ISO/DTS 22270
(Main)Mechanical vibration — Practical guidance for the monitoring and measurement of hand-transmitted vibration on the hand, wrist or forearm
Mechanical vibration — Practical guidance for the monitoring and measurement of hand-transmitted vibration on the hand, wrist or forearm
This document is aimed at manufacturers of systems that measure or monitor vibration on the hand, wrist or arm. This document is also aimed at those performing measurements or monitoring of vibration on the hand, wrist or arm, including those involved in research. This document provides guidance on evaluation of daily exposures to hand-arm vibration in the workplace where measurement or monitoring systems are fitted to the hand, wrist or arm. This document provides guidance to equipment manufacturers on how to provide suitable information to users on the scope and limitations of their equipment. It also provides guidance to users on the practical use and validation of these systems for monitoring or measurement in the workplace. This document provides information on measurement methods that supplement the methods described in ISO 5349-1. This document does not apply to measurements related to ISO 5349-1, for example, fulfilling duties under national regulations for either workplace vibration exposures or machinery vibration emissions.
Vibrations mécaniques — Directives pratiques pour la surveillance et le mesurage des vibrations transmises à la main vibration sur la main, le poignet ou l'avant-bras
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
FINAL DRAFT
Technical
Specification
ISO/TC 108/SC 4
Mechanical vibration — Practical
Secretariat: DIN
guidance for the monitoring and
Voting begins on:
measurement of hand-transmitted
2025-10-22
vibration on the hand, wrist or
Voting terminates on:
forearm
2025-12-17
Vibrations mécaniques — Directives pratiques pour la
surveillance et le mesurage des vibrations transmises à la main
vibration sur la main, le poignet ou l'avant-bras
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT,
WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION OF ANY
RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE
AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING DOCUMENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES, DRAFT
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE
TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL
TO BECOME STAN DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE
MADE IN NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
Reference number
FINAL DRAFT
Technical
Specification
ISO/TC 108/SC 4
Mechanical vibration — Practical
Secretariat: DIN
guidance for the monitoring
Voting begins on:
and measurement of hand-
transmitted vibration on the
Voting terminates on:
hand, wrist or forearm
Vibrations mécaniques — Directives pratiques pour la
surveillance et le mesurage des vibrations transmises à la main
vibration sur la main, le poignet ou l'avant-bras
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT,
WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION OF ANY
RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE
AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING DOCUMENTATION.
© ISO 2025
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES, DRAFT
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
TO BECOME STAN DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE
MADE IN NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland Reference number
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Overview . 2
4.1 On-body monitoring .2
4.1.1 General .2
4.1.2 Potential advantages .3
4.1.3 Limitations of vibration magnitude evaluation .4
4.1.4 Data protection .5
5 Monitoring . 6
5.1 Selection and specification of location for on-body monitoring .6
5.2 Choice of hand .6
5.3 Transducer orientation .6
5.4 Vibration transmission characteristics .7
5.5 On-body monitoring device/system .7
5.5.1 Transducer .7
5.5.2 Transducer fixing force .7
5.5.3 Mass and size of the attached monitoring system .7
5.5.4 Connection with ISO 8041-2 .7
5.5.5 Repeatability and reproducibility .8
5.5.6 Verification of the monitoring system .8
5.5.7 In situ checks (sensitivity checks and self-testing) .8
5.5.8 Comparison against ISO 5349-1 measurements .8
5.5.9 Evaluation of vibration transfer characteristics .9
6 Signal processing . 9
6.1 General .9
6.2 Error/artefact handling .10
6.3 Attached monitoring system .10
7 Reporting .11
7.1 General .11
7.2 Instrument characteristics . .11
7.3 Monitoring system validation .11
7.4 Results . .11
7.5 Supplementary information . 12
Annex A (informative) Evaluation of vibration transfer characteristics for on-body monitoring
systems .13
Annex B (informative) Example of on-body monitoring validation and test reports .15
Bibliography .21
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 108, Mechanical vibration, shock and condition
monitoring, Subcommittee SC 4, Human exposure to mechanical vibration and shock.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
The objective of this document is to provide practical guidance for the monitoring and measurement of
hand-transmitted vibration on the hand, wrist, or forearm.
Wearables, MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) transducers, and other technologies are widely
available and routinely used for monitoring hand-transmitted vibration (HAV) exposure in the workplace.
These systems and devices are robust, can be inexpensive and substantially smaller than traditional
[1]
measurement systems on which standards such as ISO 5349-1 and ISO 5349-2 are based.
These evolving technologies provide opportunities for practical in situ monitoring and measurements
conducted over long periods of time, which can include the use of multiple machines and work processes.
These new types of measurements can be at locations on the hand, wrist or forearm; away from the vibrating
surface interface where vibration enters the hand.
Formally, measurements away from the hand-machine interface do not comply with ISO 5349-1. For this
reason, measurements away from the hand-machine interface should not replace ISO 5349-1 measurement
when, for example, fulfilling duties under national regulations for either workplace vibration exposures
or machinery vibration emissions. Full conformity with ISO 5349-1 may not be required if the purpose
is to understand and control vibration exposures or for research applications. However, devices using
measurement on the body are available and are being used to monitor vibration exposures and augment
traditional measurements. If users account for the limitations of the devices, including the additional
measurement uncertainties, they can provide data which supplements that given by the ISO 5349-1
methodology, leading to a better understanding of the risks for those exposed to hand arm vibration. The
objective of this document is to highlight the potential benefits and limitations of measurement on the hand,
wrist or arm and to provide guidance on how to reduce the impact of the limitations on vibration evaluations.
Body-mounted measurement may allow a simpler, lower-cost monitoring of an individual’s vibration
exposure over long periods, such as a full working day, shift, or even a year or more. This type of long-term
monitoring can provide valuable information on vibration exposure patterns and indicators to vibration
risks. These data can then inform risk control management procedures and thereby reduce the vibration
exposure of individuals.
One objective of body-mounted measurement systems is to reduce or remove the need for specialist
technicians to be present during measurement, by allowing simple fitting and removal by operators with
basic training and automatic data download. By comparison, traditional measurement, that conforms
to ISO 5349-1, should be performed by specialists who should have a detailed understanding of the
measurement system and awareness of the possible sources of error.
This document provides guidance to those developing on-body measurement systems and for those using
these systems. It discusses the factors that need to be considered, such as: instrumentation characteristics,
measurement locations on the hand, wrist, or forearm, and the vibration transfer characteristics from the
vibrating surface to the body-mounted sensor.
This document is aimed at manufacturers of systems that measure or monitor vibration on the hand, wrist
or arm. This document is also aimed at those performing measurements or monitoring of vibration on the
hand, wrist, or arm, including those involved in research.
v
FINAL DRAFT Technical Specification ISO/DTS 22270:2025(en)
Mechanical vibration — Practical guidance for the monitoring
and measurement of hand-transmitted vibration on the hand,
wrist or forearm
1 Scope
This document provides guidance on the evaluation of daily exposures to hand-arm vibration in the
workplace where measurement or monitoring systems are fitted to the hand, wrist, or arm.
This document provides guidance to equipment manufacturers on how to provide suitable information to
users on the scope and limitations of their equipment. It also provides guidance to users on the practical use
and validation of these systems for monitoring or measurement in the workplace.
This document provides information on measurement methods that complement the methods required for
ISO 5349-1.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 5349-1, Mechanical vibration — Measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted
vibration — Part 1: General requirements
ISO 8041-1, Human response to vibration — Measuring instrumentation — Part 1: General purpose vibration meters
ISO 8041-2, Human response to vibration — Measuring instrumentation — Part 2: Personal vibration
exposure meters
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in 5349-1, as well as the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http:// www .iso .org/ obp
3.1
hand-arm vibration measurement
measurement of vibration magnitude data that is representative of exposure and acquired in accordance
with ISO 5349-1, using equipment in conformity with ISO 8041-1 or ISO 8041-2
3.2
hand-arm vibration on-body monitoring
provision of indicative values for hand-arm vibration exposures based on a combination of exposure time
and measurements on the hand, wrist, or forearm, which estimate values that would be given by hand-arm
vibration measurement (3.1)
3.3
on body monitor
device used for on-body monitoring (3.4) of hand-arm vibration
3.4
monitoring
evaluation of vibration exposures using measurements made on the body
3.5
transfer function
mathematical function describing the relationship between vibration magnitude at the point entering the
body and the corresponding vibration measured at the on-body location, typically expressed as a ratio of
output to input in the frequency domain
3.6
conversion function
mathematical function that converts measurements at an on-body location to estimates of the likely
vibration magnitude at a gripping zone location
Note 1 to entry: The conversion function (3.6) may include allowance for the W frequency weighting.
h
4 Overview
4.1 On-body monitoring
4.1.1 General
Evaluation of hand-arm vibration using measurements on the body can provide valuable complementary
methods for obtaining hand-arm vibration data.
[1]
Hand-arm vibration measurements in accordance with ISO 5349-1 and ISO 5349-2 require measurement
on the vibrating surface at the interface between the vibrating surface and the hand. However, these
measurements can be complex and require technical knowledge, skill, and experience to achieve reliable
results. For hand-arm vibration on-body monitoring it may not be required that on-body monitors fulfil all
requirements according to ISO 5349-1 if the purpose is to understand and control vibration exposures or for
research purposes.
Measurements of vibration transmitted to the hand can be made on the hand, wrist, or arm of machine
operators. In this document, devices used for on-body measurements are referred to as “on-body monitors”.
On-body monitors estimate the vibration signal where the hand is holding the vibrating surface by applying
a vibration transfer function to the vibration signal at the on-body location.
NOTE Direct measurement at an on-body location (i.e. without applying a conversion function) provides
information on the vibration at the location of the sensor(s). For an individual, these measurements can be relevant
for physiological or pathological processes occurring at the on-body location. However, this application of on-body
measurement is not covered by this document.
It is important to recognize that there are limitations to on-body monitoring. Due to the location of the
sensors, the measurements do not comply with existing measurement standards like ISO 5349-1, and
the instrumentation may not fully comply with existing instrumentation standards like ISO 8041-1 and
[2]
ISO 8041-2, and the terminology for these instruments in ISO/TR 19664 . For these reasons, on-body
measurement is referred to as “monitoring”.
4.1.2 Potential advantages
4.1.2.1 Compact measurement systems
Small transducers and compact signal processors allow for both the transducer set, and, in some cases,
the entire measurement system to be constructed into a compact device. These devices can then be fitted
on the hand, wrist, or arm of the machine operator, where they are unobtrusive and monitor all vibration
exposures of a wearer.
4.1.2.2 Safety
In some cases, on-body monitors allow the evaluation of hand-arm vibration exposures in situations where
traditional measurement to ISO 5349-1 would be impractical or unsafe (for example, where cables risk being
caught in rotating machinery, where it is not practical to safely fix transducers to small tools or hand-fed
workpieces or in hazardous working environments).
4.1.2.3 Long-term monitoring
Compact, on-body measurement systems often allow for long-term monitoring, which can provide useful
insights into vibration exposure patterns. For example, daily and longer-term measurements of vibration
levels over long periods may provide
— a more complete understanding of exposure patterns,
— information on variants/outliers and how they are associated to individual machines, tasks, or
operators, and
— indication of changes that are required to maintain low-vibration exposures (for example the need for
replacement, maintenance, or training).
4.1.2.4 Information on exposure patterns
Used with care, measurement away from the gripping point can provide valuable supplementary information,
which, for example, can provide information on daily hand-arm vibration exposure patterns for individual
workers. Employers can use the information from exposure patterns to improve the targeting of control
measures.
4.1.2.5 Customisable to the individual
On-body measurement systems can be assigned to individuals, with the potential to set customised daily
exposure warning levels, limits, or restrictions on machine usage for that individual.
4.1.2.6 Large data sets
Compact, inexpensive systems that can automatically monitor information on vibration exposure on many
people, over many shifts have the capability to create very large data sets. Analysis of large data sets
provides an opportunity to look for patterns of exposures that would not otherwise be apparent.
4.1.2.7 Application to ISO 5349-1 compliant exposure assessments
Exposure time information from monitoring devices can be used in conjunction with data from ISO 5349-1
measurements to give ISO 5349-1 compliant evaluations of the individual’s hand-arm vibration exposure.
Total daily vibration exposures can be provided either as real-time cumulative exposure or post-monitoring
calculations.
Care shall be taken when comparing on-body exposure time with traditional methods. Due to their precision,
exposure time from on-body measurement devices may give results that are shorter than times determined
by other methods and can be much shorter than self-estimates of exposure time.
4.1.2.8 Other advantages
Fixing a transducer to the hand, wrist, or arm of the machine operator has several potential advantages:
— the monitoring is directly associated with one individual throughout the working day or days;
— the monitoring automatically incorporates vibration exposures from all machines used throughout a
working day;
— the monitoring automatically incorporates operational factors such as coupling forces and postures.
The monitoring may be combined with other smart working devices via wireless communication or
other methods. These can include biometric assessments such as skin temperature, pulse rate, or other
environmental assessments such as noise, humidity, dust and chemicals. These combined data sets allow for
the possibility of increased safety in the workplace.
4.1.3 Limitations of vibration magnitude evaluation
4.1.3.1 ISO 5349-1 measurement locations
Measurement away from the gripping zone of the hand must be used with caution. Users must be aware of
the limitations and risks (under or over-assessment of exposure) of this type of measurement.
Measurements at locations away from the gripping zone are not permitted by ISO 5349-1 and discouraged in
[1]
ISO 5349-2 .
4.1.3.2 Vibration transmission to on-body locations
Fixing transducers to the hand, wrist, or arm is likely to be affected by the variabilities caused by factors
[3]
such as (see ISO 5349-1:2001 , Annex D):
— machine-hand and instrumentation coupling:
— inconsistent or variable hand position or orientation on the machine handle;
— inconsistent or variable grip and push forces;
— inexact measurement location or orientation;
— inconsistent coupling of the measurement device to the surface of the body;
— individual characteristics:
— inconsistent or variable posture (affecting grip and push force directions);
— differing hand-arm physiologies (size, hand-arm mass, muscle strength) between subjects;
— other factors:
— use of gloves;
— use of exoskeletons;
— machine support aids;
— use of resilient materials or coverings.
All these have the potential to affect the transmission of vibration from the machine handle to the
monitoring system.
For vibration measured on the hand, arm or wrist, high-frequency vibration is unlikely to be transmitted
to the measurement location, so the transducers are unlikely to experience the high-level, high-frequency
vibration seen on the machine surface. Figure 1 illustrates some possible measurement locations and the
maximum transmitted frequency of vibration at that location are shown in Table 1.
[4]
NOTE See ISO/TR 18570 for examples of rms vibration levels, where the upper cut-off frequency is set to
400 Hz. The corresponding peak levels will be significantly higher, especially for impulsive machines.
Table 1 — Examples of likely maximum transmitted frequencies reaching selected on-body
measurement locations
Approximate maximum
Monitoring Location Location in Figure 1
transmitted frequency (Hz)
a
Fingernail >1000 Hz A
b
Back of hand 500 B
Distal end of Radial or Ulna bone 150 C
b
Wrist 150 D
a [5]
See Reference .
b [6]
See Reference .
Approximate maximum transmitted frequency represents the approximate attenuation to 0,1 transmissibility based on
experimental data using lightweight transducers.
Hand-arm vibration presents a significant measurement challenge for any transducer fitted to the gripping zone of a machine.
Approximate maximum transmitted frequency of the tool is not subject to attenuation and, therefore, can reach frequencies in
excess of 2000 Hz. Where machines produce shock vibration, the unfiltered vibration level may reach (30 000 to 50 000) m/s²,
[7] [8]
see ISO 8041-1:2017 , Annex E and Reference .
Figure 1 — Illustration of possible on-body measurement locations
4.1.3.3 Measurement artefact
Any measurement of hand-transmitted vibration shall also consider the capabilities of the measurement
system. Long-term, unattended measurement on a user requires awareness of factors such as measurement
artefact and how these are handled by the instrumentation or affect the measurement result. See 6.2 and
[9]
ISO 8041-2:2021 , Annex A for additional information.
4.1.4 Data protection
When collecting hand-arm vibration data using instrumentation connected to the body it is likely that some
personal information relating to the person exposed to vibration will be collected. The type and extent of
personal data will depend on the detailed requirements of the hand-arm vibration monitoring. Wherever
personal data are collected, national legislation should be followed for collection, data storage, data handling,
data analysis, data mining and data disposal.
5 Monitoring
5.1 Selection and specification of location for on-body monitoring
This document does not specify a single measurement location for on-body monitoring. There are many
potential locations for on-body monitoring, as can be seen in Figure 1. The location chosen shall be clearly
specified, so that the transmission of vibration to the measurement transducer is consistent with validation
measurements and other monitoring with the same system.
Measurements made at a specified location on the body shall be repeatable and reproducible. Therefore,
the locations used by the monitoring system must allow for repeatable positioning. The measurement
output should not be overly sensitive to small changes in measurement location and changes to coupling
characteristics (for example
...
ISO/DTSTS 22270
ISO/TC 108/SC 4
Secretariat: DIN
Date: 2025-08-26xx
Mechanical vibration — Practical guidance for the monitoring and
measurement of hand-transmitted vibration on the hand, wrist or
forearm
Vibrations mécaniques — Guide pratiqueDirectives pratiques pour la surveillance et la mesurele mesurage des
vibrations transmises à la main vibration sur la main, le poignet ou l'avant-bras
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication
may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO
at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
E-mail: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents
Foreword . iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Overview . 2
4.1 On-body monitoring . 2
5 Monitoring . 6
5.1 Selection and specification of location for on-body monitoring . 6
5.2 Choice of hand . 6
5.3 Transducer orientation . 7
5.4 Vibration transmission characteristics . 7
5.5 On-body monitoring device/system . 7
6 Signal processing . 10
6.1 General. 10
6.2 Error/artefact handling . 10
6.3 Attached monitoring system . 11
7 Reporting . 11
7.1 General. 11
7.2 Instrument characteristics . 11
7.3 Monitoring system validation . 12
7.4 Results . 12
7.5 Supplementary information . 13
Annex A (informative) Evaluation of vibration transfer characteristics for on-body monitoring
systems . 14
Annex B (informative) Example of on-body monitoring validation and test reports . 16
Bibliography . 22
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the different types of
ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights
in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a) patent(s)
which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not
represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 108, Mechanical vibration, shock and condition
monitoring, Subcommittee SC 4, Human exposure to mechanical vibration and shock.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
The objective of this document is to provide practical guidance for the monitoring and measurement of hand-
transmitted vibration on the hand, wrist, or forearm.
Wearables, MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) transducers, and other technologies are widely
available and routinely used for monitoring hand-transmitted vibration (HAV) exposure in the workplace.
These systems and devices are robust, can be inexpensive and substantially smaller than traditional
[1]
measurement systems on which standards such as ISO 5349-1 and ISO 5349-2 ISO 5349-2 are based.
These evolving technologies provide opportunities for practical in situ monitoring and measurements
conducted over long periods of time, which can include the use of multiple machines and work processes.
These new types of measurements can be at locations on the hand, wrist or forearm; away from the vibrating
surface interface where vibration enters the hand.
Formally, measurements away from the hand-machine interface do not comply with ISO 5349-1. For this
reason, measurements away from the hand-machine interface should not replace ISO 5349-1 measurement
when, for example, fulfilling duties under national regulations for either workplace vibration exposures or
machinery vibration emissions. Full complianceconformity with ISO 5349-1 may not be required if the
purpose is to understand and control vibration exposures or for research applications. However, devices using
measurement on the body are available and are being used to monitor vibration exposures and augment
traditional measurements. If users account for the limitations of the devices, including the additional
measurement uncertainties, they can provide data which supplements that given by the ISO 5349-1
methodology, leading to a better understanding of the risks for those exposed to hand arm vibration. The
objective of this document is to highlight the potential benefits and limitations of measurement on the hand,
wrist or arm and to provide guidance on how to reduce the impact of the limitations on vibration evaluations.
Body-mounted measurement may allow a simpler, lower-cost monitoring of an individual’s vibration
exposure over long periods, such as a full working day, shift, or even a year or more. This type of long-term
monitoring can provide valuable information on vibration exposure patterns and indicators to vibration risks.
These data can then inform risk control management procedures and thereby reduce the vibration exposure
of individuals.
One objective of body-mounted measurement systems is to reduce or remove the need for specialist
technicians to be present during measurement, by allowing simple fitting and removal by operators with basic
training and automatic data download. By comparison, traditional measurement, that conforms to ISO 5349-
1, mustshould be performed by specialists who should have a detailed understanding of the measurement
system and awareness of the possible sources of error.
This document provides guidance to those developing on-body measurement systems and for those using
these systems. It discusses the factors that need to be considered, such as: instrumentation characteristics,
measurement locations on the hand, wrist, or forearm, and the vibration transfer characteristics from the
vibrating surface to the body-mounted sensor.
v
Mechanical vibration — Practical guidance for the monitoring and
measurement of hand-transmitted vibration on the hand, wrist or
forearm
1 Scope
This document is aimed at manufacturers of systems that measure or monitor vibration on the hand, wrist or
arm. This document is also aimed at those performing measurements or monitoring of vibration on the hand,
wrist, or arm, including those involved in research.
vi
Mechanical vibration — Practical guidance for the monitoring and
measurement of hand-transmitted vibration on the hand, wrist or
forearm
1 Scope
This document provides guidance on the evaluation of daily exposures to hand-arm vibration in the workplace
where measurement or monitoring systems are fitted to the hand, wrist, or arm.
This document provides guidance to equipment manufacturers on how to provide suitable information to
users on the scope and limitations of their equipment. It also provides guidance to users on the practical use
and validation of these systems for monitoring or measurement in the workplace.
This document provides information on measurement methods that complement the methods required for
ISO 5349-1.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 5349-1, Mechanical vibration — Measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted
vibration — Part 1: General requirements
ISO 5349-2, Mechanical vibration — Measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted
vibration — Part 2: Practical guidance for measurement at the workplace
ISO 8041-1, Human response to vibration — Measuring instrumentation — Part 1: General purpose vibration
meters
ISO 8041-2, Human response to vibration — Measuring instrumentation — Part 2: Personal vibration exposure
meters
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in 5349-1, as well as the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
hand-arm vibration measurement
measurement of vibration magnitude data that is representative of exposure and acquired in accordance with
ISO 5349-1, using equipment compliantin conformity with ISO 8041-1 or ISO 8041-2
3.2
hand-arm vibration on-body monitoring
provision of indicative values for hand-arm vibration exposures based on a combination of exposure time and
measurements on the hand, wrist, or forearm, which estimate values that would be given by hand-arm
vibration measurement (3.1)
3.3
on body monitor
device used for on-body monitoring (3.4) of hand-arm vibration
3.4
monitoring
evaluation of vibration exposures using measurements made on the body
3.5
transfer function
mathematical function describing the relationship between vibration magnitude at the point entering the body
and the corresponding vibration measured at the on-body location, typically expressed as a ratio of output to
input in the frequency domain
3.6
conversion function
mathematical function that converts measurements at an on-body location to estimates of the likely vibration
magnitude at a gripping zone location
Note 1 to entry: The conversion function (3.6) may include allowance for the W frequency weighting.
h
4 Introduction
4 Overview
4.1 On-body monitoring
4.1.1 General
Evaluation of hand-arm vibration using measurements on the body can provide valuable complementary
methods for obtaining hand-arm vibration data.
[1]
Hand-arm vibration measurements in accordance with ISO 5349-1 and ISO 5349-2 ISO 5349-2 require
measurement on the vibrating surface at the interface between the vibrating surface and the hand. However,
these measurements can be complex and require technical knowledge, skill, and experience to achieve reliable
results. Full compliance with ISO 5349-1 For hand-arm vibration on-body monitoring it may not be required
that on-body monitors fulfil all requirements according to ISO 5349-1 if the purpose is to understand and
control vibration exposures or for research applicationspurposes.
Measurements of vibration transmitted to the hand can be made on the hand, wrist, or arm of machine
operators. In this document, devices used for on-body measurements are referred to as “on-body monitors”.
On-body monitors estimate the vibration signal where the hand is holding the vibrating surface by applying a
vibration transfer function to the vibration signal at the on-body location.
NOTE Direct measurement at an on-body location (i.e. without applying a conversion function) provides information
on the vibration at the location of the sensor(s). For an individual, these measurements can be relevant for physiological
or pathological processes occurring at the on-body location. However, this application of on-body measurement is not
covered by this document.
It is important to recognize that there are limitations to on-body monitoring. Due to the location of the sensors,
the measurements do not comply with existing measurement standards like ISO 5349-1, and the
instrumentation may not fully comply with existing instrumentation standards like ISO 8041-1 and ISO 8041-
[2]
2, and the terminology for these instruments in ISO/TR 19664 . For these reasons, on-body measurement is
referred to as “monitoring”.
4.1.2 Potential advantages
4.1.2.1 Compact measurement systems
Small transducers and compact signal processors allow for both the transducer set, and, in some cases, the
entire measurement system to be constructed into a compact device. These devices can then be fitted on the
hand, wrist, or arm of the machine operator, where they are unobtrusive and monitor all vibration exposures
of a wearer.
4.1.2.2 Safety
In some cases, on-body monitors allow the evaluation of hand-arm vibration exposures in situations where
traditional measurement to ISO 5349-1 would be impractical or unsafe (for example, where cables risk being
caught in rotating machinery, where it is not practical to safely fix transducers to small tools or hand-fed
workpieces or in hazardous working environments).
4.1.2.3 Long-term monitoring
Compact, on-body measurement systems often allow for long-term monitoring, which can provide useful
insights into vibration exposure patterns. For example, daily and longer-term measurements of vibration
levels over long periods may provide
— amorea more complete understanding of exposure patterns,
— information on variants/outliers and how they are associated to individual machines, tasks, or operators,
and
— indication of changes that are required to maintain low-vibration exposures (for example, the need for
replacement, maintenance, or training).
4.1.2.4 Information on exposure patterns
Used with care, measurement away from the gripping point can provide valuable supplementary information,
which, for example, can provide information on daily hand-arm vibration exposure patterns for individual
workers. Employers can use the information from exposure patterns to improve the targeting of control
measures.
4.1.2.5 Customisable to the individual
On-body measurement systems can be assigned to individuals, with the potential to set customised daily
exposure warning levels, limits, or restrictions on machine usage for that individual.
4.1.2.6 Large data sets
Compact, inexpensive systems that can automatically monitor information on vibration exposure on many
people, over many shifts have the capability to create very large data sets. Analysis of large data sets provides
an opportunity to look for patterns of exposures that would not otherwise be apparent.
4.1.2.7 Application to ISO 5349-1 compliant exposure assessments
Exposure time information from monitoring devices can be used in conjunction with data from ISO 5349-1
measurements to give ISO 5349-1 compliant evaluations of the individual’s hand-arm vibration exposure.
Total daily vibration exposures can be provided either as real-time cumulative exposure or post-monitoring
calculations.
Care mustshall be taken when comparing on-body exposure time with traditional methods. Due to their
precision, exposure time from on-body measurement devices may give results that are shorter than times
determined by other methods and can be much shorter than self-estimates of exposure time.
4.1.2.8 Other advantages
Fixing a transducer to the hand, wrist, or arm of the machine operator has several potential advantages:
— the monitoring is directly associated with one individual throughout the working day or days;
— the monitoring automatically incorporates vibration exposures from all machines used throughout a
working day;
— the monitoring automatically incorporates operational factors such as coupling forces and postures.
The monitoring may be combined with other smart working devices via wireless communication or other
methods. These can include biometric assessments such as skin temperature, pulse rate, or other
environmental assessments such as noise, humidity, dust and chemicals. These combined data sets allow for
the possibility of increased safety in the workplace.
4.1.3 Limitations of vibration magnitude evaluation
4.1.3.1 ISO 5349-1 measurement locations
Measurement away from the gripping zone of the hand must be used with caution. Users must be aware of the
limitations and risks (under or over-assessment of exposure) of this type of measurement.
Measurements at locations away from the gripping zone are not permitted by ISO 5349-1 and discouraged in
[1]
ISO 5349-2 ISO 5349-2.
4.1.3.2 Vibration transmission to on-body locations
Fixing transducers to the hand, wrist, or arm is likely to be affected by the variabilities caused by factors such
[3]
as (see ISO 5349-1:2001 , Annex D):
— machine-hand and instrumentation coupling:
— inconsistent or variable hand position or orientation on the machine handle;
— inconsistent or variable grip and push forces;
— inexact measurement location or orientation;
— inconsistent coupling of the measurement device to the surface of the body;
— individual characteristics:
— inconsistent or variable posture (affecting grip and push force directions);
— differing hand-arm physiologies (size, hand-arm mass, muscle strength, etc…)) between subjects;
— other factors:
— use of gloves;
— use of exoskeletons;
— machine support aids;
— use of resilient materials or coverings.
All these have the potential to affect the transmission of vibration from the machine handle to the monitoring
system.
For vibration measured on the hand, arm or wrist, high-frequency vibration is unlikely to be transmitted to
the measurement location, so the transducers are unlikely to experience the high-level, high-frequency
vibration seen on the machine surface. Figure 1 illustrates some possible measurement locations and the
maximum transmitted frequency of vibration at that location are shown in Table 1.
[4]
NOTE See ISO/TR 18570 for examples of rms vibration levels, where the upper cut-off frequency is set to 400 Hz.
The corresponding peak levels will be significantly higher, especially for impulsive machines.
Table 1 — Examples of likely maximum transmitted frequencies reaching selected on-body
measurement locations
Approximate maximum
Monitoring Location Location in Figure 1
transmitted frequency (Hz)
a
Fingernail > 1000 Hz A
b
Back of hand 500 B
Distal end of Radial or Ulna bone 150 C
b
Wrist 150 D
a [45]
See Reference .
Field Code Changed
b [56]
See Reference .
Field Code Changed
Approximate maximum transmitted frequency represents the approximate attenuation to 0,1 transmissibility based on
experimental data using lightweight transducers.
Hand-arm vibration presents a significant measurement challenge for any transducer fitted to the gripping zone of a machine.
Approximate maximum transmitted frequency of the tool is not subject to attenuation and, therefore, can reach frequencies in
excess of 2000 Hz. Where machines produce shock vibration, the unfiltered vibration level may reach (30 000 to 50 000) m/s², see
[7] [8]
ISO 8041-1:2017 , Annex E and Reference .
Figure 1 — Illustration of possible on-body measurement locations
4.1.3.3 Measurement artefact
Any measurement of hand-transmitted vibration mustshall also consider the capabilities of the measurement
system. Long-term, unattended measurement on a user requires awareness of factors such as measurement
artefact and how these are handled by the instrumentation or affect the measurement result. See 6.2 and ISO
[9]
8041-2:2021 , Annex A for additional information.
4.1.4 Data protection
When collecting hand-arm vibration data using instrumentation connected to the body it is likely that some
personal information relating to the person exposed to vibration will be collected. The type and extent of
personal data will depend on the detailed requirements of the hand-arm vibration monitoring. Wherever
personal data are collected, national legislation should be followed for collection, data storage, data handling,
data analysis, data mining and data disposal.
5 Monitoring
5.1 Selection and specification of location for on-body monitoring
This document does not specify a single measurement location for on-body monitoring. There are many
potential locations for on-body monitoring, as can be seen in Figure 1. The location chosen mustshall be clearly
specified, so that the transmission of vibration to the measurement transducer is consistent with validation
measurements and other monitoring with the same system.
Measurements made at a specified location on the body mustshall be repeatable and reproducible. Therefore,
the locations used by the monitoring system must allow for repeatable positioning. The measurement output
should not be overly sensitive to small changes in measurement location and changes to coupling
characteristics (for example the tightness of a wrist strap).
NOTE 1 Measurement on the body for research purposes will need a location capable of being clearly specified, so that
it is readily identified by others and can be reproduced if required.
NOTE 2 To avoid excessive variability and attenuation of the vibration signal, it is advised that soft or fleshy locations
are avoided. Bony prominences are ideal locations, as they are readily identified and provide the best transfer of the
vibration signal.
5.2 Choice of hand
Measurements should be done on the hand likely to experience the highest vibration exposure. For some
activities where the two hands can experience very different vibrations, it may be necessary to measure on
both hands. Initial measurements to determine which hand experiences the highest vibration may be
appropriate.
Care mustshall be taken with operations where the exposures of the two hands are substantially different. For
example, for power tools that are held in just one hand, the on-body monitoring needs to be focussed on the
hand that is holding the power tool, but the other hand may also be exposed to vibration through the
workpiece and will also need to be assessed.
In some cases, on-body monitors may be required to assess both hands separately. This may be done by
— using two monitors, one on each hand,
— moving one monitor between hands to track the highest likely exposures, or
— monitor one hand on one day (or other suitable period) and the other hand on a second day.
5.3 Transducer orientation
Transducer orientation is often constrained by the mounting system. A monitoring system will make
measurements perpendicular to the body surface, and triaxial systems will also measure two directions along
the surface of the body. Where possible, monitoring shall be made simultaneously in all three axes.
Monitoring axes should be reported and, where possible, should be broadly aligned with the coordinate
system defined in ISO 5349-1.
Monitoring along the skin surface may be badly affected by the lateral flexibility of the skin surface: low-
frequency mounting resonances can occur, which reduce the transfer of high-frequency vibrations.
Where single-axis monitoring must be used, it is recommended that the axis be perpendicular to the body
surface — since this direction is less affected by lateral motion of upper skin layers —
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