Operators' exposure to hand-arm vibration in olive growing

Many little sloping olive groves are present in Mediterranean countries, where the olive cultivation is here feasible only by a light mechanization, using brushcutters, motorhoes, chainsaws, backpack mistblowers and hand-held olive harvesters. All the mentioned machines are unfortunately carrier of possible hand-arm vibrations (HAV) risks onset for the operators in this work environment. Many studies concern the specific vibration risk of the above mentioned machines. There is however a research shortage regarding the analysis of the HAV operators' exposure during the entire growing season. Aim of this work was to study the operator's exposure to the HAV risk, using both the ISO 5349-1 standard (as requested by the European Directive 2002/44) and the ISO/TR 18570, as suggested to correctly evaluate the vascular risk. Vibration transmitted by a motorhoe, a chainsaw, a backpack mistblower and a hand-held olive harvester were measured in an olive grove located in the Liguria Region (Italy, North West). Measurements were performed throughout an entire growing season in field by one operator (from November 2019 to April 2021, delayed due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic emergency). The simultaneous acquisition of the vibration along the three directions (X, Y and Z) were performed. The signals were therefore frequency weighted using the weighting curves Wh (ISO 5349-1 standard), and Wp (ISO/TR 18570). The daily operators' exposures A(8) and Ep,d were therefore calculated and compared with the current regulation and literature. The motorhoe, the chainsaw and the hand-held olive harvester showed values far above the admitted limits, independently by the weighting curve. Only the backpack mistblower showed lower hand-arm vibration values, but only concerning the Wh weighting curve (and the A(8) daily exposure).