Comparing Three Methods for Evaluating Impact Wrench Vibration Emissions

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dong, Ren G. ; Marcotte P ; McDowell, Thomas W. ; Warren C ; Welcome DE
• Description:
  To provide a means for comparing impact wrenches and similar tools, the international standard ISO 8662-7 prescribes a method for measuring the vibrations at the handles of tools during their operations against a cotton-phenolic braking device. To improve the standard, alternative loading mechanisms have been proposed; one device comprises aluminum blocks with friction brake linings, while another features plate-mounted bolts to provide the tool load. The objective of this study was to evaluate these three loading methods so that tool evaluators can select appropriate loading devices in order to obtain results that can be applied to their specific workplace operations. Six experienced tool operators used five tool models to evaluate the loading mechanisms. The results of this study indicate that different loads can yield different tool comparison results. However, any of the three devices appears to be adequate for initial tool screenings. On the other hand, vibration emissions measured in the laboratory are unlikely to be fully representative of those in the workplace. Therefore, for final tool selections and for reliably assessing workplace vibration exposures, vibration measurements should be collected under actual working conditions. Evaluators need to use appropriate numbers of tools and tool operators in their assessments; recommendations are provided. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Monitoring Ergonomics Laboratories Musculoskeletal System Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Vibration Workplace
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Hand-transmitted Vibration Equipment-design Exposure-assessment Exposure-levels Exposure-methods Hand-injuries Hand-tools HAVS Impact Wrench Laboratory-testing Nut Runner Occupational-exposure Occupational-health Pneumatic-equipment Pneumatic-tools Power-tools Threaded Fastener Tools Vibration-disease Vibration-effects Vibration-exposure Work-analysis Work-operations Work-performance Work-practices Worker-motivation Workplace-studies

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• ISSN:
  0003-4878
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  53
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035825
• Citation:
  Ann Occup Hyg 2009 Aug; 53(6):617-626
• Contact Point Address:
  Thomas W. McDowell, NIOSH, Health Effects Laboratory Division, 1095 Willowdale Rd, Morgantown, WV 26505
• Email:
  TMcDowell@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Occupational Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5a2a6f1b40f4f07adb57fedf294cf42562043bffbea842983c323cab2355ae060641ac533780ce589c769bb9c97d1e532a6e3c06d7397b15e828141a308971e3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/187534/cdc_187534_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 541.74 KB ]