Vibration Exposure to Have Health Effects - Essay Example

However, they may not know the immediate cause. It is indicated that most of them may not know that vibration exposure may be the leading cause. On the other hand, hands-to-arm vibration occurs when individuals hold vibrating machines. However, such vibrations are not high magnitude compared to that causing whole body vibration. Nevertheless, it has effects on the body, especially when it is uncontrolled. It may cause loss of decreased grip and hand sensation. It has also been said to cause carpel tunnel syndrome.

This happens when pressure on the median nerve causes numbness and weakness in fingers and hands. Apart from the above mild health problems, research conducted in Europe and Australia has indicated the presence of some fatal ailments. Both studies agree that mental disorders, cardiovascular diseases and occupational cancer as some of the most likely health problems. With a lack of legal measures controlling exposure to vibrations, it has become challenging to manage these effects. However, many critics agree it is almost impossible to prevent machines from vibrating.

It will therefore be challenging to protect employees from these harmful exposures. However, the researchers have indicated job rotation and reduced duration of exposure as some of the ways to mitigate this effect. (i) Describe the nature of occupational vibration exposure and the health effects of exposure to vibration; provide researched examples of affected workers or groups of workers Literature review Vibration exposures as indicated above should not be taken for granted. Most employees are unaware of the health effects of exposure to vibrations (Seidel 2000, p.26). Though they may experience complications from time to time, they might not relate them to vibrations.

Several studies have been conducted to study the relationship between vibration exposure and health effects (VIBRISKS 2007, p.89). Most of those studies agree on one issue; that exposure to constant and persistent vibrations can result in fatal ailments. In 2008, the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) decided to find out how its workers were affected in terms of health due to vibration exposures. The council chose to survey with the help of the National Hazard Exposure Worker Surveillance (NHEWS) team.

The main target subjects were workers in the farming, fishing, transport, industrial and shipping sectors. These are the main occupations where individuals are more likely to be exposed to vibration (Macias 2007, p.90). The main reason for conducting the study was to determine whether the increased number of diseases, such as occupational cancer and cardiovascular disease, was linked to continued exposure (Paoli 2001, p.57). A sample of about 4,500 workers from the above sectors was selected for the study.

The researchers used the random sampling method to ensure that all subjects were given an equal chance to participate in the study. Telephone calls were made randomly to the employees, asking them questions about their occupations and how long they had worked. Secondly, the researcher wanted to know whether individuals understood the effects of vibrations on their health. Thirdly, subjects were asked to state some of the ailments they had been diagnosed within the recent past. The research findings found that all the issues involved one form of vibration. About 43% of the subjects were experiencing hand-arm kind of vibrations, while about 39% were exposed to whole-body vibrations (Palmer 2009, p.90). For instance, those in the fishing industry experienced the arm-to-hand type of vibration. On the other hand, those working in the industrial sectors were exposed to whole-body vibration most of the time.

Depending on the occupation of the subjects, the magnitude and time of exposure to vibration differed (Bernar 1997, p.54). While those working in the shipping and industrial sectors experienced it almost daily, those fishing experienced it less often. Due to these differences, the research indicated a difference in the severity of diseases related to vibrations. Subjects who had worked for a long in the industrial and shipping sectors reported more severe health problems than those who had just begun (OSHA 2000, p.56). However, research indicated that most subjects did not find any correlation between exposure to vibration and diseases.