IRSST - Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

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April 26, 2024

Characterization of the noise and vibration produced by the portable tools used in the automobile repair industry

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the noise and vibration emissions of four classes of hand-held tools in Québec’s automobile repair shops, namely ratchets, air impact wrenches, grinders, sanders and air hammers. Workplace observations were used to determine representative tasks for each of them, and then to reproduce them in the laboratory by taking into account the action of the tool on the worked part. The results of the tests, categorized according to the frequency of use of the tool studied, show that sanders, grinders and ratchets produce the most worker vibration exposure. In the case of noise, sanders, grinders and ratchets produce the most exposure. To reduce exposure, the report recommends choosing rotating tools equipped with a silencer, as well as pneumatic hammers equipped with an anti-vibration system, and decreasing their use. Furthermore, compliance with the manufacturers’ instructions can slow the wear on the tools and thus help reduce their noise and hand-arm vibration risks.

Produced Under this Project

  • Caractérisation du bruit et des vibrations des outils portatifs de l’industrie de la réparation automobile

    Pierre Marcotte, Oddo R., Boutin J., Hugues Nélisse

    Source :

    in Premier congrès international sur l'ingénierie des risques industriels / CIRI 2007 (1er : 17-19 décembre, 2007 : Montréal, Canada), 2007

  • Characterization of the noise and vibration produced by portable power tools used in the automobile repair industry

    Pierre Marcotte, Oddo R., Boutin J., Hugues Nélisse

    Source :

    in Proceedings of the 2nd American Conference on Human Vibration / ACHV, (2nd : June 3-6, 2008 : Chicago, U.S.A.), CD-ROM, 2008

  • Comparing three methods for evaluating impact wrench vibration emissions

    McDowell T. W., Pierre Marcotte, Warren C., Welcom D. E., Dong R. G.

    Source :

    Annals of Occupational Hygiene, vol. 53, no 6, 2009, p. 617-626

  • Vibration of portable orbital sanders and its impact on the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the furniture industry

    Gauthier F., Gélinas D., Pierre Marcotte

    Source :

    in International Conference on Computers & Industrial Engineering (40th : July 25-28, 2010 : Hyogo, Japan), 2010

  • Prévention des vibrations

    Pierre Marcotte

    Source :

    in Colloque Bruit et vibrations au travail, (2-4 mars, 2011 : Paris, France), 2011, 6 p

  • Vibration of portable orbital sanders and its impact on the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the furniture industry

    Gauthier F., Gélinas D., Pierre Marcotte

    Source :

    Computers & Industrial Engineering, vol. 62, no 3, 2012, p. 762-769

Additional Information

Type: Project
Number: 0099-3810
Status: Completed
Year of completion: 2008
Team:
  • Pierre Marcotte (IRSST)
  • Noureddine Atalla (Université de Sherbrooke)
  • Rémy Oddo (Université de Sherbrooke)
  • Hugues Nélisse (IRSST)
  • Jérôme Boutin (IRSST)
  • Paul-Émile Boileau (IRSST)
  • Pierre Drouin (IRSST)
  • Christian Clavet (Université de Sherbrooke)