Sharma Amit, Mandal Bibhuti B
Department of Mining Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.
Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2024 Jul-Sep;28(3):198-206. doi: 10.4103/ijoem.ijoem_303_23. Epub 2024 Sep 30.
The mining sector plays a pivotal role in meeting global resource demands, necessitating the extensive use of heavy earth-moving machinery (HEMM). Among these, load-haul-dump (LHD) mining vehicles are vital but expose operators to whole-body vibration (WBV) and shocks during their duties. Research indicates potential health risks associated with occupational WBV exposure, including musculoskeletal disorders. Evaluating these risks typically employs ISO 2631-1:1997, which, however, has limitations in addressing long-term exposure and shock effects.
This study quantifies the health risks of LHD operators in Indian underground coal mines using ISO 2631-5:2018 and compares it to ISO 2631-1:1997. The methods for risk quantification from WBV vary between the two standards, leading to a comprehensive comparison. In addition, a cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess self-reported musculoskeletal pain among LHD operators.
The results were compared in accordance with frequency-weighted root mean square (RMS) values, vibration dose values (VDV), daily compressive dose (S ), and the risk of injury (R) factor. The assessment using A(8), VDV, S , and R produced diverse evaluations, influencing varying perspectives on occupational health despite significant risks. ISO 2631-5:2018 consistently suggested a lower health risk for LHD operators as opposed to ISO 2631-1:1997. Seat effective amplitude transmissibility (SEAT) values showed amplification of vibration in the range of 4-8 Hz. Self-reported musculoskeletal pain indicated the prevalence of discomfort among operators.
The study emphasizes a cautious approach when interpreting results and shaping guidelines to ensure sustainable development through the well-being of mining industry workers.
采矿业在满足全球资源需求方面发挥着关键作用，这使得重型土方机械（HEMM）被广泛使用。其中，铲运机（LHD）采矿车辆至关重要，但在作业过程中会使操作员暴露于全身振动（WBV）和冲击之下。研究表明，职业性WBV暴露存在潜在健康风险，包括肌肉骨骼疾病。评估这些风险通常采用ISO 2631-1:1997，但该标准在解决长期暴露和冲击影响方面存在局限性。
本研究使用ISO 2631-5:2018对印度地下煤矿LHD操作员的健康风险进行量化，并将其与ISO 2631-1:1997进行比较。两种标准中WBV风险量化方法不同，从而进行了全面比较。此外，还开展了一项横断面研究，以评估LHD操作员自我报告的肌肉骨骼疼痛情况。
根据频率加权均方根（RMS）值、振动剂量值（VDV）、每日压缩剂量（S）和损伤风险（R）因子对结果进行了比较。使用A(8)、VDV、S和R进行的评估产生了不同的结果，尽管存在重大风险，但对职业健康的看法各不相同。与ISO 2631-1:1997相比，ISO 2631-5:2018始终表明LHD操作员的健康风险较低。座椅有效振幅传递率（SEAT）值显示在4-8Hz范围内振动会放大。自我报告的肌肉骨骼疼痛表明操作员中不适情况普遍存在。
该研究强调在解释结果和制定指南时要谨慎，以通过采矿业工人的福祉确保可持续发展。
