Module 2: Work Environment Design -

Vestibular Sense
Engr. Suzette M. Mercado, PIE, Asean Eng

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY – Industrial Engineering Department

 Outline
⊳ Introduction
⊳ Learning Objectives
⊳ The Vestibular Sense
⊳ Human Response to Vibration
⊳ Health Effects of Vibration
▸ Performance Effects of Vibration
⊳ Vibration Measurement
▸ Vibration Exposure Risk Assessment
⊳ Control Measure to Vibration
⊳ Reference
⊳ Questions for Discussion
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 Introduction
In work activities, the human body experiences movement. Likewise, each of these activities has
involved exposure to vibration, whether the source comes from handheld device, handsaws or riding in
carts, from using power tools, industrial machines, or riding in planes, trains, and automobiles. Vibration
of the body may be desirable or undesirable. It can be described as pleasant or unpleasant, it can
interfere with the performance of various tasks and cause injury and disease. Human vibration is usually
classified as either hand-transmitted vibration, whole-body vibration, or motion sickness, and these
subdisciplines are often considered separately from one another.
The human aspects and response aspects to vibration as well as the nature of the vibration are the
focus of this module.

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 Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this module the students will be able to:

1. Describe the basic functions of the vestibular, proprioceptive,
and kinesthetic sensory systems.
2. Appraise effects of vibration on human performance and
comfort.

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 1
The Vestibular Sense

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 The Vestibular Sense

⊳ The vestibular sense contributes to our

ability to maintain balance and body
posture. The major sensory organs of
the vestibular system are located next to
the cochlea in the inner ear. The
diagram shows, the major sensory
organs: utricle, saccule, and the three
semicircular canals (posterior, superior,
and horizontal).

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 The Vestibular Sense

⊳ The vestibular organs are fluid-filled and have hair cells, like the ones found in the
auditory system, which respond to movement of the head and gravitational forces.
⊳ When these hair cells are stimulated, they send signals to the brain via the
vestibular nerve.
⊳ Although we may not be consciously aware of our vestibular system’s sensory
information under normal circumstances, its importance is apparent when we
experience motion sickness and/or dizziness related to infections of the inner ear
(Khan & Chang, 2013).

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 The Vestibular Sense

⊳ In addition to maintaining balance, the vestibular system collects information critical for
controlling movement and the reflexes that move various parts of our bodies to compensate
for changes in body position. Therefore, both proprioception (perception of body position)
and kinesthesia (perception of the body’s movement through space) interact with
information provided by the vestibular system.
⊳ These sensory systems also gather information from receptors that respond to stretch and
tension in muscles, joints, skin, and tendons (Lackner & DiZio, 2005; Proske, 2006; Proske
& Gandevia, 2012).
⊳ Proprioceptive and kinesthetic information travels to the brain via the spinal column.
Several cortical regions in addition to the cerebellum receive information from and send
information to the sensory organs of the proprioceptive and kinesthetic systems.

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 Application of these Sensory System

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 Vestibular System and Sense of Balance

⊳ The vestibular system provides us with our sense of balance. It

contributes to the perception of bodily motion and helps in
maintaining an upright posture and the position of the eyes when head
movements occur
⊳ The sense organs for the vestibular system are contained within a part
of the inner ear called the vestibule, which is a hollow region of bone
near the oval window.

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 2
Human Response to Vibration

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 Human Response to Vibration
⊳ The human response to vibration can be classified using a
range of descriptors, generally humans are exposed to
localized vibration (hand-arm) or whole-body vibration.
⊳ If hand-arm vibration is experienced for long enough and
over time then Hand-Arm Vibration Syndromes (HAVS)
can develop, with most commonly known syndrome being
vibration white finger.
⊳ For hand-arm vibration the most concern is with high
frequencies (8 – 1000 Hz) which are generally considered
to be the most important which can affect an operator's
health and touch perception. 12
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 Human Response to Vibration
⊳ Whole body vibration affects all parts of the body, usually transmitted through seat surfaces
or the floor, with most whole-body vibrations associated with forms of transportation.

⊳ Whole-body vibration can affect an operator's

comfort, performance and health but is dependent on
the vibration and duration of exposure, although most
people are sensitive to whole body vibration within
the frequency range of 1 to 20 Hz.
⊳ The final classification is motion sickness, when a
person is exposed to low-frequency motion (1 Hz)
they can experience nausea.
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 Human Response to Vibration

⊳ Motion sickness can occur when real or illusory

movements of the body or the environment lead to
ambiguous inferences as to the movement or
orientation of the human body.
⊳ The movements associated with motion sickness are
always of very low frequency, usually below 1 Hz.

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 “
Motion sickness is only concerned with frequencies below 1
Hz, whole-body vibration is concerned with frequencies from
about 1 to 100 Hz, and hand-transmitted vibration is concerned
with frequencies from about 8 to 1000 Hz.

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 “
Did you know, vibration can cause long-term painful damage to
your hands and fingers - and that shocks and jolts from driving
certain types of vehicles can cause severe back pain?

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 3
Health Effects of Vibration

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 Sources of Vibration Discomfort

⊳ A common source of whole-body vibration is from various types of industrial

machinery and transportation vehicles where drivers are exposed to a vibration
generated by the vehicle and the roadway (including road, off-road, rail, sea,
and air transport).
⊳ Many of the tools that are used regularly throughout multiple industries can and
do cause injury from repeated use. Grinders, chipping hammers, sanders,
pavement breakers, impact drills, air-powered wrenches, saws of all types, and
even dental tools can all be sources of vibration that, if used repeatedly for long
periods of time, could cause hand-arm vibration injury.

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 Symptoms and effects of HAVS can be serious,
disabling and can include:

⊳ Tingling, numbness in fingers, resulting in an inability to do fine work or

everyday tasks.
⊳ Loss of strength (grip strength) in the hands.
⊳ The fingers going white (blanching) and becoming red and painful on recovery.
⊳ loss of light touch
⊳ pain and cold sensations between periodic white finger attacks
⊳ bone cysts in fingers and wrists

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 Health effects of vibration exposure

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 Raynaud’s disease

⊳ Raynaud's disease is a rare disorder of the blood vessels, usually in the fingers
and toes. It causes the blood vessels to narrow when you are cold or feeling
stressed. When this happens, blood can't get to the surface of the skin and the
affected areas turn white and blue. When the blood flow returns, the skin turns
red and throbs or tingles. In severe cases, loss of blood flow can cause sores or
tissue death.

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 Performance Effects of Vibration

⊳ Vibration and motion can interfere with the acquisition of information (e.g., by
the eyes), the output of information (e.g., by hand or foot movements), or the
complex central processes that relate input to output (e.g., learning, memory,
decision making).
⊳ Effects of oscillatory motion on human performance may impair safety.

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 Performance Effects of Vibration

⊳ NIOSH has estimated that as many as 1 million workers may be at risk of

developing symptoms. The latency period from continuous exposure to onset
can be as little as two years or as long as 17 years, depending on the tools used
and work performed.
⊳ WBV becomes a concern when long periods of time are spent operating
vehicles such as forklift trucks, off-road haulers, mining machinery and
logging equipment, paving machines, and even ferryboats and other common
conveyances.

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 4
Vibration Measurement

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 Measuring vibration levels

A complete assessment of exposure to vibration requires the measurement of vibration

acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s2). Vibration exposure direction is also
important and is measured in defined directions. Vibration frequencies and duration of
exposure are also determined. How hard a person grips a tool affects the amount of
vibrational energy entering the hands; therefore, hand-grip force is another important factor
in the exposure assessment.

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 Measuring vibration levels

A complete assessment of exposure to vibration requires the measurement of vibration

acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s2). Vibration exposure direction is also
important and is measured in defined directions. Vibration frequencies and duration of
exposure are also determined. How hard a person grips a tool affects the amount of
vibrational energy entering the hands; therefore, hand-grip force is another important factor
in the exposure assessment.

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 Measuring vibration levels

The amount of exposure is determined by measuring acceleration in the units of m/s2.

Acceleration is often used as a measure of vibration exposure for the following reasons:
 Several types of instruments are available for measuring acceleration, the rate of change of velocity in speed or
direction per unit time (e.g., per second).
 Measuring acceleration can also give information about velocity and amplitude of vibration.
 The degree of harm is related to the magnitude of acceleration.

Health research data tells us that the degree of harm is related to the magnitude of
acceleration.

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 Measuring vibration levels

Instrumentation
⊳ A typical vibration measurement system includes a device to sense the vibration
(accelerometer), and an instrument to measure the level of vibration. This equipment
also has settings for measuring frequency, a frequency-weighting network, and a
display such as a meter, printer or recorder.
⊳ The accelerometer produces an electrical signal. The size of this signal is proportional
to the acceleration applied to it. The frequency-weighting network mimics the human
sensitivity to vibration of different frequencies. The use of weighting networks gives a
single number as a measure of vibration exposure and is expressed as the frequency-
weighted vibration exposure in metres per second squared (m/s2) units of acceleration.

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 Vibration Exposure Risk Assessment

Vibration Risk Assessment Process, based on information from the UK HSE website:
1. Assess the vibration risk to your employees by observing work tasks, estimating exposure
time using the UK HSE Whole Body Vibration Calculator or the UK HSE Hand-Arm
Vibration Calculator, talking to managers, employees and others.
2. Consult any machine or vehicle manufacturers handbooks for vibration warnings.
3. Decide if they are likely to be exposed above the daily exposure action value or limit
value, do the following…
4. Eliminate (first) the risks or reduce their daily exposure, so far as is reasonably
practicable.
5. Consider conducting regular maintenance reviews of equipment and the workplace (eg
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removing
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STATE UNIVERSITY – Industrial Engineering Department
 Vibration Risk Assessment Process, based on information from
the UK HSE website:

6. Consider replacing old equipment or vehicles, with those that have good ergonomic
designs or vibration reducing equipment e.g. suspension seats.
7. Consider working methods, organization of work-rest periods, job rotation.
8. Consider improving the work layout and environment.
9. Provide information and training on vibration related health risks and controls to
employees at risk.
10. When all previous steps have been taken, you can limit the duration exposure.

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 Vibration Risk Assessment Process, based on information from
the UK HSE website:

11. Provide PPE to reduce exposure to cold and damp e.g. gloves.
12. Consult with a professional to check over your assessment.
13. Keep a record of your risk assessment and control actions.
14. Review and update your risk assessment regularly (health surveillance).

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 5
Control Measure to Vibration

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 Some examples of controlling exposure to vibration

1. Anti-Vibration Tools. Tools can be designed or mounted in ways that help reduce the
vibration level. For example, using anti-vibration chain saws reduces acceleration levels by
a factor of about 10. These types of chain saws must be well maintained. Maintenance must
include periodic replacement of shock absorbers. Some pneumatic tool companies
manufacture anti-vibration tools such as anti-vibration pneumatic chipping hammers,
pavement breakers and vibration-damped pneumatic riveting guns.

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 Some examples of controlling exposure to vibration

2. Anti-Vibration Gloves. Conventional protective gloves (e.g., cotton, leather), commonly

used by workers, do not reduce the vibration that is transferred to workers' hands when they
are using vibrating tools or equipment. Anti-vibration gloves are made using a layer of
viscoelastic material. Actual measurements have shown that such gloves have limited
effectiveness. When the vibration hazard cannot be removed or controlled adequately,
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as anti-vibration gloves may be used.

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 Some examples of controlling exposure to vibration

3. Safe Work Practices. Along with using anti-vibration tools and gloves, workers can
reduce the risk of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) by following work practices:
 Use a minimum strength hand grip that still allows the safe operation of the tool or process.
 Wear sufficient clothing, including gloves, to keep warm.
 Avoid continuous exposure by taking rest periods.
 Rest the tool on the work piece whenever practical.
 Do not use faulty tools.
 Maintain tools properly. Tools that are worn, blunt or out of alignment will vibrate more.
 Consult a doctor at the first sign of vibration disease and ask about the possibility of changing to a job with less
exposure.

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 Some examples of controlling exposure to vibration

4. Employee Education. Training programs are an effective means of heightening the

awareness of HAVS in the workplace. Training should include proper use and maintain
vibrating tools to avoid unnecessary exposure to vibration. Vibrating machines and
equipment often produce loud noise as well. Therefore, training and education in controlling
vibration should also address concerns about noise control.

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 Some examples of controlling exposure to vibration

The following precautions help to reduce whole-body vibration exposure:

⊳ Limit the time spent by workers on a vibrating surface.

⊳ Mechanically isolate the vibrating source or surface to reduce exposure.
⊳ Ensure that equipment is well maintained to avoid excessive vibration.
⊳ Install vibration damping seats.

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 ISO Guidelines

⊳ ISO 20816-1:2016 establishes general conditions and procedures for the

measurement and evaluation of vibration using measurements made on
rotating, non-rotating and non-reciprocating parts of complete machines.
⊳ ISO 20816-4:2018.Mechanical vibration --Measurement and evaluation of
machine vibration.

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Watch the video

⊳ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjajAdWpbWw&
feature=emb_logo
⊳ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNaxgCYPi_A

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 References:

https://kuliahdianmardi.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/handbook-of-human-factors-and-ergonomics-fourth-edition-2012.pdf
http://ssu.ac.ir/cms/fileadmin/user_upload/Daneshkadaha/dbehdasht/khatamat_behdashti/kotobe_latin/Introduction_to_Ergonomics.pdf
https://www.pdfdrive.com/a-guide-to-human-factors-and-ergonomics-e34320317.html
https://www.iso.org/
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-psychology/chapter/reading-the-vestibular-sense/
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/vibration/vibration_measure.html
https://www.ergonomicsblog.uk/human-response-to-vibration/

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 Questions For
Discussion
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 1. How vibration causes injury to
people?

2. What steps can be taken to reduce or

eliminate the risk of vibration to
maintain a high standard of
performance of work?

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