Abstract
The U.S. Bureau of Mines, the Ontario Mining Health and Safety Branch, and an underground gold mining operation cooperated in a research study to evaluate the pre-and post-shift response to hand-arm vibration (HAV) exposure among underground drillers. The acute effect of HAV exposure was evaluated using three distinct measurement tools, including a test of sensitivity to varying levels and frequencies of vibration using a vibrometry system, a test of hand strength using a grip strength dynamometer, and tests of both gross movements of hands and arms and fine fingertip dexterity using the Purdue Pegboard tasks. Paired T-tests found no significant differences between pre-shift and post-shift vibrometry scores among shifts. Right-hand pegging, assembly, and the combined pegging scores were significantly higher for the post-shift testing when shifts were combined. None of the three measurement tools used appeared to be adequately sensitive to determine the effects of acute exposure to hand-arm vibration.
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