EXAMINATION OF THE ADAPTOR APPROACH FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF HAND-TRANSMITTED VIBRATION EXPOSURE

摘要

According to the current ISO 5349-2 (2001) [1], hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) exposure should be measuredusing accelerometers rigidly fixed on the vibrating surfacein the hand contact areas. If it is difficult to apply thisapproach, HTV can be alternatively measured using anadaptor held in the hand (ISO 5349-2, 2001) [2]. Comparedwith the direct approach, the adaptor approach has severaladvantages if applied appropriately. For example, it couldbe more efficient for the measurement and less intrusive tothe tool operation; hence, it may be suitable for a long-termmonitoring measurement. Probably for this reason, theadaptor approach has been considered in the development ofsome convenient or direct-reading devices for HTVmeasurement. However, it is not the preferred option in thestandardized methodology, primarily because the adaptorvibration could be affected by the inconsistency of the hand-applied forces and the biodynamic response of the hand.The objectives of this study are to find the specificmechanisms of the biodynamic effects and to identify theoptimized design of the adaptor and/or its hand-holdingstrategy so that the undesired effects could be minimized.