Whole-body vibration-related health disorders in occupational medicine – an international comparison

Abstract

Workers with whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure are likely to report non-specific health complaints. Health and safety providers may not recognise such occupational injuries and may be unfamiliar with appropriate exposure assessment and prevention. This is a review of clinical studies, medical evidence, differential diagnostic evaluation protocols, surveillance programmes, national and international standards, and interventions recommendations utilising PubMed and other online resources. In summary, several studies show a clear trend: with increasing duration and intensity of occupational WBV exposure, primarily musculoskeletal or neurological disorders of the spine occur. Other organ damage has also been reported. In some European Union countries, spinal injury caused by WBV is recognised as an occupational disease and may be compensable. The WBV-related injury diagnosis includes a review of the work history, exposure assessment and differential diagnostic evaluation. WBV health surveillance should assess health status of WBV-exposed workers and address preventive measures.

Abstract

Practitioner Summary: Workers with whole-body vibration exposure report a variety of physical disorders. Health and safety providers may not recognise such injuries, or may be unfamiliar with exposure assessment and prevention. This review addresses health issues, exposure assessment and an international review of compensation criteria, trends and prevention efforts.

Keywords::

• whole-body vibration
• occupational health
• musculoskeletal disorders
• spine
• causation
• prevention

Acknowledgements

I wish to acknowledge the support by Dr PPFM (Paul) Kuijer and Dr HF van der Molen (Netherlands Center for Occupational Diseases, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Dr P. Donati (INRS, France) and Prof. M. Bovenzi, MD (University of Trieste, Italy) and Dr S. Gravemeyer, Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV), Germany.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. Dr Johanning has in the past appeared in US courts and worker's compensation cases as an occupational health expert and treating physician. In these cases he was compensated for his professional time. He considers this part of his professional obligations as a physician in the care of injured patients, and follows relevant professional and ethical guidelines.

Additional information

Funding

No outside funding was received for this review and paper preparation.