Whole-body vibration exposures in a developing country: A pilot study in South Africa amongst forklift drivers at the port of Durban

Many economic, social and political factors in developing countries play a significant role in increasing the effects of occupational ergonomic hazards and the resulting occupational diseases and disorders. Whole-body vibration is one such hazard, which has received little attention in South Africa due to the fact that it is difficult to evaluate, quantify and control. Whole-body vibration hazards are associated with the use of industrial vehicles that are often outdated, inadequately maintained, and have operational lives long past the norm for modern industrialized first world countries. This paper reports on a pilot study conducted at the largest harbour in Africa (the Port of Durban on the east coast of South Africa), and whole-body vibration exposures experienced by drivers of forklift trucks under various test operational conditions. Factors both economic and environmental that contribute to high vibration exposures and subsequent adverse musculo-skeletal disorders and complaints that have lead to an increase in sick leave and medical treatment amongst this cohort are highlighted. Whole-body vibration was measured using the ISO 2631/1-1997 methodology on a small cohort of forklift trucks, and the majority of vibration results exceeded the European Union Machinery Directive and ISO 2631/1-1997 root mean squared exposure values of 0.5 ms-2 for 8 hours. Some of the forklifts exceeded the EEC machinery directive vibration exposure limit of 0.7 ms-2 by up to four fold. Perceived comfort levels as per ISO 2631/1-1997 for the recorded results are also reported.