EVALUATION OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO WHOLE BODY VIBRATION IN FOREST HARVESTING MACHINES

Abstract

In Brazil there are few studies that quantify the levels of exposure to whole body mechanical vibration on forest harvesting machines. This study was conducted in the region of Campinas, in areas of eucalyptus harvest from a cellulose and paper company, to quantify the levels of random vibration to which operators are exposed to in three types of timber harvesting machines – Feller Buncher, Slash Grapple and Skidder – during the workday. A Larson Davis triaxial meter integrator model HVM 100 was used and the results compared to the recommendations of ISO 2631-1: 1997 (in health criterion) and Directive 2002/44 of the European Community. The Feller-Buncher had a magnitude of vibration equivalent of 1.12 m.s-2, and the recommended maximum exposure time according Griffin’s (1998) methodology should be 4h47min. The Skidder showed a magnitude of vibration equivalent of 1.95 m.s-2, where the maximum exposure should not exceed 1h35min. The Slash Grapple showed the levels near and within the recommendations of these standards: 0.99 m.s-2. Despite all the technology used by manufacturers of machinery for harvesting, levels of exposure to vibration are still beyond the parameters recommended by relevant standards.