The sound with the vibration movements is quite close to each other. Sound generates pressure waves, which cause excessive vibration of the eardrum. Therefore, it is technically necessary to reduce vibration to try to reduce noise. Vibrations arising from various sources in the working environment negatively affect the health and safety of the employees as well as reduce the working efficiency. Two types of vibrations are mentioned in terms of the effects of vibrations on workers. The first is the hand and arm vibrations of the employees and the other is the whole body vibration.
In 2013, The Ministry of Labor and Social Security issued a Regulation on Protection of Employees from Vibration Related Risks. This regulation aims to ensure that employees are protected from health and safety risks arising from mechanical vibration. This regulation, which applies to all businesses covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Law, is also in line with the European Parliament and Council Directive 2002 / 2002 / EC issued in 44.
In this regulation, whole-body vibration is defined as mechanical vibrations that, when passed over the entire body of the employees, pose a danger to the health and safety of the employee, particularly trauma to the spine and various discomforts in the lumbar region.
According to this regulation, the exposure action value is the value that requires the control of the risks arising from the exposure of employees to vibration if it is exceeded. Exposure limit value is the value that employees should not be subjected to any vibration above this value. Accordingly, these values for the whole body vibration were determined as follows:
- Daily exposure limit value for an operating time of eight hours: 1,15 m / s2
- Daily exposure action value for an eight-hour run time: 0,5 m / s2.
What is the Scope of Whole Body Vibration Personal Exposure Measurement?
Apart from the aforementioned regulation, the same Ministry has issued a Regulation on Health and Safety Conditions in the Use of Work Equipment. This regulation aims to ensure that the environments and equipment used by the employees in the workplaces are tested and inspected by the enterprises at regular intervals and in accordance with certain methods.
The enterprises are responsible for determining the reasons for exceeding the exposure limit values and taking the necessary measures to prevent this. In this context, they must prepare appropriate work programs and ensure that employees are not exposed to vibrations in any case over exposure limit values. In these studies, the following three components of vibrations are evaluated together: the exposure surface, the frequency of the vibration, and the duration of the vibration.
Businesses are therefore required to carry out risk assessment in their workplaces and to do personal body exposure measurements. There are many national and international standards that are taken as basis for these measurements. A few standards to consider are:
- Mechanical Vibration - Measurement and Evaluation of Manually Operated Vibration - Section 5349: General Rules
- 5349-2 Mechanical Vibration - Measurement and Evaluation of Hand-held, Hand-to-Body Vibration - Part 2: Practical Guide for Measuring Workplaces
our organization TÜRCERT Technical Control and Certification Inc.provides measurement services in accordance with national and international standards and with an impartial approach. In addition, during these activities, TS EN ISO / IEC 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Inspection Organizations complies with the principles. It is also accredited according to this standard. More detailed information about the measurement of the whole body vibration personal exposure between workplace measurements can be requested from our employees.