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Simon Kudernatsch, Ph.D. conducts vibration testing in the NIU Biodynamics Lab.

DeKALB, Ill. – Students and faculty in the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) are finding ways to protect workers from the damaging body-jarring effects of vibratory tools.

Every day, farmers, construction workers, miners, factory workers and forestry workers spend hours using jackhammers, chain saws, nut runners, grinders, drills, rivet guns and other vibrating tools which can potentially cause irreversible damage to nerves, blood vessels, bones and soft tissues in the human body. As a result, they can develop a condition known as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

“HAVS sufferers may suffer pain, numbness, tingling, loss of sensory perception in the fingertips, and potentially the loss of dexterity and function in the arms, hands, wrists, fingers, and/or thumbs,” explains Donald Peterson, Ph.D., dean of the college and an expert in biomechanics. Peterson serves as a U.S. delegate on the International Standards Organization (ISO) Technical Committee on Human Exposure to Mechanical Vibration and Shock.

VIbration testing in the NIU Biodynamics Lab.

The average homeowner may get an inkling of what the condition is like when operating a backyard weed trimmer, says Simon Kudernatsch, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow who is part of the work at CEET.

“If you use a weed trimmer for a while and then let it go, you will likely feel numbness and weakness in hands and fingers from holding this vibrating tool,” he said. “If you experience this once a week, then symptoms likely go away in a matter of minutes. However, if you use vibrating equipment all-day-every-day these symptoms may become permanent. The condition is irreversible and is a very costly hazard among workers.”

To help battle HAVS, and the associated condition of Vibration White Finger (VWF), Peterson and Kudernatsch are testing gloves that dampen vibrations, with much of their work focusing on evaluating the performance of how effectively existing vibration-reducing gloves function when used in different body postures.

That work is conducted in CEET’s Biodynamics Lab, one of only a handful of labs in the US that focuses on hand-arm vibration research. The lab includes what the team believes is a one-of-a-kind shaker suspended from the ceiling to more accurately simulate the vibrations a worker may experience while in typical work postures.

The team is also examining the use of exoskeletons (external frames that some workers use to support themselves) while using vibratory tools. They are striving to learn if the use of such devices lessens or worsens the effects of vibration. In fact, Peterson is also the chair of ASTM International’s Exoskeletons and Exosuits committee (F48). The committee’s task is to develop industry standards in the growing field of exoskeletons and exosuits.

“Exoskeleton devices can alter human performance, and this change in performance can in turn change the levels of vibration exposures along the upper extremity. It is extremely important that we understand these processes to better protect workers,” said Kudernatsch.

In addition to his work in the lab, Peterson has been active on Capitol Hill, helping legislators understand the technology and the need for standards to ensure worker safety.

“Exposure to vibration is such a common health risk to so many workers in a wide number of industries, yet it’s one that can be reasonably controlled,” said Peterson. “We hope the testing in our lab lends insight on new and improved ways to prevent exposure to vibration.”

CEET offers bachelor’s degrees in biomedical engineering. For more information, visit niu.edu/ceet.