title: Comparison of whole-body vibration exposures in buses: effects and interactions of bus and seat design.
abstract: Bus and seat design may be important for the drivers' whole-body vibration (WBV). WBV exposures in buses during actual operation were assessed. WBV attenuation performance between an air-suspension seat and a static pedestal seat in low-floor buses was compared; there were no differences in WBV attenuation between the seats. Air-suspension seat performance in a high-floor and low-floor bus was compared. Relative to the pedestal seat with its relatively static, limited travel seat suspension, the air-suspension seat with its dynamic, longer travel suspension provided little additional benefit. Relative to the measurement collected at the bus floor, the air-suspension seat amplified the WBV exposures in the high-floor bus. All WBV exposures were below European Union (EU) daily exposure action values. The EU Vibration Directive only allows the predominant axis of vibration exposure to be evaluated but a tri-axial vector sum exposure may be more representative of the actual health risks.
  Low back pain is common in bus drivers and studies have shown a relationship with whole body vibration. Relative to a pedestal seat with its limited travel seat suspension, the air-suspension seat with its longer travel suspension provided little additional benefit. Exposures were below European Union daily exposure action values.
authors.affiliation: a Occupational and Environmental Medicine , Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Academy, Goteborg University , Goteborg , Sweden.
authors.forename: Per M G
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Patrik W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Rynell
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D001334:Automobile Driving; D004867:Equipment Design; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011187:Posture; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: European Vibration Directive; ISO 2631-1; SEAT; Seat Effective Amplitude Transmissibility; WBV; low back pain