Exposure monitoring system for day-long vibration and palm force measurements

A small, highly portable data-logging system, including a palm-mounted adapter containing an accelerometer and a force sensor, was developed to record user-specific tool-operating times, hand-transmitted vibration, and palm forces throughout all, or a representative part, of an 8-h workday. The microprocessor-based device has proved to be cost-effective, robust, and flexible and can be applied across a wide range of occupations and occupational settings involving exposures to vibration.Relevance to IndustryWhen considering past research, there still remains a clear need for a methodology that accurately measures day-long vibration exposures over the course of the entire working day regardless of work cycle times and work patterns. The Vibration Exposure Monitor (VEM) system enables hand–arm vibrations to be more accurately characterized and so can assist in modeling exposure–response relationships in vibration-intensive work environments.