Tasked-Based Assessment of Occupational Vibration and Noise Exposures in Forestry Workers

INTRODUCTION Due to the focus on safe work practices designed to reduce the tremendous safety hazards involved in forestry work, health hazards associated with forestry work have historically received little attention. Exposure to occupational hand-arm vibration (HAV) has been associated with a variety of adverse health effects, a number of conditions collectively known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), since the early 1900s. Long-term whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure to seated persons has been associated with an increased risk of degenerative lumbar spine injuries, CNS disturbances, and possibly damage to the digestive and genital/urinary systems. Occupational noise exposure has been recognized as a causal factor for permanent, irreversible hearing loss for several hundred years.