title: Influence of forest machine function on operator exposure to whole-body vibration in a cut-to-length timber harvester.
abstract: The influence of machine function (tree felling and processing, and machine movement over the terrain) on operator exposure to whole-body vibration in a cut-to-length (CTL) timber harvester was evaluated. Vibrations were measured on the seat and the cabin chassis in three orthogonal (x, y, z) axes for the tree felling and processing, and during motion on a test track. It was found that the level of vibration transmitted to the operator during felling and processing was mainly affected by the tree size (diameter). For tree diameter at breast height (dbh) range of 0.25-0.35 m that was investigated, the vertical (z-axis) vibration component during processing increased by up to 300%, and increased by 50% during felling. However, the associated vibration levels were not sufficient to pose any serious health risks to the operator for an exposure limit of 8 h. Vibration at the operator seat and cabin chassis was predominant in the lateral (y-axis) and vertical (z-axis) respectively, during vehicle motion over the standard test track. Vibration peaks of approximately 0.20 and 0.17 ms(-2) occurred at 5 and 3.2 Hz respectively.
authors.affiliation: Forest Engineering Unit, Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland. louis.sherwin@ucd.ie
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sherwin
authors.forename: P M O
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Owende
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kanali
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000399:Air Pressure; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006804:Ergonomics; D016468:Forestry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014197:Trees; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects*