Esposizione dei carrellisti a vibrazioni trasmesse al corpo intero

Vibration data were collected for 131 forklift trucks. The frequency-weighted accelera-tion values allowing the risk assessment as defined by Italian law range from 0.2 and 0.5 m/s2 (56 % of trucks), from 0.5 and 1.0 m/s2 (42 %), from 1.0 and 1.3 m/s2 (2 %). In the hypothesis of a 6 hour working shift, the operator exposure is lower than 0.5 m/s2 (for 70% of trucks), between 0.5 and 1.0 m/s2 (29%), higher than 1.0 m/s2 (1%). In con-clusion, vibrations emitted by forklift trucks may constitute a risk for operators, in cer-tain working conditions. This investigation indicated also that vibration exposure is influenced by many different aspects, especially travelling speed, terrain conditions, impacts with materials or pallets, and seats and wheels characteristics. Actions taken on these parameters will be effective for reducing the vibration exposure.