Skip to main content
Log in

Risk assessment of vibration exposure and white fingers among platers

  • Published:
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The dose-response relationship between vibration exposure and vascular disorders in the hands was examined in platers. The study was based on a cross section of 89 platers and 61 office workers divided according to exposure to vibration into four groups. Vibration exposure was assessed by measuring the acceleration intensity on a sample of tools, together with both subjective rating and objective measurements of the exposure time. The frequency-weighted energy equivalent acceleration for 4 h was 4.6–4.7 m/s2. The point prevalence of white fingers was 42% for the plater category currently exposed with an odds ratio of 85. The time laps before contraction of white fingers (latency time) was four years for the 10th percentile, and was shorter than predicted according to the ISO-5349 standard. The prevalence of white finger symptoms staged according to the Taylor-Pelmear scale was comparable to the prevalences according to the Stockholm Workshop Scale. Vibration exposure was the dominant source of white fingers and each year of vibration exposure increased the odds ratio for white fingers by 11%. Distal circulation in the hands was assessed by a timed Allen test. The odds ratio for a positive Allen test was higher for the workers exposed to vibration compared to the non-exposed workers. The use of the timed Allen test is suggested in the clinical examination for vibration white fingers. The observed high risk for contracting white fingers could be prevented by exposure level reduction and/or restriction of exposure duration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bovenzi M, Petronio L, DiMario F (1980) Epidemiological survey of shipyard workers exposed to hand-arm vibration. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 46:251–266

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Brammer AJ (1986) Dose-response relationships for handtransmitted vibration. Scand J Work Environ Health 12:284–288

    Google Scholar 

  3. Brammer AJ, Taylor W, Lundborg G (1987) Sensorineural stages of the hand-arm vibration syndrome. Scand J Work Environ Health 13:279–283

    Google Scholar 

  4. Brammer AJ, Taylor W, Piercy JE (1986) Assessing the severity of the neurological component of the hand-arm vibration syndrome. Scand J Work Environ Health 12:428–431

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cannon LJ, Bernacki E, Walter S (1981) Personal and occupational factors associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. J Occup Med 23, No 4/April: 255–258

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ekenvall L, Lindblad LE, Bevegård S, Etzell B-M (1987) High vascular tone but no obliterative lesions in vibration white fingers. Am J Ind Med 12:47–54

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ekenvall L, Lindblad LE (1986) Vibration white finger and digital systolic pressure during cooling. Br J Ind Med 43:280–283

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ekenvall L, Nilsson BY, Gustavsson P (1986) Temperature and vibration thresholds in vibration syndrome. Br J Ind Med 43:825–829

    Google Scholar 

  9. Futatsuka M, Sakurai T (1986) A case-control study on the prognosis of vibration syndrome. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 58:113–120

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gelberman R, Blasingame J (1981) The timed Allen Test. J Trauma 21, No 6:477–479

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gemne G, Pyykkö I, Taylor W, Pelmear L (1987) The Stockholm Workshop scale for the classification of cold-induced Raynaud's phenomenon in the hand-arm vibration syndrome (revision of the Taylor-Pelmear scale). Scand J Work Environ Health 13:275–278

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hirai M, Kawai S (1980) False positive and negative results in Allen test. J Cardiovas Surg 21:353–360

    Google Scholar 

  13. Husum B, Berthelsen P (1981) Allen's test and systolic arterial pressure in the thumb. Br J Anaesth 53:635–637

    Google Scholar 

  14. ISO 5349 (I986) Guidelines for the measurements and the assessment of human exposure to hand-transmitted vibrations, Geneva

  15. Kleinbaum DG, Lawrence LK, Morgenstern H (1982) Epidemiologic research. Principles and quantitative methods. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. New York

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kleinsmith DM (1985) Raynaud's syndrome: an overview. Sem Dermatol 4, No 2:104–113

    Google Scholar 

  17. Machleder H (1988) Vaso-occlusive disorders of the upper extremity. Curr Probl Surg, January: 7–67

  18. Malchaire J, Malduge B, Huberlant JM, Croquet F (1986) Bone and joint changes in the wrists and elbows and their association with hand and arm vibration exposure. Ann Occup Hyg 30, No 4, 461–468

    Google Scholar 

  19. Miettinen OS (1985) Theoretical epidemiology. Principles of occurrence research in medicine. John Wiley & Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  20. Olsen N, Nielsen SL (1978) Prevalence of primary Raynaud phenomena in young females. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 37:761–764

    Google Scholar 

  21. Pyykkö I (1986) Clinical aspects of the hand-arm vibration syndrome. A review. Scand J Work Environ Health 12:439–447

    Google Scholar 

  22. Scavenius M, Fauner M, Walter-Larsen S, Buchwald C, Nielsen SL (1981) A quantitative Allen's test. Hand. 13, No 3:318–320

    Google Scholar 

  23. Taylor W (1988) Biological effects of the hand-arm vibration syndrome: historical perspective and current research. J Acoust Soc Am 83:415–422

    Google Scholar 

  24. Taylor W, Pelmear PL (1975) Vibration white fingers in industry. Academic Press, London, pp XVII-XXII

    Google Scholar 

  25. Thompson C, Stroud SD (1984) Allen's test: a tool for diagnosing ulnar artery trauma. Nurse Practitioner/December: 13–17

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nilsson, T., Burström, L. & Hagberg, M. Risk assessment of vibration exposure and white fingers among platers. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 61, 473–481 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386482

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386482

Key words

Navigation