Heart rate variability during long truck driving work.

We recorded ambulatory electrocardiograms of 6 long distance truck drivers during their work period in order to observe the affect of autonomic nervous function and symptoms while doing their work. We also recorded their work patterns every minute. The RR50 value and the LFP/HFP ratio were calculated every two minutes based on R-R interval data. RR50 was significantly higher during taking naps than during other periods of work shifts, while, the LFP/HFP ratio showed significantly lower during taking naps than during other periods of work shifts. RR50 in the morning was significantly higher than that in the afternoon. On the contrary, the LFP/HFP ratio showed opposite tendency. Only on the times of driving, RR50 was significantly higher in the morning than that in the afternoon. On the other hand, the LFP/HFP ratio showed an opposite tendency. These results show that the parasympathetic nervous activities were more dominant than sympathetic nervous activities in the morning during the subjects were doing long distance truck driving including midnight work. Driving while in high parasympathetic nervous activity levels may add to cardiovascular stress and lead to drowsiness. And this may result in disrupted attention. It is necessary to decrease work time and improve working conditions of truck drivers working long-hour shifts.

[Effect of the long distance truck driving in Hokkaido on cardiovascular system].

We took the blood pressure and ECG of 8 male truck drivers who drive long distances in Hokkaido and observed the conditions under which they work. Most of their driving routes included steep passes, and the weather and the road conditions became worse in winter. Their tasks were not only the driving and waiting but also such manual labor as loading, etc. The mean driving distance of one route was 705 km and it ranged from 159 km to 1,210 km. The mean number of working hours was 27.8 h, and it ranged from 9.2 h to 46.9 h. Blood pressure was higher when driving or loading than when resting or on a day off. The mean systolic blood pressure was over 140 mmHg in 6 cases, and arrhythmia occurred frequently in 4 cases during driving or loading. In 2 cases, in which the driver met with accident, the blood pressure was remarkably high and arrhythmia occurred frequently. Most drivers worked for a very long time in poor conditions and environment. The results of our study suggested that such a heavy work load will affect the cardiovascular system.

[Survey of noise exposure level of national forestry workers].

Eighty-one national forestry workers who were using chain saws, log cutters, log cutting machines, bush cleaners, timber-collecting cable machines and forklifts were examined for their level of noise exposure in a working day by using a portable sound meter. And their noise exposure levels Leq (8 h) for a year were estimated based on the measured noise levels and on the number of noise exposure days and hours in a year recorded in their work documents. The survey was made from July to December, 1988. The maximum noise levels with all the machines except a case of the forklift were above 100 dB, and with most chain saws they were above 110 dB. The amount of time that workers were exposed to the noise of logging and lumbering with chain saws, cutting by bush cleaners and timber-collecting cable machines without a cabin was longer than the allowable time for 90 dB and 95 dB. The number of noise exposure days in a year is fewer than reported in the past. The estimated Leq (8 h) for 32 out of 34 lumbermen surveyed was more than 85 dB, and for 5 lumbermen the Leq (8 h) was more than 90 dB. From these results, it can be concluded that there is a danger of noise induced hearing loss in national forestry workers using chain saws, log cutters, log cutting machines and timber-collecting cable machines without a cabin in 1987.

A probable case of chronic occupational thallium poisoning in a glass factory.

A male worker who handled thallium-containing raw material for glass manufacturing over a period of four years complained of alopecia, abdominal pain, diarrhea and tingling in the four extremities. Neurological examination of this patient revealed signs of mild glove-stocking-type polyneuropathy. Lower sensory nerve conduction velocity of the median nerve in the right hand than in the left hand suggested that conduction function in the dominant hand was reduced. The thallium content of the hair, as determined by an ICP-MS method, was 20 ng/g for the patient and 576 ng/g for his successor in the time of 32 months and 13 months, respectively, after they had ceased their glass production work. Those levels of thallium exposure were considered high, compared with the control levels so far reported. The clinical course of signs and symptoms, neurophysiological findings and thallium content of hair suggested that the patient suffered from chronic poisoning due to occupational exposure to thallium-containing dust.

[Study of workload and cervicobrachial disorder among sign language interpreters].

We conducted a nationwide questionnaire study on the workload and health conditions of professional sign language interpreters to investigate the relationship between occupational cervicobrachial disorders (OCD) and the sign language workload. The number of valid respondents was 542 (92.3%), 85.8% of them females. They were employed by the national or local governments or organizations for the disabled. The complaint rates of subjective symptoms involving the neck, shoulders, arms, fingers, eyes and ears, being equal or higher than the rates reported for cashiers, telephone operators and nursery school teachers when OCD occurred frequently. As the workload of sign language increased, the number of complaints of symptoms in the cervicobrachial region, which also includes fingers, increased as well. Occupational safety and health management for preventing OCD should be carried out immediately for sign language interpreters.

The temporary threshold shift of vibratory sensation induced by composite-band vibration exposure.

Eight healthy subjects were exposed to three 1/3 octave-band vibrations (63, 200, and 500 Hz) by hand clasping a vibrated handle in a soundproof and thermoregulated room. The vibratory sensation threshold at 125 Hz was measured before and after the vibration exposure at an exposed fingertip. According to a preceding study, we first determined the relationship between the acceleration of the vibration and the temporary threshold shift of vibratory sensation immediately after the vibratory exposure (TTSv,0) induced by 1/3 octave-band vibration. We then measured TTSv after the exposure to a composite vibration composed of two 1/3 octave-band vibrations that might induce an equal magnitude of TTSv,0 on the basis of the above relationship. The TTSv,0 induced by the composite vibration was not larger than the TTSv,0 induced by the component vibrations. This result suggests that the component of the vibration inducing the largest TTSv,0 determines the TTSv,0 by broad-band random vibration.

Temporary threshold shift of vibratory sensation induced by a vibrating handle and its gripping force.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the effect of the force with which a vibrating handle is gripped on the temporary threshold shift of vibratory sensation (TTSv) induced by hand-arm vibration. METHODS: Six healthy subjects gripped a handle vibrating with a 1.3 octave-band vibration, with a central frequency of 200 Hz and an intensity of 39.2 m/s2. Exposure was for 1 min and 10 min, respectively. Gripping forces for the 1-min exposure were 5 N, 10 N, 40 N and 80 N, respectively, with 0 N push-pull force. Gripping forces for the 10-min exposure were the same as for the 1-min exposure but omitting 80 N. The vibratory sensation threshold at 125 Hz was measured before and after exposure of an exposed fingertip to vibration. The differences measured determine TTSv.t at time t. TTSv.t determines TTSv.0, that is, the temporary threshold shift of vibratory sensation immediately after exposure to vibration according to the estimate made on the basis of the preceding study. The same experimental conditions were repeated 3 times on different days in a soundproof and thermoregulated room. RESULTS: Our findings show that TTSv increases significantly with increasing gripping force. We also determined the quantitative relationships between TTSv.0 and gripping force as described by the equation TTSv.0 = exp(kf x F + Cf). where kt and Cf are constants and F is gripping force. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the importance of ergonomic design in reducing the force with which a vibrating handle is gripped to prevent an adverse effect of local vibration. The equation devised may help in the quantitative assessment of the effect of reduced gripping force.

Application of a new, self-recording, vibratory sensation meter to measure temporary threshold shift of vibratory sensation caused by local vibration exposure.

A new, self-recording, vibratory sensation meter measures temporary threshold shifts of vibratory sensation (TTSv) on a finger tip. After exposure to hand-transmitted vibration with exposure frequencies 63 Hz, 200 Hz and 500 Hz, and levels of acceleration 1 g, 2 g, 4 g and 8 g, fingertip measurements were obtained. Temporary threshold shift immediately after the vibratory exposure (TTSv,0) was estimated for each exposure from the regression analysis by approximation of an exponential function. Time constant (tc) was also estimated at the same time by the analysis. The coefficients of determination were large. Thus, the fit of the exponential function is very good for each exposure. The tc corresponds to the recovering velocity of the temporary shift and implies the half-life period of TTSv. These parameters enable us to examine more generally the relationships of TTSv to the characteristics of exposure vibration, subject and other conditions. On this basis, the estimated TTSv,0 and tc were used to examine the dependency of TTSv on the characteristics of the exposure vibration and the subject. The most effective frequency under the level of 4 g is thought to be between 200 Hz and 500 Hz. TTSv,0 of each subject proportionally increased with power of acceleration. The coefficient of determination on regression analysis was large. This result enables us to estimate TTSv,0 at an arbitrary level of acceleration by use of a regression equation derived from experimental data.