@misc{10481/78297,
year = {2022},
month = {11},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/78297},
abstract = {In many production and industrial sectors, workers are exposed to noise and hand-arm
vibrations (HAV). European directives have established the maximum limit values or exposure
action values for noise and vibration independently. However, in many cases, workers who endure
hand-arm vibration also receive high noise levels. This research suggests a procedure to aid the
establishment of precautionary measures for workers with simultaneous exposure to both physical
agents. This procedure defines a combined index based on the energy doses for both noise and HAV.
From this combined index, the suggested methodology allows a recommended exposure time for
workers with simultaneous noise and HAV exposure to be calculated. This methodology can be
adapted to tackle the relative importance assigned to both agents according to the safety manager
and new knowledge on combined health effects. To test this method, a measurement campaign under
real working conditions was conducted with workers from the olive fruit-harvesting sector, where
a variety of hand-held machinery is used. The results of the study case show that the suggested
procedure can obtain reliable exposure time recommendations for simultaneous noise and HAV
exposures and is therefore a useful tool for establishing prevention measures.},
organization = {State Research Agency (SRA) of Spain},
organization = {European Commission	PID2019-108761RB-I00},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Physical agents},
keywords = {Noise},
keywords = {Vibration},
keywords = {HAV},
keywords = {Workers},
keywords = {Olive sector},
title = {Proposal of Combined Noise and Hand-Arm Vibration Index for Occupational Exposure: Application to a Study Case in the Olive Sector},
doi = {10.3390/ijerph192114345},
author = {Nieto Álvarez, Raquel and De la Hoz Torres, María Luisa and Aguilar Aguilera, Antonio Jesús and Martínez Aires, María Dolores and Ruiz Padillo, Diego Pablo},
}