An experimental study of the physiological effects of chain saw operation

Abstract

This experimental study was designed to determine whether a combination of noise and vibration produced more pronounced changes in temporary shifts of finger skin temperature and temporary threshold shift (TTS) of hearing than those resulting from exposure to either stress alone. Nineteen healthy subjects were exposed to six different combinations of vibration, noise, and handle holding by using a chain saw for a pre-determined time. The mean value of normalised finger skin temperature decreased much more when the subjects operated a chain saw at high speed (exposure 1) than when they operated the chain saw with the noise isolated by double hearing protection (exposure 2). In five of the 14 subjects significantly larger TTS values at 4 kHz were observed in the former condition (exposure 1) compared with the values obtained when they stood beside someone else operating a chain saw (exposure 3). The results of this study suggest that noise may play a part in inducing the constriction of the peripheral vessels seen with local exposure to vibration, and that hand-arm vibration may produce an additive effect on the noise induced TTS.