3^rd National Congress Human Vibration

At work and in traffic humans are exposed to mechanical vibrations to a considerable extent. Such vibration effects may be the impairment of health as well as the loss of performance and comfort.

The conference on 8 and 9 October 2007 at BGAG, Dresden/Germany served to comprehensively present the current state of the art in the areas mentioned and to explain their significance by means of practice-oriented examples. In Germany, the ordinance on the prevention of safety and health risks arising from exposure to noise and vibration at workplaces implemented the EC Directive on vibrations (2002/44/EC). It provides requirements in detail for employers - the first time in this area - concerning risk assessment and prevention measures for exposure to vibration at exposure action levels as well as at exposure limit values. This includes among others the principle of technical risk minimisation at sources, the assessment of vibration exposure at workplaces, information and training, a programme of technical and/or organisational measures intended to reduce to a minimum exposure to mechanical vibration and the attendant risks and health surveillance measures. The conference presented first experiences and practical aids for the implementation process of the ordinance.