A study of hand vibration on chipping and grinding operators, part I: Vibration acceleration levels measured on pneumatic tools used in chipping and grinding operations

Abstract This paper describes the acceleration measurements and data analysis aspect of a comprehensive multidisciplined field study of several hundred chipper and grinder workers using pneumatic hand-held tools. Engineering testing of a sampling of these tools indicated that for a frequency range of 6·3 Hz to 1000 Hz, overall acceleration levels between 2000 m/s 2 and 24 000 m/s 2 were measured on the chisels and levels between 37 m/s 2 and 350 m/s 2 were measured on the handles of chipping hammers. Hand grinder acceleration levels ranged from 6 m/s 2 to 21 m/s 2 .