HUMAN

RESPONSE

TO VIBRATION

531

Limits for impact forces and torques should be developed. The noise level was relatively high depending on high level of background music, 80-93 dB(A). Topics: Vibration Measurements (hand-held tools). T. Haines, J. Chong, A. B. Verrall, J. Julian, C. Bernholz, R. Spears and D. C. F. Muir 1988 British Journal oflndustrial Medicine 45,106- 111. Aesthesiometric threshold changes over the course of a workshift in miners exposed to hand-arm vibration. (6 pages, 1 figure, 7 tables, 16 references) (in English) Authors Abstract. The objective of this study was to investigate whether aesthesiometric threshold changes occur over the course of a workshift in vibration-exposed hard rock miners relative to workers unexposed to vibration during the shift. The subjects were 99 miners and 40 smelter workers; four subjects declined to participate and nine were excluded from the analysis because of apparent failure to comprehend the testing procedure. Two-point discrimination and depth sense aesthesiometry were conducted at the beginning and at the end of the workshift in all digits of both hands excluding the thumbs. In addition to the use of a vibrating tool during the shift, age, digital temperature, signs of arm injury, presence of fingertip callus, and handedness were documented. In the analysis the difference between postshift and preshift readings was studied in relation to these variables, particularly exposure to the jackleg drill during the shift. With the exception of exposure of the jackleg drill, no associations were observed between these variables and change over the workshift in aesthesiometric results, on both unadjusted comparison of means and backward elimination regression analysis. A statistically significant association, however, was found between the use of a jackleg drill and change in two-point discrimination and in depth sense aesthesiometric results over the course of the shift, for the right-hand. Evidence of the occurrence of an effect in the right, but not the left-hand reflects dominant handedness and relatively greater vibration exposure in the right hand in our subjects. This study supports the incorporation of an exposure free interval before aesthesiometric testing of vibration exposed workers. Topics: Physiological Eflects (muscle and nerve); Perceptual mechanisms (touch); Vibration Sense (sensory mechanisms); Vibration Syndrome (nerve); Hand-held Tools (percussive). S. Araki, K. Yokoyama, H. Aono and K. Murata 1988 British Journal of Industrial Medicine 45, 341-344. Determination of the distribution of nerve conduction velocities in chain saw operators. (4 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, 20 references) (in English) Authors Abstract. By measuring the distribution of conduction velocities (DCV) in sensory fibres of the median nerve, the effects of local vibration on all faster and slower large myelinated nerve fibres were examined in 10 male chainsaw operators (three operators had frequent attacks of white finger; the attacks were only occasional in four and negative in three). All parameters of DCV, and conventional sensory nerve conduction velocity were significantly slowed in the chain saw operators. It is suggested that local vibration affects the faster and slower nerve fibres; parameters of the DCV are sensitive indicators of both the neurological and vascular effects. Topics: Vibration Syndrome (nerve); Physiological Eflects (muscle and nerve). Note. Copies of all papers in this section will be found in the Human Response to Vibration Literature Collection at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, The University of Southampton. The papers may be used by persons visiting the Institute. Contributions to the Literature Collection are requested. They should be sent to Dr M. J. Gr@n, Human Factors Research Unit, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton, Southampton SO9 5 NH, England.