Measurement of whole‐body vibration exposure from unsuspended cabin tractor semi‐trailers

Indian tractor semi-trailer drivers are exposed to mechanical whole-body vibration during their work. Some drivers suffer from low-back pain from this vibration. However, there is no evidence of a relationship between the whole-body vibration from tractor semi-trailers and low-back pain or occupational disease because of the lack of investigations. A field study was conducted to characterize the health risks associated with driving tractor semi-trailers. Studies were conducted at different loadings and on different road surfaces as well as at different speeds, with the vibrations measured at the driver–seat interface on x-longitudinal, y-transverse and z-vertical axes. The vibrations were compared with the health-risk guidance according to Annex B of ISO 2631-1 (ISO 2631/1, 1997). The findings of this study indicated that Indian tractor semi-trailer drivers should not operate continuously more than 4 h a day under current working conditions. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.