Occupational Risk Evaluation of Vibration exposed Road Construction Workers of Kolkata: An Ergo-Physiological Analysis

Abstract

Whole-body vibration is described as the influence of mechanical vibration of the environment on the entire human body. The harmfulness of vibration depends on its intensity, time of exposure, and frequency content. Vibration restricts the blood supply to the hands and fingers, which, depending on the vibration level, can contribute to an ergonomic injury. Long time exposure to vibration develops occupational injuries in the whole body of road construction workers. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate and identify the physiological morbidity of the road contractors of Kolkata, to quantify the body part damages of road contractors due to vibration, and to recommend some suitable preventive measures for avoiding occupational damage. This double-blind study followed STROBE guideline. Here, 56 male road construction workers who were exposed to vibration & 42 other forms of road construction workers of Kolkata were randomly chosen, with age range 30-48years. Their muscle& finger strength, the prevalence of Raynaud’s phenomenon, occupational vibration-induced ocular bone injury, and musculoskeletal disorders were evaluated statistically. The results of this study indicate that the experimental group was suffering from poor muscle and finger strength, low back injury, early onset of the white finger, and dry eye disease. FFA, Nailfold capillaroscopy, and DEXA Scan suggestthe onset of retinal vascular capillary damages, and porosity of bone. ANA results indicatethe presence of higher titer and greater amount of autoantibody amongst the experimental group. However, road construction workers should use anti-vibration shock- proof protection gear and should follow a work-rest cycle of about 10 minutes, when they are exposed to vibration tools.