• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.93-107
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• 2000

The excessive exposure to powered hand tools can cause damage to nerves, impair blood circulation, and musculoskeletal damage. The symptoms associated with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) include numbness, tingling, pain and subsequent reduced dexterity of the hands. This study was performed to report the prevalence of the HAVS and evaluate its related factors among the workers using powered hand tools. Total 282 workers in 11 plants of Kyungki and Inchon areas were examined. A standard symptom questionnaire was developed and administered to collect information on personal characteristics, work history, operating conditions, tool characteristics, and subjective symptoms of HAVS. Mean values (standard deviations) of the age, the duration of powered hand tools used, and the daily hours using powered hand tools were 38.3(8.9) years, 79.3(62.2) months and 6.0(2.6) hours, respectively. 132 workers(46.8%) showed vibration-induced white finger symptoms according to the Taylor-Pelmear classification, and 30 workers(10.6%) were interfered with the work. The results of a multiple logistic regression analysis controlling for age and daily working hours showed that smoking, work duration, weight of tools, and continuous work over 2 hours were significantly associated with the symptom of HAVS.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.55-69
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• 1999

It is very common to use the powered hand tools to enhance the productivity in various types of industry. But the use of the powered hand tools could cause health problems such as cumulative trauma disorders and vibration white fingers. In this study. the effects of hand-arm vibration and anatomical hand position on localized muscle fatigue were analyzed. Eight healthy male subjects volunteered for the study. Vibration frequencies of 0, 40, 80, 100, 150, and 200Hz and hand position of flexion and ulnar deviation were selected for the independent variables of the experiment. Median frequency shifting was used as a dependent variable. The results indicated that at the vibration frequency of 40Hz and accelation of 2g, the muscle fatigue was the greatest. For the hand position. there was significant difference between neutral and flexion. and neutral and ulnar deviation, but no difference between flexion and ulnar deviation. These results could be applied in designing powered hand tools to minimize the health problems.

• IE interfaces
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.375-383
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of vibration induced by the powered hand tools used in the automobile assembly lines, and estimate the prevalence of vibration syndrome. The acceleration levels of four major powered hand tools were measured using the ISO 5349 method along with the time of exposure to the vibration of the hand tools. Four-hour-energy-equivalent frequency-weighted accelerations ranged from $1.27m/s^2$ to $2.58m/s^2$, After exposure to vibration for 12.6 years, about 10% of the workers using impact ranches were expected to develop Raynaud's disease. For the workers using grinders, 16.6% of the workers were expected to develop Raynaud's disease. The results would be of help in developing the guidelines of local vibration control.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.22 no.52
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• pp.43-52
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• 1999

In this study, the vibration damping characteristics of the powered hand tools transmitted in hand-arm system were examined and compared. The types of powered tools for the experiment are general typed drill, impact drill, grinder, and wire brush. To analyze the characteristics of vibration damping, the magnitude of acceleration of vibration on X, Y, and Z direction at tool, hand, wrist, and the joint between forearm and upper arm were measured respectively. The results indicated that impact drill generated the highest value of acceleration of vibration among the four types of tools used in the experiments. The highest value of the amount of acceleration of vibration was found in the direction of Y. And the amount of acceleration of vibration was significantly affected by the type of tool, type of work, and pushing forces. As become the more distant from the tool, the smaller the amount of acceleration of vibration. Also, the bigger the pushing force at the tool, the higher the acceleration of vibration.

• Journal of KSNVE
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.299-305
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• 2000

In this study, the characteristics of transmitted vibration on hand-arm system are examined when operating electric hand tools. Also through the correlation analysis between anthroponetric data and transmitted vibration, and comparison study with appropriate amount of work done based on the ISO criteriaa, the basic data for the ergonomic work design can be presented. The types of electric tools and works for the experiment are drill (general type and impact type), grinder, wire brush and steel to analyze the characteristics of transmitted vibrations, the amount of transmitted vibrations in X, Y and Z direction at tool(T), hand(H), wrist(W), and the joint between foream and upper arm(A) were measured at the frequency range of 6.3∼1000[HZ]. Also, the limit of human exposure to vibration, and the response of frequency were conducted.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.880-883
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• 2006

The reduction of tool vibration has been a serious issue for both employers and workers because of the risks of vibration transmitted to the workers. In this study a hand-arm vibration measurement and evaluation system was developed based on ISO 5349:2001 and used for analyzing relation of vibration level and components of tools. This system consists of a notebook PC installed a LabVIEW program and the data acquisition system including two 3-axial accelerometers and a NI-DAQ card. Vibration measurement tests were conducted for eight angle grinders and four impact wrenches where 3 subjects were used for each of the tools. The relation between different components of each tool and its vibration total value made it possible to set-up a guideline of tool design. In the past engineers developed tools by using their experience and intuition, but by using this system it became possible to design tool components so as to minimize the risks of hand-transmitted vibration.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.303-308
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study is to understand health effect of hand-arm transmitted vibration. Background: Electronic vibration tools have been used in many industries. These tools evoke hand-arm transmitted vibration that cause hand-arm vibration syndrome. Method: Various papers on the hand-arm transmitted vibration and its health effects have been reviewed to know what health effect caused. Results: Hand-arm transmitted vibration causes circulatory, neural, musculoskeletal and other disturbance. Conclusion: The previous studies focused on the epidemiology and physiology for hand-arm transmitted vibration. So, now we should focus on a prevention and guideline of hand-arm transmitted vibration. Application: These results can be used to know health effect of hand-arm transmitted vibration.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2019

Background Hand injuries caused by chain saws, electric saws, and hand grinders range from simple lacerations to tendon injuries, fractures, and even amputations. This study aimed to understand the distribution of various types of hand and upper extremity injuries caused by power tools, in order to help prevent them, by investigating the incidence and cause of power tool injuries treated over a 4-year period at a single institution in Korea. Methods We reviewed the medical records of patients who visited a single institution for power tool-induced injuries from 2011 to 2014. The distribution of sex, age, injured body part, type of injury, and mechanism of injury sustained by patients who received hand and upper extremity injuries from using an engine saw, electric saw, or hand grinder was evaluated. Results Among 594 subjects who were injured by power tools, 261 cases were hand and upper extremity injuries. The average age was 53.2 years. Tendon injury was the most common type of injury. An electric saw was the most common type of power tool used. More injuries occurred in non-occupational settings than in occupational settings. Conclusions In this study, power tool-induced hand and upper extremity injuries were mostly caused by direct contact with electric saw blades. More injuries occurred due to non-occupational use of these tools, but the ratios of amputations and structural injuries were similar in the non-occupational and occupational groups.

• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1995.10a
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• pp.280-284
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• 1995

The primary aim of this research is to summarize and discuss the problems that the hand tool manufactiuring industry of Korea is now facing. The study was performed mainly through the interviews with hand tool industry experts. Traditional design concepts are usually oriented towards the functionality of tools but often ignore the human factors such as ease of use, comfort, etc. As a result, for hand tools, mechanical and material aspects have been considerably enhanced but human factors have still much room for improvement.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.52-65
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• 1999

This study was performed to evaluate the hand-arm vibration of the steel processing factory workers. Measurement, evaluation and as sessment were based on the International Standard(ISO 5349). The frequency weighted accelerations of the various hand-held tools and total exposure time were measured to assess the periods for the white finger symptom to occur. As a result, it was found that the air angle grinder and the air baby grinder are more harmful than other hand-held tools. It was also found that using various vibratory tools together is more harmful than using a single tool.