[A study on the vibration hazards due to using bush cutters (author's transl)]. 1979

M Futatsuka

Bush cutters were introduced into Japanese forestry for cutting bush in 1957 or thereabout. Thereafter, they have been used widely not only in forestry but also in agriculture, public engineering, etc. In spite of the fact that vibration acceleration levels of the bush cutters are high, vibration hazards due to using these tools have not been studied. The reason lies in few professions using bush cutters exclusively. Moreover, the tool is only used seasonally from June to September. The author examined 641 bush cutters users in the State Forestry in southern Kyushu and compared the results with a sample of chain saw users matched by age, duration of use, and district. The prevalence rate of Raynaud's phenomenon is 0.4% at 4 years after beginning the use of bush cutters, 4.0% after 10 years and 9.2% after 18 years. The prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon in chain saw users is twice as great as that in bush cutter users. Bush cutter users are attacked by Raynaud's phenomenon after about 1,000 hours' use of the tool. The difference is regarded to depend on the difference in the density of use and the difference in the levels of vibration acceleration. The vibration hazards due to using bush cutters were characterized by relatively mild complaints in the upper extremities, together with disturbances of peripheral circulation but not always with peripheral neuropathy.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009784 Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment. Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D011928 Raynaud Disease An idiopathic vascular disorder characterized by bilateral Raynaud phenomenon, the abrupt onset of digital paleness or CYANOSIS in response to cold exposure or stress. Cold Fingers, Hereditary,Raynaud Phenomenon,Raynaud's Disease,Raynauds Disease
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D014732 Vibration A continuing periodic change in displacement with respect to a fixed reference. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Vibrations

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