Consideration of grip and push forces for the assessment of vibration exposure

There is much influence of the coupling forces between hand and grip of the vibrating tool on the measuring results as well as on the vibration effects on the hand-arm system. In a research project the effects of grip and push forces on acute responses of the hand-arm system under vibration conditions have been studied. Using these results of the biodynamic response, vibration perception threshold and subjective vibration sensation a bonus/malus system for a correction of the measured frequency-weighted r.m.s. acceleration was drafted, to assess the hand-arm vibration at the workplace: Since there is no difference between the acute effects of grip force and push force, so the forces have to be added and defined as coupling force Fcf. On the basis of this coupling force Fcf a correcting factor cF may be calculated. The factor amounts to 0.6 at Fcf = 20 N, 1.0 at Fcf = 120 N and 1.1 at Fcf = 200 N. To correct the measured weighted r.m.s. acceleration ahwz (Fcf) depending on coupling forces the r.m.s. acceleration has to be multiplied with the correcting factor cF. The drafted procedure enables to assess vibration exposure depending on coupling forces in a standardized way.