Risk assessment due to transmission of vibrations from olive electrical and pneumatic harvesters to the Hand-Arm System (HAV): definition and evaluation of levels and exposure time

The paper is focused on exposure to vibration during the olive harvest for farmers of Azienda Agraria of Università Politecnica of Marche to highlight the importance of the exposure to vibrations transmitted to the hand-arm system in agriculture and its consequences on human health. To assess the exposure to mechanical vibration transmitted to operators during the olive harvest, measurements were done using a vibration measuring equipment during the regular working activity. The vibration samplings were carried out on electric and pneumatic harvesters. The measured data were compared with the prevention values for the safety requirements fixed by the normative. The analysis of the results shows that the electric harvesters transmit vibrations equivalent and in some cases higher than ones provided by the pneumatic harvesters. The paper, evaluating the risk to the hand-arm system due to vibrations, give an overview of the exposure of workers to the risks arising from vibrations to which operators are exposed when using olive harvesters.