Give Vehicle Operators a Smooth Ride

Permanent injury or disease sustained by Australian workers comprises a huge burden. Fatality or permanent impairment is a significant issue for every industry including the mining industry. Whole body vibration (WBV) is considered a significant contributor to the permanent impairment problem which has been recognised for decades. WBV requires a suite of interventions to be appropriately managed in the work place. Current commercially available seats do not provide significant protection for operators of heavy mining vehicles. Regular vibration monitoring, with evaluation against standards for whole body vibration, is necessary to quantify the extent to which operating vehicles is damaging operators. Operation and maintenance managers must become sensitized to the phenomena of jolt/jar and vibration with priority given to road and vehicle maintenance above production pressures for WBV to be effectively managed into the future.

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