Development and application of a vibrotactile perception threshold database from industrial vibrating tool operators in accordance with ISO standards

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05662
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Hygiene and public health
• Research Institution: Wakayama Medical University
• Principal Investigator: TAKEMURA Shigeki 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70511559)
• Research Collaborator: MIYASHITA Kazuhisa ; YOSHIMASU Kouichi ; TSUNO Kanami ; MAEDA Setsuo
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 振動障害 / 手指振動感覚閾値 / 国際標準化機構（ISO） / 健康管理 / 産業保健

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Vibration perception threshold (VPT) was measured among industrial vibrating tool operators and non-operators at a total of nine frequencies with an ISO 13091-based VPT meter. Symptomatic subjects had higher VPTs than asymptomatic subjects. Industrial vibrating tool operators had higher VPTs than non-operators. This difference became prominent in the cold-water immersion test. Cut-off values for peripheral neuropathy were calculated from VPTs measured. These findings showed the usefulness of the ISO 13091-based VPT meter.

Free Research Field

衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

振動工具取扱作業者に生じる職業病である振動障害の症状の一つに、末梢神経障害がある。従来型の振動感覚計で生じていた測定上の問題を克服した、国際規格ISO 13091準拠の振動感覚計は、精密な測定が可能だが、診断基準が確立していない。本研究では、症状のある者とない者で手指の振動感覚閾値を測定した値を比較することで、ISO 13091準拠の振動感覚計における末梢神経障害の診断基準の材料となりうる情報をもたらすものである。