Forklift and pallets trucks in logistic branch industry: Comparison of techniques to evaluate the whole body vibrations exposure of the drivers, agreement of results with measurement campaign
Chariot et transpalette en logistique : comparaison d’outils pour évaluer l’exposition journalière aux vibrations corps entier A(8) des caristes, concordance des résultats avec des mesurages terrain
Abstract
Purpose of the study. ``How to carry out a reliable assessment of the daily exposure whole body vibrations A (8) without measure-ments?''. The interprofessional Association of the Social Medical centers of occupational health in Ile-de-France region (ACMS) observes an increasing amount of requests from their members. The objectives of this study are the following: to optimize the resources of the association and their members by minimizing measurings; to establish a methodology to evaluate vibrations risks; to accompany the employers in their prevention and risk control. Methods. The results of 116 ACMS vibrations measurements, carried out in logistics from 2009 to 2014 with forklift trucks and pallet trucks with on-board standing drivers, were analyzed in 2015. Their observed elements were used as parameters in three famous tools: estimate INRS, whole body vibration calculator (WBV-HSE), OSEV. Values A (8) of the drivers coming from the measurement campaign are confronted with those from the three tools, in reference to the lawful thresholds (0.5 and 1.15 m/s(2)), illustrated graphically by ``box plot''. To compare the results from the tools and measurement campaign, the probabilistic interpretation is founded on the predictive values (sensibility and specificity) and the study of the agreement between two methods by graphic approach ``Bland-Altmanplots''. Results. The three studied tools tend to over-estimate the daily exposure A (8) compared to measurement studies for the two types of machines. They clearly differentiate ``the low exposed workers'' (sensitivity 100%), but do not allow a judgment in a sure way the overtaking of the action value (low specificities). Conclusion. The three tools for assess can be used during first approach of the vibratory risk. They, however, make it possible to judge going beyond the exposure limit value (strong specificity). Finally, the improving of the tools is expected to better reflect the real logistic activity (high biases). (C) 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.