Open AccessHand Arm Vibration Syndrome among Quarry Workers in Vietnam
Author(s) -
Futatsuka Makoto,
Shono Masahiro,
Sakakibara Hisataka,
Quan Pham Quoc
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of occupational health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 1348-9585
DOI - 10.1539/joh.47.165
Subject(s) - drill , medicine , environmental health , work (physics) , occupational safety and health , demography , engineering , pathology , sociology , mechanical engineering
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome among Quarry Workers in Vietnam: Makoto Futatsuka, et al. Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University —Few studies have focused on the health effects of vibrating tools on workers in the tropical area. Work conditions and health effects related to rock drill operation were studied in 102 quarry workers, including 73 rock drill operators in Vietnam. We aimed to clarify (1) risk of vibration exposure, (2) occurrence of vibration‐induced white finger (VWF), and (3) characteristics of handarm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Total weighted r.m.s. acceleration of the Chinese ‐or Russian‐made rock drills, was 45–55 m/s 2 . According to work observation studies, daily exposure time to vibration was 160–210 min. ISO5349 predicted that this exposure level would be associated with a high risk of HAVS in workers. We found no clear evidence of VWF. There may be several reasons why no worker exhibited VWF: (1) warmer work conditions, (2) younger and less experienced workers, (3) seasonal changes in work operations, and (4) healthy worker effect. On the other hand, 5–10% of rock drill operators might be suffering from moderate HAVS which was sensori‐neural type dominant. There may be some characteristic features of HAVS among quarry workers in the tropical area.