Whole-Body Vibration in the Mining Industry: a Systematic Review of Assessment Methods

Abstract

Exposure to whole-body vibration has been recognised as an occupational hazard in the mining industry, especially in the operations of earthmoving equipment. Managing whole-body vibration exposures requires periodic measurement of exposure levels to identify priority areas for implementing controls. However, due to different approaches to collecting exposure values, significant variabilities lie in the results. This systematic review is the first attempt to analyse whole-body assessment methods in the mining industry. The aim was to identify how whole-body vibration has been assessed, including the sources of variabilities to improve future research. The PRISMA methodology was adopted for the review and a total of 152 peer-reviewed journal articles were identified. However, only 24 were included in the review, following the application of some inclusion criteria. Descriptive and thematic analyses were performed on the 24 selected articles. Results indicate that whole-body vibration has been assessed as a function of either equipment characteristics, activity undertaken, operator characteristics, measurement approach or the assessment standards. Due to the multifactorial and dynamic nature of whole-body vibration exposures, the variabilities in results are due to the interrelationships between the risk factors of whole-body vibration and the differences in the sample sizes. To identify the sources of variabilities, a comprehensive assessment of all the risk factors, including equipment characteristics, road conditions, operator characteristics, and activity undertaken, is highly warranted. Finally, research gaps and directions for future research have also been discussed.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Studies’ characteristics (objective, theme, results)

Author (theme)	Objective(s)	Statistical measure(s)	Results	Limitations
Village, Morrison [36] (EC)	To measure typical WBV levels, dominant frequencies, and crest factors in LHD vehicles and compare the data to ISO 2631 (1982) To evaluate the results with respect to LHD accident and injury data and information available in the literature	Analysis of variance Turkey’s test	The highest RMS accelerations were measured during driving full and driving empty Significant differences in machine sizes and task (haulage cycle) in the x and z axes	Although terrain and operators varied for each machine size, it was not accounted for
Smets, Eger [38] (EC)	To measure WBV at the seat level of small to mid-sized haul trucks during loading, loaded travel, dumping, and unloaded travel To compare risk predictions between part 1 and part 5 of ISO 2631	t-test	Majority of the time was spent during loaded travel Loaded and unloaded travel had the highest weighted RMS vibration magnitudes No statistically significant differences in RMS acceleration values between trucks	Trucks performed different activities (laying gravels, transporting ore from pit to crusher or dumpsite) over varied terrain Variability in operator behaviour (speed and posture) was also not accounted for The age of vehicles was not included in the analysis
Eger, Stevenson [37] (EC)	To characterise WBV exposure associated with the operation of small and large vehicles under loaded and unloaded travel conditions To determine possible health risks to LHD operators To determine the utility of the ride-control feature of LHD	Analysis of variance	No statistically significant difference between frequency weighted RMS and vehicles sizes Unloaded travel resulted in higher RMS values than loaded travel Vehicles with ride-control produced less vibration, although the difference was statistically significant	Age of vehicles was not accounted for Small sample size of vehicles equipped with ride control
Wolfgang and Burgess-Limerick [14] (EC)	To examine the WBV exposures of operators of haul trucks during normal operations	Analysis of variance	Statistically significant interactions between RMS acceleration values, truck size, and roadway conditions were observed Maintained roadways are associated with lower vibration amplitudes	Trucks and drivers were not randomly sampled Models and ages of hauls trucks were not included in the analysis
Mandal, Bhattacharjee [39] (EC)	To comparison of the vibration characteristics of conventional and pneumatic seats	NM	High driving speeds resulted in higher vibration values At a critical frequency of 4, pneumatic seats have attenuation supremacy over conventional seats	Weights of operators and terrain over which haul trucks were driven were not accounted for Vehicles varied in haulage capacity
Lynas and Burgess-Limerick [12] (EC)	To gather WBV data from a range of underground equipment To estimates benefits derived from new shuttle seats, reduced speed and roadway maintenance	NM	Values recorded from individual shuttle cars were inconsistent Maintained roadway results in relatively lower vibration amplitudes
Vanerkar, Kulkarni [5] (EC)	To examine the WBV exposure of heavy earthmoving machinery operators	t-test	WBV exposure is not dependent on the type of mine but rather dependent on the working conditions and type of EME in operation Lower VDV for a prolonged time resulted in gastric effects and low back pain	Variations in road condition and operator characteristics were not reported
Howard, Sesek [44] (EC)	To provide a reference to easily project expected exposure magnitudes for various equipment used in the mining industry	ANOVA	No statistically significant difference in RMS magnitudes between jobs within a given group Job not requiring travelling over haul roads had relatively low vibration Haul trucks, dozers and loaders produced higher vibration	The study included only one large scale mine; thus, the results may not be generic to other mines Job characterisation was done using only one type of equipment
Aye and Heyns [52] (EC)	To provide a database of WBV exposures for equipment used in South African mines	NM	Dominant vibration axis varied across equipment 95% of the equipment is associated with vibration levels within the EAV	Variations in road condition and operator characteristics were not reported
Kumar [41] (AU)	To determine the vibration in at the seat pan, 7th cervical and 3rd lumbar vertebral levels of operators whilst driving 200 and 300 series haul trucks	Analysis of variance Scheffe’s comparison	Higher seat vibration levels were not observed for the same truck No significant differences between the makes and ages of trucks and vibration exposure Significant difference between RMS acceleration and body weights Unloaded travel resulted in higher vibration amplitudes	Data were collected when the road had a thick snow cover and was frozen, resulting in smoother driving as compared to summer conditions
Mandal and Mansfield [13] (AU)	To investigate the stages of operations of a fleet of 100-t haul trucks	NM	Unloaded travel resulted in higher vibration amplitudes Speed of travel was found to have a direct bearing on the intensity of vibration along the z-axis Loaded and unloaded travel contribute 99% of the overall vibration dose	Although haul trucks were working in different parts of the mine, road conditions and material being hauled (ore or overburden) were not included in the analysis
Mayton, Porter [42] (AU)	To investigate how haul truck WBV exposure relates to a particular haulage activity and which activity posed higher exposure risk	NM	Unloaded travel showed the highest vibration amplitudes, followed by dumping, loaded travel and loading Increasing haul truck age showed decreasing seat transmissibility	Roadway maintenance at some quarries was limited or inadequate due to the availability of appropriate equipment and mining conditions
Jeripotula, Mangalpady [1] (AU)	To examine WBV exposure during the forward and return motion of dozer operations	NM	Forward motion was associated with high RMS values than return motion Vibrations at the seat surface were higher than at the seat back	The road condition was not accounted for in the analysis Data on operator characteristics were not included
Jeripotula, Manglapady [40] (AU)	To examine WBV exposure of Haul trucks during each phase of the haulage cycle	NM	The highest RMS vibration was recorded during unloaded travel for both seat surface and seat back Dominant vibration axis varied seat back and seat surface measurement for various work phases	The road condition was not accounted for in the analysis Data on operator characteristics were not included

1. NM, not mentioned; EC, equipment characteristics; AU, activity undertaken; OC, operator characteristics; AS, assessment standard; MA, measurement approach

Appendix 2

Dominant vibration axis

Author	Standard	WBV measures							Results (dominant vibration axis)
		RMS	A eq	A(8)	VDV	VDV(8)	S ed	R-factor	x	y	z
Village, Morrison [36]	ISO 2631 (1982)	•	•								•
Smets, Eger [38]	ISO 2631–1 ISO 2631–5	•		•	•		•	•			•
Eger, Stevenson [37]	ISO 2631–1	•			•						•
Wolfgang and Burgess-Limerick [54]	ISO 2631–1	•				•					•
Mandal et al. [39]	ISO 2631–1 EU directive	•			•						•
Lynas and Burgess-Limerick [12]	ISO 2631–1	•			•						•
Kumar [41]	ISO 2631–1	•							Loading and unloading		loaded and unloaded travel
Mandal and Mansfield [13]	ISO 2631–1 EU directive	•									•
Mayton, Porter [42]	ISO 2631–1 EN 1031:2003		•			•					•
Jeripotula, Mangalpady [1]	ISO 2631–1 EU directive	•		•					Seat surface		Seat back
Jeripotula, Manglapady [40]	ISO 2631–1 EU directive	•		•					Seat back		Seat surface
Erdem, Dogan [51]	BS 6841 ISO 2631–1 EU 2002/44/EC ISO 2631–5	•		•		•	•
Wolfgang, Di Corleto [48]	ISO 2631–1	•
Burgess-Limerick and Lynas [15]	ISO 2631–1	•
Burgess-Limerick and Lynas [53]	ISO 2631–1	•		•							•
Lynas and Burgess-Limerick [16]	ISO 2631–1	•		•							•
Alfaro Degan, Coltrinari [43]	ISO 2631–1	•		•							•
Eger, Stevenson [50]	ISO 2631–1 ISO 2631–5	•			•		•	•			•
Zhao and Schindler [49]	ISO 2631–1 ISO 2631–5	•			•		•	•
Marin, Rodriguez [45]	ISO 2631–1 ISO 2631–5	•			•		•	●	Varies with equipment and speed of travel
Prajapati, Mishra [46]	ISO 2631–1 ISO 2631–5	•			•		•				•
Vanerkar, Kulkarni [5]	ISO 2631–1	•			•				NA
Howard, Sesek [44]	ISO 2631–1	•
Aye and Heyns [52]	ISO 2631–1	•			•