NIOSH Evaluates Vibration Exposures for Internment Technicians

Personal from NIOSH's Health Hazard Evaluation Program performed an assessment on the risk of injuries to employees who worked on the interment crew at a cemetery. The evaluation, released earlier this year, responds to cemetery managers who expressed concern for their crew's safety when operating a 10-ton power tip dumper (“dumper”).

The investigation took place over 7-month span. NIOSH staff visited the facility four times and measured whole body vibration exposure while operating the dumper, and while operating the vehicle at different speeds and loading conditions. 

Among other things, investigators found that operating the dumper caused higher whole body vibration than operating the backhoe and higher driving speed on the dumper produced higher whole body vibration. The study further concluded that driving speed appears to be more important to vibration exposure than the loading conditions of the vehicle.

The agency made several recommendations to improve workplace health and safety of the technicians. The recommendations included:

• Restrict driving speed of the dumper and backhoe by implementing a new policy or a new governor device.
• Encourage employees to take the shortest possible route to the soil shed.
• Rotate employees between the dumper and backhoe more often.
• Improve and maintain roadways, especially those sections used most often.

The full report is available here. For more information on on the agency’s Health Hazard Evaluation Program, visit the NIOSH website.