Risk assessment of the whole-body vibration exposure for drivers of armored vehicles: A case study

• Published in: International journal of safety and security engineering Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 53 - 62
• Main Authors: Alfaro Degan, G., Coltrinari, G., Lippiello, D., Pinzari, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Southampton W I T Press 31.03.2016
• Subjects: Armored vehicles; Automobile safety; Automobiles; Body weight; Boundary conditions; Drivers; Exposure; Mass distribution; Reduction; Risk assessment; Vehicles; Vibration
• ISSN: 2041-9031; 2041-904X
• DOI: 10.2495/SAFE-V6-N1-53-62

It is widely recognized in the field of safety at workplace that professional exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) may generate unfavorable effects on workers’ health. Among many involved categories, professional drivers are clearly one of the most exposed groups, as exposure time may last for the whole working period. This research is based on the results of measurements gathered from 14 subjects who drove vehicles for urban use. In particular, in order to highlight the effects of vehicle armoring on professional WBV dose, two sampling campaigns were carried out. In the first case, a car for standard use was used while, in the second one, another vehicle of the same model was modified with the installation of the armor-plate for ballistic protection. The assessment was carried out in accordance with ISO 2631-1(97), under the same boundary conditions, and finally the daily exposure parameter was assessed. Furthermore, to allow a comparison independent of individual factors, the exposed subjects were divided into homogeneous groups of different classes based on their body weight and height. The results obtained showed that WBV exposure is clearly connected with vehicle characteristics. In particular, the installation of bulletproof armor, contributing to a change in the car mass distribution and its total weight, determines a generalized reduction of professional dose. This reduction may be quantified in a range from 10% to 20% depending on the individual characteristics of the driver.