CEN/TR 12349:2023
(Main)Mechanical vibration - Guide to the health effects of vibration on the human body
Mechanical vibration - Guide to the health effects of vibration on the human body
The aim of this document is to provide information on the possible adverse health effects caused by exposure to vibration at work. The report addresses manufacturers, companies which introduce machinery on the EU market as well as employers and employees using vibrating machinery in order to improve their understanding of the possible health problems arising from occupational exposure to vibration.
This document is limited to the effects on health and does not cover the potential effects of vibration on comfort, human performance, or vibration perception. Most of the information on whole-body vibration in this document is based upon data available from research on human response to vibration of seated persons. There are only few data on the effects of vibration on persons in standing, reclining or recumbent positions.
The information on both hand-transmitted vibration and whole-body vibration is based upon data from laboratory research on acute effects as well as upon data from epidemiologic field-studies at workplaces.
Additional information can be obtained from the scientific literature.
Mechanische Schwingungen - Leitfaden über die Wirkung von Schwingungen auf die Gesundheit des Menschen
Vibrations mécaniques - Guide concernant les effets des vibrations sur la santé du corps humain
Le but du présent document est de fournir des informations sur les effets nocifs éventuels pour la santé provoqués par l’exposition aux vibrations au poste de travail. Ce rapport s’adresse aux fabricants, aux entreprises qui importent des machines sur le marché européen, ainsi qu’aux employeurs et aux employés utilisant des machines vibrantes afin d’améliorer leur compréhension des éventuels problèmes de santé dus à une exposition des travailleurs aux vibrations.
Le présent document se limite aux effets sur la santé et ne traite pas des effets éventuels des vibrations sur le confort, les performances humaines ou la perception des vibrations. La plupart des informations relatives aux vibrations transmises à l’ensemble du corps et figurant dans le présent document reposent sur des données fournies par des recherches portant sur la réponse aux vibrations des personnes assises. Les données sur les effets des vibrations sur des personnes debout, allongées ou couchées sont rares.
Les informations portant à la fois sur les vibrations transmises par la main et sur celles transmises au corps entier reposent sur les données fournies par des recherches en laboratoire sur les effets aigus ainsi que sur les données résultant d’études épidémiologiques menées sur les postes de travail.
Les publications scientifiques peuvent fournir des informations complémentaires.
Mehanske vibracije - Vodilo o vplivu vibracij na zdravje človeškega telesa
Cilj tega poročila CEN je zagotavljanje informacij o možnem škodljivem vplivu na zdravje, ki ga povzroča izpostavljenost vibracijam pri delu. Poročilo je namenjeno tako proizvajalcem kot tudi delodajalcem in zaposlenim, ki uporabljajo vibrirajoče stroje, da bi izboljšali njihovo razumevanje možnih zdravstvenih težav, ki izhajajo iz poklicne izpostavljenosti vibracijam.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2023
Mehanske vibracije - Vodilo o vplivu vibracij na zdravje človeškega telesa
Mechanical vibration - Guide to the health effects of vibration on the human body
Mechanische Schwingungen - Leitfaden über die Wirkung von Schwingungen auf die
Gesundheit des Menschen
Vibrations mécaniques - Guide concernant les effets des vibrations sur la santé du corps
humain
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TR 12349:2023
ICS:
13.160 Vpliv vibracij in udarcev na Vibration and shock with
ljudi respect to human beings
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
CEN/TR 12349
TECHNICAL REPORT
RAPPORT TECHNIQUE
August 2023
TECHNISCHER REPORT
ICS 13.160 Supersedes CR 12349:1996
English Version
Mechanical vibration - Guide to the health effects of
vibration on the human body
Vibrations mécaniques - Guide concernant les effets Mechanische Schwingungen - Leitfaden über die
des vibrations sur la santé du corps humain Wirkung von Schwingungen auf die Gesundheit des
Menschen
This Technical Report was approved by CEN on 9 July 2023. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 231.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2023 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TR 12349:2023 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Hand-transmitted vibration. 5
4.1 General. 5
4.2 Vascular disorders . 6
4.3 Neurological disorders . 7
4.4 Musculoskeletal disorders . 8
4.4.1 Skeletal – bone and joint disorders . 8
4.4.2 Muscular . 9
4.5 Other disorders . 9
5 Whole-body vibration . 9
5.1 General. 9
5.2 Low-back pain and back disorders . 10
5.3 Foot-transmitted vibration . 10
5.4 Other disorders . 11
5.4.1 Neck-shoulder disorders . 11
5.4.2 Digestive disorders . 11
5.4.3 Reproductive effects – stillbirth . 11
5.4.4 Circulatory disorders . 11
5.4.5 Cochleo-vestibular effects . 11
Annex A (informative) Prevention. 12
Annex B (informative) Glossary . 14
Bibliography . 16
European foreword
This document (CEN/TR 12349:2023) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 231
“Mechanical vibration and shock”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes CR 12349:1996.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
• general information about foot transmitted vibration included;
• subclauses on “Prevention” moved to new informative Annex A;
• glossary moved to Annex B;
• editorial revision to comply with CEN Internal Regulations.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
Introduction
This document is an update of the 1st version from 1996 and it provides a short overview of the
knowledge of the possible effects of vibration on the human body at work. It is an informative document
which presents general background information for the user of the different European Standards on
vibration. Information about existing approaches for prevention is provided in the informative Annex A.
A glossary with important terms is listed in Annex B.
Mechanical vibration arises from a wide variety of processes and operations performed in industry, craft,
forestry and agriculture, and public utilities. Vibrations are mainly caused by powered processes, hand-
held and hand-guided tools, workpieces, or by vehicles. Occupational exposure to vibration can lead to
health risks including occupational diseases. Exposure to harmful vibration can induce several
complaints and health disorders, mainly at the upper limbs and the lower back. A comprehensive
knowledge of effects of vibration on the body with risks for safety and health at work is essential to
implement appropriate technical, administrative/organisational, personal protective measures and
medical preventive measures.
This knowledge forms the basis for the EU Vibration Directive 2002/44/EC, its national implementation
at EU Member States and the continuous updating of this regulatory framework by new scientific
knowledge including the technical and medical guides to avoid or minimize occupational risks by
vibration exposure at work.
1 Scope
The aim of this document is to provide information on the possible adverse health effects caused by
exposure to vibration at work. The report addresses manufacturers, companies which introduce
machinery on the EU market as well as employers and employees using vibrating machinery in order to
improve their understanding of the possible health problems arising from occupational exposure to
vibration.
This document is limited to the effects on health and does not cover the potential effects of vibration on
comfort, human performance, or vibration perception. Most of the information on whole-body vibration
in this document is based upon data available from research on human response to vibration of seated
persons. There are only few data on the effects of vibration on persons in standing, reclining or recumbent
positions.
The information on both hand-transmitted vibration and whole-body vibration is based upon data from
laboratory research on acute effects as well as upon data from epidemiologic field-studies at workplaces.
Additional information can be obtained from the scientific literature.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
No terms and definitions are listed in this document.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
• IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
4 Hand-transmitted vibration
4.1 General
Powered processes and tools which expose operators’ hands to vibration are widespread in several
industrial and craft activities. Occupational exposure to hand-transmitted vibration can arise from
rotating and percussive hand-held power tools used in the manufacturing industry, craft, quarrying,
mining and construction, forestry and agriculture, and public utilities. Exposure to hand-transmitted
vibration can also occur from vibrating workpieces held in the hands of the operator, and from hand-held
vibrating controls such as motorcycle bars or vehicle steering wheels.
It has been estimated that 1,7 % to 3,6 % of the workers in the European countries are exposed to
potentially harmful hand-transmitted vibration.
The term hand-arm vibration (HAV) syndrome is commonly used to refer to the complex of peripheral
vascular, neurological and musculoskeletal disorders associated with exposure to hand-transmitted
vibration. Workers exposed to hand-transmitted vibration can be affected with neurological and/or
vascular disorders separately or simultaneously. Excessive exposure to hand-transmitted vibration can
include disturbances in finger blood flow, and in neurological and locomotor functions of the hand and
arm. Vascular disorders and bone and joints abnormalities caused by hand-transmitted vibration are
compensated occupational diseases in several countries. These disorders are also included in a European
schedule of recognized occupational diseases.
The vibration related diseases as listed at the European schedule of occupational diseases.
This is the background for the exposure action and limit values given in the EU Directive Vibration
connected with corresponding mandatory preventive measures.
4.2 Vascular disorders
Workers exposed to hand-transmitted vibration can complain of episodes of pale or white finger usually
triggered by cold exposure. This disorder, due to temporary abolition of blood circulation to the fingers,
is called Raynaud’s phenomenon (after Maurice Raynaud, a French physician who first described it in
1862). It is believed that vibration can disturb the digital circulation making it more sensitive to the
vasoconstrictive action of cold.
To explain cold-induced Raynaud’s phenomenon in vibration-exposed workers, some investigators
invoke an exaggerated central vasoconstrictor reflex caused by prolonged exposure to harmful vibration,
while others tend to emphasize the role of vibration-induced local changes in the digital vessels.
Various synonyms have been used to describe vibration-induced vascular disorders: dead or white finger,
Raynaud’s phenomenon of occupational origin, traumatic vasospastic disease, and, more recently,
vibration-induced white finger (VWF). VWF is a prescribed disease in many countries.
Initially attacks of blanching involve the tips at one or more fingers, but, with continued exposure to
vibration, the blanching can extend to the base of the fingers. Sometimes, an attack of blanching is
followed by cyanosis, i.e. a bluish discoloration of the affected fingers due to increased extraction of
oxygen from the sluggish digital circulation. In the recovery phase, commonly accelerated by warmth or
local massage, redness, eventually associated with pain, can appear in the affected fingers as a result of a
reactive increase of blood flow in the cutaneous vessels. The blanching attacks are more common in
winter than in summer and last from a few minutes to more than one hour. The duration varies with the
intensity of the triggering stimuli, the attack is usually ending when the entire body is warmed.
If vibration exposure continues, the blanching attacks become more frequent and can occur all year
around. In rare advanced cases, repeated and severe finger blanching attacks can lead to trophic changes
(ulceration or gangrene) in the skin of the fingertips. During the attack the affected workers can
experience a complete loss of touch sensation and manipulative dexterity, which can interfere with work
activity increasing the risk for acute injuries due to accidents. In occupational medicine various staging
systems for the classification of VWF have been developed. A grading scale proposed at the Stockholm
Workshop 86 is repo
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