Operating a drill or grinder for hours on end is no walk in the park. For years, there may be no major symptoms, until numbness, tingling, or pain eventually set in. No one should take these symptoms lightly. After all, anyone who exposes their hands and arms to constant vibration on the job can develop serious health problems.
This is also confirmed by the Wood and Metal Workers’ Compensation Association in Mainz. Jobs in the wood and metal industries, along with those in construction, mining, and forestry, are among the most hazardous. Men are affected more frequently than women. IG Metall and the works councils from the affected industries are stepping up their awareness campaigns so that preventive measures can be taken early on in the workplace.
When sanding, vibrations are transmitted to the hands and arms. People who do this frequently over many years can become ill. (Photo: iStock.com/industryview)
Angle grinders, impact wrenches, grinders, and many others
The list of tools that can pose a risk of hand-arm vibration is extensive: hammer drills, needle tampers, riveting tools, impact drills, impact wrenches, and grinders of various types. When in use, these power tools transmit vibrations to the arms and hands. Particularly at risk are metalworkers, riveters, and grinders, as well as workers who perform deburring in foundries or work intensively with random-orbit sanders.
This raises the question of what workers engaged in such strenuous activities should do. Experts estimate that, across all industries, between one and two million workers are potentially at risk. This does not mean, however, that they will necessarily develop health problems. The vibrations must be sustained and very intense for work-related health impairments to occur. It is generally assumed that there is a latency period of several years.
Vibration-related illnesses are underestimated
The extent of vibration-related illnesses is underestimated. Anyone experiencing pain or noticing changes in their arms and hands should, if available, consult the company physician or the occupational safety specialist and describe their symptoms. Employers are legally required to conduct a workplace risk assessment. During this process, company physicians or occupational safety specialists determine whether the applicable trigger and exposure limits are being met and whether there is a risk of illness.
Where companies are reluctant to conduct risk assessments, works councils should be all the more proactive in demanding them, as raising awareness about health hazards is urgently needed. A number of simple preventive measures can be taken in the workplace. Machinery must be maintained regularly. Machinery that is too old must be phased out. Choosing the right ergonomic tools is also crucial. Better work organization, including breaks and job rotation, can help ensure that individual employees are not overburdened.
Circulatory Disorders in the Hands
Vibrations cause circulatory disorders in the hands. At first, only the fingertips or individual fingers tingle. With prolonged exposure, the fingers can turn white all the way to the base (known as “white finger disease”). When blood flows back into the fingers, they turn red and often begin to hurt. These episodes occur more frequently as the ambient temperature drops. Many affected workers then complain of pain in their hands and arms and reduced muscle strength. In the final stage, complete loss of sensation may occur. Those affected are then forced to stop performing the relevant tasks, if only because the loss of manual dexterity increases the risk of accidents.
Over a Million People Potentially at Risk
Since 2015, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has been recognized as an occupational disease. It involves damage to a nerve in the carpal tunnel—located in the center of the hand—which controls, among other things, the movements of the fingers and thumb. The cause of this condition lies in overuse resulting from flexing and extending the wrists, exerting excessive force with the hands, or exposure to hand-arm vibrations. Occupational safety and health associations anticipate an increase in suspected cases of carpal tunnel syndrome in the coming years, as this condition has only been eligible for recognition as a listed occupational disease for one year.
Gloves alone do not provide protection
Special gloves designed to protect against vibrations are available on the market. However, these gloves are effective only against high-frequency vibrations. Such gloves provide additional protection, for example, when working with grinders operating at high speeds exceeding 9,000 revolutions per minute. On their own, however, they are by no means sufficient. A more effective protective measure is to reduce the duration of exposure—that is, to avoid performing strenuous activities for so long that they cause harm to one’s health.
