[The impact of hand-transmitted vibration from municipal maintenance workers on health].
Xu C, Yang Y, et al. • Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases • 2026
The increase in hand-transmitted vibration cumulative vibration exposure level (CVEL) is associated with peripheral neurological dysfunction, impaired microcirculation and aggravated hand symptoms, with health risks particularly prominent among high-exposure workers.
Key Findings
Results
The mean cumulative vibration exposure level (CVEL) of hand-transmitted vibration for municipal maintenance workers was (4.64±0.35) m/s².
96 municipal maintenance workers exposed to hand-transmitted vibration were recruited using cluster sampling in October 2023.
Workers were divided into three groups: low-exposure (n=33, CVEL<4.469 m/s²), middle-exposure (n=30, CVEL 4.469–4.842 m/s²), and high-exposure (n=33, CVEL>4.842 m/s²).
4-hour and 8-hour energy equivalent frequency-weighted vibration acceleration values were calculated to estimate CVEL.
Personal history, occupational history, and symptom scores (hand numbness, hand pain, white fingers) were collected.
Results
CVEL of hand-transmitted vibration was positively associated with hand symptom scores after adjusting for confounding factors such as age and working years.
β=1.18, P=0.043 for the association between CVEL and hand symptom scores.
Symptoms assessed included hand numbness, hand pain, and white fingers.
Confounding factors adjusted for included age and working years.
Results
CVEL of hand-transmitted vibration was positively associated with the two-point discriminatory threshold of both hands, indicating peripheral neurological dysfunction.
β(left hand)=2.34, β(right hand)=2.75, P<0.001 for the association between CVEL as a continuous variable and two-point discriminatory threshold.
Compared with the low-exposure group, the two-point discriminatory threshold of both hands increased significantly in middle- and high-exposure groups.
Higher exposure groups showed progressively larger increases in two-point discriminatory thresholds, suggesting a dose-response relationship.
Results
CVEL of hand-transmitted vibration was negatively associated with the 10-minute cold water rewarming rate of the left hand, indicating impaired microcirculation.
β=-17.95, P=0.017 for the association between CVEL and 10-minute cold water rewarming rate of the left hand.
The cold water rewarming test was used to assess microcirculatory function.
A negative association indicates that higher vibration exposure was linked to slower vascular recovery after cold exposure.
Results
Workers in middle- and high-exposure groups showed significantly increased two-point discriminatory thresholds in both hands compared to the low-exposure group.
The magnitude of increase was greater in the high-exposure group than the middle-exposure group for both hands.
This finding suggests a dose-dependent relationship between cumulative vibration exposure and sensory nerve impairment.
What This Means
This research studied the health effects of vibrating tools on 96 municipal maintenance workers in China. Workers were grouped by how much cumulative hand vibration they were exposed to over their careers. The researchers measured hand symptoms (like numbness, pain, and white finger), the ability to distinguish two closely spaced points of touch on the skin (a test of nerve sensitivity), and how quickly the hands warmed up after being placed in cold water (a test of blood vessel function).
The study found that higher cumulative vibration exposure was associated with worse outcomes on all three measures: more hand symptoms, reduced ability to feel fine touch distinctions (indicating nerve damage), and slower blood vessel recovery after cold exposure (indicating circulation problems). Workers in the middle- and high-exposure groups had notably worse nerve sensitivity than those in the low-exposure group, and the high-exposure group showed the largest impairment, suggesting that damage worsens with greater cumulative exposure.
This research suggests that prolonged use of vibrating tools in municipal maintenance work poses real health risks, particularly affecting the nerves and blood vessels of the hands and fingers. Workers with higher levels of cumulative vibration exposure face particularly prominent health risks, highlighting the importance of monitoring and controlling vibration hazards in this type of occupational setting.
Xu C, Yang Y, Wu Q, Xue X, Dang X, Chai D. (2026). [The impact of hand-transmitted vibration from municipal maintenance workers on health].. Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases. https://doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20250318-00105