Vibration exposure at workplaces of stone masons

Status:

completed 02/1996

Aims:

Increased reports of vascular disorders in the hands of stone masons were the reason for first measurements which showed a high exposure level. The investigations were carried out with the aim to create a basis for preventive measures designed to protect stone masons as they work with chisel hammers, work which involves a high level of vibration.

Activities/Methods:

General information on the level of vibration exposure at workplaces of stone masons wasachieved. Measurements using selected pneumatic chisel hammers were carried out under typical operating conditions. On the basis of the test results a practical test procedure for the assessment of vibrations which were transmitted by the application tool (chisel) was developed.

Results:

Based on the results the following measures of technical vibration protection can be identified: As vibration exposure levels caused by comparable devices turned out to differ a lot, the results serve as an orientation to the user which device to chose. The analysis of exposure sources underlines that vibration protection must not only concern the chisel itself but also the point where the chisel makes contact with the hand that is guiding it. Owing to the development of a test method for assessing vibration transmission by chisel hammers with anti-vibration systems, it was possible to verify the efficiency of different types of anti-vibration systems.

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