Whole Body Vibration Exposure to Motorcyle Riders Exceeds Recommended Limits

BrooklynDodger(s): Whole body vibration effects are less well defined than segmental (arm and hand) vibration. But effect many more organ systems. The study reveals that motorcycles pose a risk almost unanimously.


Whole-body vibration exposure experienced by motorcycle riders ­ An evaluation acccording to ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5 standards

Pages 708-718 Hsieh-Ching Chen, Wei-Chyuan Chen, Yung-Ping Liu, Chih-Yong Chen, Yi-Tsong Pan http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_method=citationSearch&_urlVersion=4&_origin=SDVIALERTASCII&_version=1&_uoikey=B6V31-4WK49VP-1&md5=199900a63453180501232b5723d0e77c

Whole-body vibration exposure experienced by motorcycle riders – An evaluation according to ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5 standards

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Hsieh-Ching Chen^{a, ,} , Wei-Chyuan Chen^a, Yung-Ping Liu^a, Chih-Yong Chen^b and Yi-Tsong Pan^b

^aDepartment of Industrial Engineering and Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, No. 168 Jifong E. Rd., Wufong, Taichung County 41349, Taiwan

^bInstitute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan, No. 99, Lane 407, Hengke Rd., Sijhih, Taipei County 22143, Taiwan

Received 18 December 2007;

revised 14 March 2009;

accepted 24 May 2009.

Available online 21 June 2009.

Abstract

Riders of twelve motorcycles, comprising 6 full-scale motorbikes and 6 motor-scooters, and 5 sedan vehicles, performed test runs on a 20.6 km paved road composed of 5 km, 5 km, and 10.6 km of rural, provincial and urban routes, respectively. Each test run of motorcycle was separately performed under speed limits of 55 km/h and 40 km/h. Tri-axial accelerations of whole-body vibration (WBV) were obtained by using a seat pad and a portable data logger, and the driver's view was videotaped with a portable media recorder. Root mean square (RMS) acceleration, 8-h estimated vibration dose value (VDV₍₈₎) and 8-h estimated daily dose of static compression dose (S_ed) were determined from the collected data in accordance with ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5 standards. Experimental results indicate that the WBV values of the sedan vehicle drivers have low RMS, VDV₍₈₎ and S_ed values (RMS 0.27–0.32 m/s²; VDV₍₈₎ 6.3–8.3 m/s^1.75; S_ed 0.21–0.26 MPa). However, over 90% of the motorcycle riders had VDV₍₈₎ (mean 23.5 m/s^1.75) exceeding the upper boundary of health guidance caution zone (17 m/s^1.75) recommended by ISO 2631-1, or had S_ed (mean 1.17 MPa) exceeding the value associated with a high probability of adverse health effects (0.8 MPa) recommended by ISO 2631-5. Over 50% of the motorcycle riders reached these boundary values for VDV and S_e in less than 2 h. The WBV exposure levels of the full-scale motorbikes riders and motor-scooter riders were not significantly different. However, the RMS and VDV₍₈₎ values of motorcycle riders indicate significant roadway effect (p <>S_ed values indicate significant speed limit effect (p <>