Quantitative exposure assessment for shipyard workers exposed to hand-transmitted vibration from a variety of vibration tools.

The quantitative exposure to vibration for shipyard workers who have used several kinds of vibratory tools was studied. The dose-response relationship between lifetime exposure dose and hand-arm vibration syndrome also was studied. The study included 344 workers who were exposed to vibration in one shipyard and 53 unexposed workers in the same company. Vibration measurements were made on several vibratory tools according to the international standard, ISO 5349. The actual exposure times for the vibratory tools were measured. Questionnaires for demographics, exposure to vibration, and confounding factors were completed. A lifetime vibration dose was calculated for each worker using job categories, usage pattern of vibratory tools, and the measured vibration acceleration magnitude. Each worker was asked about vascular and neurological symptoms, and symptoms were classified according to the Stockholm workshop scale. The prevalence of vascular and sensorineural symptoms for workers exposed to vibration was 22.7 and 78.2%, which were significantly higher than 0 and 34.0% obtained in the nonexposed workers, respectively. The prevalence and severity of the hand-arm vibration syndrome was increased with an increased lifetime vibration dose. The lifetime vibration dose showed a significant association with both vascular and sensorineural symptoms. In conclusion, the lifetime vibration dose was a useful parameter for quantitative exposure assessment and showed a dose-response relationship between exposure and symptoms when adjusted for confounding factors.