Just about every construction worker who spends most of the day breaking, grinding, drilling or sawing knows that it is not easy on the hands. The risk of long-term injury that results from hand-arm vibration is well known and has been heavily documented over the last century. Many scientists believe that hard work can be accomplished without the hand, arm and shoulder pain associated with power tools, and large employers looking to reduce risk and claims don’t mind paying a small premium to make workers more comfortable. That is why regulations across the Atlantic are limiting workers’ exposure to occupational vibration, forcing employers and suppliers to rethink and retool. Thanks to global manufacturing, though, you do not have to book a ticket to Brussels to start taking advantage of the good vibrations in power tools.
Vibration is a big problem in the construction industry. According to scientists at the Washington, D.C.-based National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, about 540,000 construction workers a year are exposed to whole-body vibration from bouncing around in the cabs of heavy-duty machinery. All types of industries combined, including truckers, whole-body vibration potentially impacts the lives of about eight-million people. Sore backs are not the only casualties of occupational vibration, however.