Download or read book Evaluating the Effects of Altering Whole body Vibration Exposures on Truck Drivers Vigilance written by Fangfang Wang and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whole-body vibration (WBV) may contribute to truck driver fatigue and increase the potential for vehicular accidents. Previous studies of truck induced WBV exposures have mostly focused on physical discomfort, whereas there is little quantitative research on how WBV affects drivers' alertness levels. The goal of this study is to explore whether there is an association between exposures to WBV and truck drivers' vigilance, the fundamental aspect of attention. Truck driver's vigilance was measured using Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT). Furthermore, a laboratory-based study and a field study were conducted to assess drivers' vigilance performance with different levels of exposure to WBV created by using seats with different vibration damping performance. The results indicated that the changes of drivers' vigilance were dependent on the WBV exposure levels. Less decline in vigilance performance was found after drivers sat in the truck seats that exposed them to lower levels of vibration, which may be due to seat-related differences in the vibration attenuation performance, and in particular, the attenuation of low frequency energy (1 - 4 Hz) in these seats. This dissertation provides evidence that truck seats, and ultimately different levels of exposure to WBV, may influence driver fatigue and the truck driver's vigilance.

Download or read book Evaluating Whole Body Vibration and Standing Balance Among Truck Drivers written by Molly Halverson and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over 60% of fatal fall-related occupational injuries occur in the long haul freight trucking industry. Exposure to whole body vibration (WBV) from driving or operating vehicles has been shown to negatively affect balance and may contribute to falls when entering or exiting the vehicle. Fall-related injuries are eight times more likely to occur upon exiting the vehicle than entering. It is hypothesized that WBV has a detrimental effect on postural stability upon truck egress and may be a contributing factor to falls when truck drivers egress their truck. Using field-collected WBV exposures from the floor of a truck cab, a three-dimensional vibrating platform (hexapod system) was used in a laboratory setting to expose eight truck drivers to two hours of simulated truck driving. The hexapod system provided an accurate and systematic method to simulate these vibrational exposures for the purpose of investigating whether balance changes occurred with prolonged exposure to WBV. Using a repeated measures design, the truck drivers participated in two exposure levels: 1) sitting in an electromechanically active-suspension vibration-reducing seat, and 2) sitting in a standard passive, air-suspension truck seat. Based on field measurements, WBV exposures were expected to be approximately 50% lower in the seat with the electromechanically active-suspension. Seat order was randomized and counterbalanced. Immediately before exposure to WBV, after two hours of exposure, and five and ten minute post exposure, participants were asked to stand on a Wii balance board under two conditions, one with the eyes closed and the other with the eyes open. Each measurement lasted 30 seconds during which the standing balance center of pressure (COP) deviations were measured. In addition, a subcomponent of the Mini-BEST test, a qualitative clinical balance assessment tool, was performed to complement the quantitative force plate measurements. The association between exposure to WBV and postural instability was assessed pre- and post- WBV exposure, in the ten minutes post-exposure, and between the two different WBV exposures (the two seat conditions). Postural measurements of interest for the COP deviations focused on medio-lateral (ML) path length, anterior-posterior (AP) path length, and total path length. Secondary variables included the standard deviation of the AP and ML components. Other variables of interest included assessing the balance measurements with the eyes open/closed to determine whether the visual component of vibration, vestibular component, or both induced imbalance. Significant differences were found between all balance measurements (ML, AP, total path length) before and after WBV exposure for eyes open status but not eyes closed. Relative to the passive, air-suspension seat, the subjects' WBV exposures were roughly 50% lower with the active suspension seat. The decrease in WBV exposure associated with sitting in the active suspension seat did not affect postural balance when compared to the passive, air-suspension seat. After 10 minutes post exposure, balance measurements (path lengths) had returned to baseline in the eyes open balance measurements but were better (shorter than baseline) in the eyes closed measurement.

Download or read book Analysis of an Intervention to Reduce Truck Drivers Exposure to Whole body Vibration written by Thomas Louwers and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction. The high prevalence of low back pain in drivers of commercial motor vehicles is well-documented. A number of interventions to reduce low back pain in commercial motor vehicle operators have focused on reducing exposures to wholebody vibration (WBV). Objective. An intervention to be evaluated for the trucking industry is an air-filled ballistic seat pad designed to reduce exposure to WBV. The effectiveness of the seat pad in semi-trucks has not yet been established. Results from a previous pilot study involving 12-ton and 16-ton vibratory rollers used by Seattle Public Utility drivers suggest that the seat pad is not effective at very low speeds (1-3 mph). Methods. The current study measures, characterizes and compares WBV exposures in nine truck drivers who operated their trucks over the same roads. WBV exposures were compared between their existing air-suspension seat and the air-filled ballistic seat pad which sat on top of their existing seat. This study uses a Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare the seat pad’s effectiveness in reducing WBV exposures relative to their existing air-suspension seat. Results. Overall, the truck drivers' vibration exposures were above daily vibration action values set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the air-filled ballistic seat pad did not significantly reduce WBV exposures relative to the WBV exposures experienced with their existing air-suspension seat. Conclusions. In the semi-trucks evaluated in this study, the air-filled ballistic seat pad was not effective in reducing WBV exposures. The seat pad has been shown to be effective in reducing WBV exposures in public transportation buses and cars. The answer for why the air-filled seat pads were not effective in semi-trucks may lie in a future analysis of the power spectral densities, which shows the vibration exposures as a function of frequency. Buses and cars produce more high frequency vibration energy, and the air-filled seat pad has been shown to be effective in these vehicles when travelling at moderate to high speeds. Trucks may produce less high frequency vibration energy, and this may have diminished the air-filled seat pad’s effectiveness in the semi-truck evaluated in this study.

Download or read book Heavy Vehicle Seat Vibration and Driver Fatigue written by Nick Mabbott and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Evaluating the Impact of Whole body Vibration wbv on Fatigue and the Implications for Driver Safety written by Wendy M. Troxel and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Driver fatigue is a significant contributor to motor vehicle accidents and fatalities, although the exact share of those events attributable to fatigue is still uncertain. In 2013, accidents involving heavy trucks killed more than 3,944 people in the United States, with over 80 percent of those killed not in the truck. Numerous factors contribute to driver fatigue among commercial drivers, including shiftwork schedules; high prevalence of alcohol and substance use; extended hours; comorbid medical conditions, such as pain, and high prevalence of sleep disorders. Many of these factors have been studied extensively in the trucking industry. Whole-body vibration (WBV) is another potential factor that may contribute to driver fatigue, but it has received little attention. Beginning in January 2015, Bose Corporation and AIG commissioned the RAND Corporation to study the link between WBV and driver fatigue. This report summarizes the findings from RAND's systematic review of the literature on WBV and fatigue as well as considers appropriate study designs and methodology that will inform new areas of research focused on improving the safety of truckers and those who share the road with them. The literature review identified 24 studies examining the impact of WBV on fatigue or sleepiness. The majority of studies (n = 18) found a significant association between WBV and fatigue or sleepiness; however, there are several limitations of the existing literature that preclude definitive conclusions regarding the impact of WBV on these outcomes. This report concludes with recommendations for future studies to strengthen the evidence base.

Download or read book Determining how Long Truck Driver Whole Body Vibration Exposure Data Has to be Collected to Accurate Estimate Actual Daily Exposures written by Richard Taing and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction: Exposure to Whole body Vibration (WBV) has been associated with increased prevalence of low back pain in occupational settings. Not only does exposure to WBV have a high personal cost for worker’s who experience chronic pain, but it also has a high impact on the costs of workers’ compensation claims. Current guidelines, the International Standard of Mechanical Vibration and Shock (ISO 2631-1) are devoid of any identifiable or concrete recommendations for the length of time needed to accurately and reliably characterize a vehicle operator’s exposure to WBV. Determining and optimizing the required measurement duration period is needed to characterize a full-shift exposure for WBV exposure measurements as well as reducing the costs associated with assessing and addressing WBV-related issues. Methods: This study used tri-axial accelerometers with a GPS logger to measure WBV in regional 58 truck drivers for 64 full-shift samples. It focused on three WBV exposure parameters: root mean square weighted acceleration (Aw), vibration dose value (VDV), and the Seat Effective Amplitude Transmissibility (SEAT) ratio. Seat exposure measurements were taken in 3 axes (X, Y, and Z). Each full-shift sample was broken into segments of differing measurement durations (minutes) from the same common data collection starting point: (5, 7.5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480) Using the GPS data, WBV exposure data was also characterized on the basis of whether the vehicle was moving or not moving. Results: The Z-axis was determined to be the predominant axis of exposure in this study. Aw exposures in the X- and Z- axes increased for the first 60 minutes. A follow up Tukey test showed that measurement durations of 30 minutes or longer in the predominant Z- axis were no different than the full-shift, 8-hour exposure measurement. This observation was supported for VDV and across the other axes. An analysis showed that the SEAT values should be based solely on WBV exposures during vehicle movement or SEAT values will likely be overestimated if based on moving and non-moving vehicle exposures. Discussion: In this study, the Aw analysis along the Z-axis showed that shorter durations of measurement exposure (30 minutes or longer) can accurately characterize the daily full-shift exposure of regional truck drivers. The analysis of the exposure data showed that SEAT values and VDV exposures should solely be based on the WBV exposures during vehicle movement. This methodology may be employed for other operators of other vehicle types and workers in other industry sectors.

Download or read book The Human Response Study to Whole body Vibration in the Cab of Heavy Duty Truck written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lower back pains are observed to be the most significant problem for most of the industrial workers who operate commercial trucks. Several factors such as road type, truck type, load, etc, have been found to affect the vibration exposure on the truck drivers. The main purpose of the current research is to collect the responses of Whole-body vibration to the truck driver and analyze the current levels of excitation from a variety of trucks. Present thesis work also examines the effects of different trucks, road types and loads to Whole-body vibration. Data collected in the United States on different types of trucks were processed with different processors and analysed as per the international standards: ISO 2361-1. First set of data were taken with HVM-100 on a scheduled on-road route from driver's seat cushion on different roads and load conditions. Second set of data were collected by DEWE data acquisition system from the trucks running on the same on-road route, with the application of additional transducers on driver's seat back, passenger's seat cushion as well as the cab floor. The frequency-weighted r.m.s accelerations were compared by different trucks on two different road types: interstate and rural highway for HVM data. The results from the same trucks with loaded trailer or without loaded trailer were also discussed in this thesis. The data recorded by DEWE system were analyzed with Matlab program to compare the frequency-weighted accelerations for different trucks. Additional analysis with VDV and jerk were also done. Road type was the primary factor affecting the driver's exposure. For both studies, the minimum 8-hr and the minimum 11-hr standard limits requiring a medical examination set by the standard for health were exceeded several times whereas the same for comfort was exceeded a lot of times. Overall, the driver was found to be safe as per ISO 2631-1 but the comfort levels were often exceeded. It is suggested that necessary action be taken to increase the comfort.

Download or read book Evaluating the Exposure of Tanker Truck Drivers to Whole body Vibration written by Paul-Emile Boileau and published by [Montréal] : IRSST. This book was released on 1990 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Relationships Between Wholebody Vibration and Morbidity Patterns Among Interstate Truck Drivers written by George J. Gruber and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Evaluating the exposure of tanker truck drivers to whole body vibration written by Paule-émile Boileau and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Effects of Whole Body Vibration written by Heinrich Dupuis and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The observations made by Paracelsus concerning the dose-effect relationship of poison are generally just as applicable to health threatening vibration. With regard to kind, intensity, and duration of the vibration, the "dose" is decisive as to whether the conse quences are detrimental, unmeaningful, or tolerable with respect to health. This law of nature determines the tasks and goals of those whose aim is to safeguard health. Researchers worldwide have been occupying themselves with this many-faceted question for some time: how mechanical vibration affects the human organism and at what point damage occurs. If prevention in occupational medicine is to succeed, it is most important that the gaps in our present knowledge be closed, for if technical preventive measures are to be effective and preventive means in occupational medicine successful, they must be based on reliable and complete findings. Whenever many independent researchers have worked in a given field for a long period, a comprehensive intermediate as sessment is appropriate to evaluate the level achieved and the direction the research is going. In the area of hand-arm vibration, this evaluation has already been carried out, and the response aroused by this particular research report had led to a demand for a comparable evaluation of the research results on whole-body vibration. This report presents clearly and exhaustively the current status of international knowledge, as well as the questions that remain to be answered.

Download or read book NIOSH Publications Catalog written by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 680 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue Long Term Health and Highway Safety written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-09-12 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are approximately 4,000 fatalities in crashes involving trucks and buses in the United States each year. Though estimates are wide-ranging, possibly 10 to 20 percent of these crashes might have involved fatigued drivers. The stresses associated with their particular jobs (irregular schedules, etc.) and the lifestyle that many truck and bus drivers lead, puts them at substantial risk for insufficient sleep and for developing short- and long-term health problems. Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue, Long-Term Health and Highway Safety assesses the state of knowledge about the relationship of such factors as hours of driving, hours on duty, and periods of rest to the fatigue experienced by truck and bus drivers while driving and the implications for the safe operation of their vehicles. This report evaluates the relationship of these factors to drivers' health over the longer term, and identifies improvements in data and research methods that can lead to better understanding in both areas.

Download or read book Vibration Analysis of Heavy duty Diesel Vehicles written by Christopher Jack Campbell and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Truck drivers are more susceptible than other workers to lower back pain and spinal disorders caused by whole body vibrations, which are among the most common long term health effects for drivers. The dynamic behavior of trucks can be modeled and simulated to improve the design of the trucks, which can reduce the exposure of drivers to whole body vibrations. The main purposes of this study are to analyze vibrations for different manufacturers and road types, and to create a computer-based model using Adams to predict vibration anywhere on the model using acceleration data collected previously from on-road tests of real vehicles. Another objective of this study is to develop a method for validating an Adams model of trucks tested. Also, this study examines the results predicted by the simulations. This study uses vibration measurements that were made on twenty-two heavy-duty diesel vehicles from four different manufacturers, each driven on the same route, which include rural and interstate roads. Road types and manufacturers are compared using data from an accelerometer located underneath the driver seat. Vertical vibrations in five trucks are simulated using Adams, one truck from each manufacturer and one without a trailer. Vibrations in three orthogonal directions are compared for of the trucks. Results show that the vibrations on the roads of US-27 and I-75 are similar to each other, while the manufacturers show significant differences between one another. Two basic models were developed with Adams that use collected data to "drive" the model. Results are more accurate when the data from the transducers located on the body of interest are used as impact. Only one transducer is needed on the body of interest to provide accurate results. Since the mechanical properties of the trucks tested were not available, the model has not been validated. However, the model could be validated if the specifications of a tested truck were given.

Download or read book Traffic Safety Facts written by and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 4 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Relationship Between Wholebody Vibration and Morbidity Patterns Among Interstate Truck Drivers written by and published by . This book was released on 1976 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Human Response to Vibration written by Neil J. Mansfield and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2004-10-28 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through continued collaboration and the sharing of ideas, data, and results, the international community of researchers and practitioners has developed an understanding of many facets of the human response to vibration. At a time when the EU is preparing to adopt a directive on health risks arising from occupational exposure to vibration, Human Response to Vibration offers authoritative guidance on this complex subject. Individual chapters in the book examine issues relating to whole-body vibration, hand-arm vibration, and motion sickness. Vibration measurements and standards are also addressed. This book meets the needs of those requiring knowledge of human response to vibration in order to make practical improvements to the physical working environment. Written with the consultant, practitioner, researcher, and student in mind, the text is designed to be an educational tool, a reference, and a stimulus for new ideas for the next generation of specialists.