Title: Phase-based evaluation of whole-body vibration exposure for hydraulic excavator operators

Authors: Tuğba Doğan; Bülent Erdem; Zekeriya Duran

Addresses: Industrial Engineering Department, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, 58140, Turkey ' Mining Engineering Department, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, 58140, Turkey ' Sivas Vocational School of Technical Sciences, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, 58140, Turkey

Abstract: Hydraulic excavator operators' whole-body vibration exposure was studied with the guidelines set by several approaches. The most jolty and quiet phases were FORWARD and WAIT, respectively. Vibration magnitudes were inversely proportional to bucket capacity. Excavator service year and vibration exposure were positively correlated. Younger operators were exposed to higher levels of vibration. Vibration acceleration was negatively correlated to operator experience. Handling of large-sized rocks resulted in more vibration than soillike material. The most conservative method in estimating the hazard potential was the ISO 2631-1 'vector sum' while the probability of an adverse health effect was generally low according to the ISO 2631-5.

Keywords: A(8); BS 6841; exposure action value; exposure limit value; EU 2002/EC/44; eVDV; hypothesis testing; ISO 2631-1; ISO 2631-5; VDV(8).

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.2023.134694

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 2023 Vol.30 No.6, pp.655 - 676

Received: 19 Feb 2021
Accepted: 03 Jul 2021
Published online: 06 Nov 2023 *

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