Glove and Tool Intervention to Reduce Hand-Arm Vibration

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brammer A ; Cherniack, Martin G. ; Peterson D ; Warren N
• Description:
  This study involved the pairing of anti-vibration (AV) tools and gloves to optimize the reduction of transmission of vibration to the hands of production workers using pneumatic tools. The project involved several different components: 1) laboratory and field determinations of optimized exposure reduction; 2) assessing exposure conditions in the work environment by developing specialized data logging instrumentation; 3) developing specialized tactometry to assess exposure effects on sensory organelles in the fingertips; and 4) combining laboratory and field assessments to make recommendations on the optimal selection of tools and protection. The project also included an implicit evaluation of the utility of the ISO vibratory assessment standard (ISO 5349.1, 2001) and its glove testing standard (ISO 10819, 2013). While it was understood that the existing standards would be followed for testing, the extent of this work provided an opportunity for assessing the accuracy and utility of the international standards. The field component of this project was based at two industrial manufacturers, an appliance maker in Iowa and an aerospace defense contractor in Connecticut. Thirty-five different tools were assessed for their vibratory characteristics. In addition, testing was conducted with 8 commercial gloves, 4 materials suitable for glove manufacture, and one prototype glove designed in our laboratory. The AV glove studies were conducted in concert through cooperative agreement with the Engineering & Control Technology Branch National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, USA. The NIOSH component of this study provided a basis for comparing 1-D and 3-D vibration simulations, and produced parallel conclusions on the importance of axis and grip and contact characteristics. Important findings included the lack of utility of AV gloves for digital protection from vibration, and major flaws in the ISO glove testing standard (ISO 10819, 2013) as an estimator of risk. Important outcomes were the development of specialized data loggers and finger sensors, and a field tactometer that offered cost and portability advantages over current models. Aims 1-3 of this study were successfully completed with useful results. Aim 4 was only partially completed. The final field component was truncated because of barriers at the two established study sites in the final year of the project. These barriers included a change in production design and priorities at the appliance manufacturing site, and failure to negotiate an acceptable non-disclosure agreement between the University and the defense contractor site. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety
• Keywords:
  Antivibration Exposure Assessment Gloves Industrial Environment Pneumatic Tools Vibration Control Vibration Suppressors
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Connecticut ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-24
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054598
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2019-100565
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R01-OH-008997, 2014 Nov; :1-24
• Contact Point Address:
  Martin Cherniack, MD, MPH, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-2017
• Email:
  cherniack@uchc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction ; Manufacturing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Dentistry
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20130831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:15d716db638ff1f94bbbd4b6074ec6b535394d6775653f8761a16f9ef245715536bd2b6a4b589c9ca59d5df3ba86db9a59cf43d2e46c8f2d37a1b725366e04b6
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218819/cdc_218819_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 928.34 KB ]