The Burden of Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand: Technical Report
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3.12 VIBRATION DISORDERS
Summary Vibration has been associated with lower back pain and several upper limb pain disorders, including secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (vibration white finger), carpal tunnel syndrome and scleroderma. Lower back pain is associated with whole-body vibration, but the relationship is not certain. Upper limb disorders are associated with increased levels of hand-transmitted vibration. A common cause of increased levels of whole-body vibration is vehicle operating, especially forklifts, tractors, loaders, trucks and buses. Common causes of increased levels of hand-transmitted vibration are hammer drills, hand-held portable grinders and jigsaws. There are no New Zealand-based studies of occupational disorders associated with whole-body vibration or hand-transmitted vibration. Most of the relevant work tasks associated with vibration occur in the New Zealand workforce.
Introduction
Vibration has been associated with lower back pain and several upper limb pain disorders, including secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (vibration white finger), carpal tunnel syndrome and scleroderma.
Exposures
Lower back pain is associated with whole-body vibration, but the relationship is not certain. Upper limb disorders are associated with increased levels of hand-transmitted vibration. A common cause of increased levels of whole-body vibration is vehicle operating, especially forklifts, tractors, loaders, trucks and buses. Occupations with highest exposures include forklift operators, farmers and farm workers, and truck drivers. Common causes of increased levels of hand-transmitted vibration are hammer drills, hand-held portable grinders and jigsaws. Occupations with the highest exposure seem to be bricklayers, brick masons, motor mechanics, gardeners, groundsmen, carpenters and joiners, electricians, builders and labourers[388, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415]. Carpal tunnel syndrome and scleroderma were dealt with in earlier sections.
New Zealand Studies of risk
There are no New Zealand-based studies of occupational disorders associated with whole-body vibration or hand-transmitted vibration.
New Zealand exposures
There are no useful measures of occupational exposure to vibration in New Zealand. However, most of the relevant work tasks occur in the New Zealand workforce.
