European and Russian methods for exposure assessment applied on whole body vibration values in short haul dump trucks.

Operating Surface Haul Trucks (SHT) exposes mineworkers to whole body vibration (WBV), but risk assessment methods are not uniform in the Barents Region. We intended to measure WBV exposure from SHT, and discuss and compare risk assessment outcome by European and Russian methods. 17 WBV measurements were performed at the operator seat interface on 14 SHTs in an open cast mine in Northwest Russia. Measurement periods ranged from 13 to 58 minutes in real work cycles during 8 hours of driving. It was found that mean WBV exposure (A(8) rms) for the 14 SHT’s was (1.0 ± 0.23) m/s 2, mean crest factor - (12.78 ± 5.26) and mean vibration dose value - (10.35 ± 2.61) m/s 1· 75. The study shows that WBV levels defining the lower limit of hazard class 3.2 (Russia) is close to the limit value 1.15 m/s 2 (European countries).