Evaluation of whole-body vibrations and seat performance, and characterization of the postures related to heavy vehicle operation - Phase III: Definition of the design requirements for mining vehicle seats based on biomechanical and vibration analyses

Abstract

Whole-body vibration exposure is known to cause various health problems, in particular low back pain and disc degeneration. Considering the complexity of the problem, it is difficult to establish the link between vibration exposure and health problems. Research must therefore continue in order to determine effective means of prevention. This project is the first sharing of resources of the IRSST, Queen’s University, the University of Western Ontario and Laurentian University, with the financial assistance of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario. The Ontario researchers will carry out the first two phases of this project and the IRSST’s researchers will conduct the third. Their objectives are to estimate the characteristics of the vibrations transmitted to the drivers of heavy mining vehicles, to characterize their sitting posture, and to simulate the vibration of vehicles in the laboratory to evaluate the design requirements of better adapted seats. On the basis of biomechanical and vibration analyses carried out by simulating a driver’s station, this extensive joint research will provide a definition of the design requirements of safer seats and a better understanding of the effect of postural factors on the transfer of vibrations to drivers.

Produced Under this Project

Scientific Publications

Absorbed power as an indicator of health risk associated with whole-body vibration exposure
Xie X. Y., Bhat R., Boileau P.-É.
Source :
in Proceedings of the Third Symposium on Multibody Dynamics and Vibration, ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference, September 9-12, 2001, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2001
Comparison of frequency weighted rms acceleration and absorbed power as means of assessing whole-body vibration exposure
Xie X. Y., Bhat R., Boileau P.-É.
Source :
in Proceedings of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers Conference (November 21-22, 2001 : Montréal, Québec, 2001
Définition des exigences de conception des sièges de véhicules miniers à partir d'analyses biomécaniques et vibratoires
Boileau P.-É., Plamondon A., Delisle A., Christian Larivière
Source :
in La société des savoirs : 72e Congrès de l'Association canadienne-française pour l'avancement des sciences / ACFAS (72e : 10-14 mai, 2004 : Montréal, Canada), 2004
Reliability of centre of pressure summary measures of postural steadiness in healthy subjects
Santos B., Christian Larivière, Delisle A., Plamondon A., McFadden D., Imbeau D.
Source :
in Proceedings of the XVIIth Conference of the International Society for Posture and Gait Research (17th : May 29-June 2, 2005 : Marseille, France), Gait & Posture, vol. 21, suppl. 1, 2005, p. S150
Whole-body vibration: quantifying the biomechanical response of the lumbar spine
Santos B., Delisle A., Christian Larivière, Plamondon A., Boileau P.-É., Imbeau D.
Source :
in International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries (3rd : June 7-9, 2005 : Nancy, France), 2005
Assessing the sensitivity of different measures to quantify biomechanical responses to whole-body vibration
Santos B., Delisle A., Christian Larivière, Plamondon A., Boileau P.-É., Imbeau D.
Source :
in International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries (3rd : June 7-9, 2005 : Nancy, France), 2005, p. 27
Vibration spectral class characterization of long haul dump mining vehicles and seat performance evaluation
Boileau P.-É., Boutin J., Eger T., Smets M.
Source :
in Proceedings of the First American Conference on Human Vibration, (1st : June 5-7, 2006 : Morgantown, U.S.A.), 2006, p. 14-15, (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2006-140/pdfs/2006-140.pdf)
Whole-body vibration exposure and driver posture evaluation during the operation of LHD vehicles in underground mining
Eger T., Stevenson J., Grenier S., Boileau P.-É., Smets M.
Source :
in Proceedings of the First American Conference on Human Vibration, (1st : June 5-7, 2006 : Morgantown, U.S.A.), 2006, p. 119-120, (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2006-140/pdfs/2006-140.pdf)
Sudden loading perturbation to determine the reflex response of different back muscles: a reliability study
Santos B., Christian Larivière, Delisle A., Plamondon A., Imbeau D.
Source :
in 14th Biennial Conference for the Canadian Society for Biomechanics, (14th : August 16-19, 2006 : Waterloo, Canada), 2006, p. 132
Sensitivity of biomechanical measures to evaluate the effects of seated whole-body vibration
Santos B., Delisle A., Christian Larivière, Plamondon A., Imbeau D.
Source :
in Proceedings of the 16th World Congress of the International Ergonomics Association / IEA (16th : July 10-14, 2006 : Maastricht, Netherlands), CD-ROM, Pikaar, R.N., Koningsveld, E.A.P., Settels, P.J.M. (éds), Elsevier, 2006
Laboratory experiment to determine the impact of asymmetric neck and trunk postures on whole-body vibration transmissibility up the spine
Eger T., Boileau P.-É., Stevenson J.
Source :
in Proceedings of the 14th Biennial Conference for the Canadian Society of Biomechanics Conference, (14th : August 16-19, 2006 : Waterloo, Canada), 2006, Paper #49
Reliability of centre of pressure summary measures of postural steadiness in healthy young adults
Santos B., Delisle A., Christian Larivière, Plamondon A., Imbeau D.
Source :
Gait and Posture, vol. 27, no 3, 2008, p. 408-415
A laboratory study to quantify the biomechanical responses to whole-body vibration: the influence on balance, reflex response, muscular activity and fatigue
Santos B., Christian Larivière, Delisle A., Plamondon A., Boileau P.-É., Imbeau D.
Source :
International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 38, no 7-8, 2008, p. 626-639
Predictions of health risks associated with the operation of load-haul-dump mining vehicles. Part 1, Analysis of whole-body vibration exposure using ISO 2631-1 and ISO-2631-5 standards
Eger T., Stevenson J., Boileau P.-É., Salmoni A.
Source :
International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 38, no 9-10, 2008, p. 726-738
Predictions of health risks associated with the operation of load-haul-dump mining vehicles. Part 2, evaluation of operator driving postures and associated postural loading
Eger T., Stevenson J., Callaghan J. P., Grenier S.
Source :
International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 38, no 9-10 2008, p. 801-815
Changes in seat-head whole-body vibration transmissibility and muscles activity under assymetric neck and trunk postures
Eger T., Dickey J. P., Boileau P.-É., Stevenson J.
Source :
in Proceedings of the 2nd American Conference on Human Vibration / ACHV, (2nd : June 3-6, 2008 : Chicago, U.S.A.), CD-ROM, 2008
Sudden loading perturbation to determine the reflex response of different back muscles: a reliability study
Santos B., Christian Larivière, Delisle A., Plamondon A., Imbeau D.
Source :
Muscle & Nerve, vol. 43, no 3, 2011, p. 348-359
Influence of vehicle size, haulage capacity and ride control on vibration exposure and predicted health risks for LHD vehicle operators
Eger T., Stevenson J. M., Grenier S., Boileau P.-É., Smets M. P.
Source :
Journal of Low Frequency Noise, Vibration and Active Control, vol. 30, no 1, 2011, p. 45-62

Additional Information

Type: Project

Number: 0099-2370

Status: Completed

Year of completion: 2007

Research Field: Mechanical and Physical Risk Prevention

Team:

Alan Salmoni (University of Western Ontario)
Paul-Émile Boileau (IRSST)
André Plamondon (IRSST)
Christian Larivière (IRSST)
Alain Delisle (IRSST)
Jérôme Boutin (IRSST)
Denis Gagnon (Université de Sherbrooke)
Tammy Eger (Université Laurentienne)
Joan Stevensen (Queen's University)
Sylvain Grenier (Université Laurentienne)