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Articles

Measures of internal lumbar load in professional drivers – the use of a whole-body finite-element model for the evaluation of adverse health effects of multi-axis vibration

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Pages 1191-1206 | Received 29 Nov 2013, Accepted 25 Aug 2014, Published online: 07 Oct 2014
 

Abstract

The present study aimed to (1) employ the method for evaluation of vibration containing multiple shocks according to ISO/CD 2631–5:2014 (Model 1) and DIN SPEC 45697:2012 in a cohort of 537 professional drivers, (2) deliver the results for a re-analysis of epidemiological data obtained in the VIBRISKS study, (3) clarify the extent to which vibration acceleration and individual variables influence risk values, such as the daily compressive dose Sed and the risk factor R, and (4) compare the results with in vivo measurements and those obtained in previous studies with similar models. The risk factor R was influenced by the acceleration, lifetime exposure duration, sitting posture, age at the start of exposure and body mass/body mass index in order of decreasing effect. Age and annual and daily exposure duration had only a marginal effect. The daily compressive dose Sed and the risk factor R showed weak linear association with the daily vibration exposure A(8) and the vibration dose value VDV. The study revealed high shear forces in the lumbar spine.

Abstract

Practitioner Summary: In a re-analysis of an epidemiological study of professional drivers, a software tool available with standards DIN SPEC 45697:2012 and ISO/CD 2631–5:2014 Model 1 was used to calculate the risk to the lumbar spine in terms of daily compressive dose Sed and risk factor R. The tool was found to be suitable for risk assessment in a large cohort.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the European Commission under the Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources programme [Project No. QLK4-2002-02650 (VIBRISKS)]. The re-analysis of the Italian part of the VIBRISKS study was supported financially by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Germany [Project No. F2257].

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