaaa8-92a0-47eb-aff8-7858aab3a8fb

Griffin, M.J., Bovenzi, M. and Nelson, C.M. (2003) Dose-response patterns for vibration-induced white finger. Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 60 (1), 16-26. (doi:10.1136/oem.60.1.16).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Aims: To investigate alternative relations between cumulative exposures to hand-transmitted vibration (taking account of vibration magnitude, lifetime exposure duration, and frequency of vibration) and the development of white finger (Raynaud’s phenomenon).
Methods: Three previous studies have been combined to provide a group of 1557 users of powered vibratory tools in seven occupational subgroups: stone grinders, stone carvers, quarry drillers, dockyard caulkers, dockyard boilermakers, dockyard painters, and forest workers. The estimated total operating duration in hours was thus obtained for each subject, for each tool, and for all tools combined. From the vibration magnitudes and exposure durations, seven alternative measurements of cumulative exposure were calculated for each subject, using expressions of the form: dose = {sum}amiti, where ai is the acceleration magnitude on tool i, ti is the lifetime exposure duration for tool i, and m = 0, 1, 2, or 4.
Results: For all seven alternative dose measures, an increase in dose was associated with a significant increase in the occurrence of vibration-induced white finger, after adjustment for age and smoking. However, dose measures with high powers of acceleration (m > 1) faired less well than measures in which the weighted or unweighted acceleration, and lifetime exposure duration, were given equal weight (m = 1). Dose determined solely by the lifetime exposure duration (without consideration of the vibration magnitude) gave better predictions than measures with m greater than unity. All measures of dose calculated from the unweighted acceleration gave better predictions than the equivalent dose measures using acceleration frequency-weighted according to current standards.
Conclusions: Since the total duration of exposure does not discriminate between exposures accumulated over the day and those accumulated over years, a linear relation between vibration magnitude and exposure duration seems appropriate for predicting the occurrence of vibration-induced white finger. Poorer predictions were obtained when the currently recommended frequency weighting was employed than when accelerations at all frequencies were given equal weight. Findings suggest that improvements are possible to both the frequency weighting and the time dependency used to predict the development of vibration-induced white finger in current standards.

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More information

Published date: 2003
Keywords: vibration-induced white finger, vibration frequency, magnitude, duration, raynaud’s phenomenon
Organisations: Human Sciences Group

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 10678
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/10678
ISSN: 1351-0711
PURE UUID: d6c058e6-bab2-4a68-8bea-93deccbf8774
ORCID for M.J. Griffin: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0743-9502

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 08 Feb 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:00

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Contributors

Author: M.J. Griffin ORCID iD
Author: M. Bovenzi
Author: C.M. Nelson

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