ABSTRACT
In this study (Magnusson et al., 1993) vibration exposure was measured according to ISO (1978, 1985), whilst driving on typical roads and met published criteria (Hulshof and Veldhuijzen van Zanten, 1987). The study was carried out in Sweden and the USA. The American workers were significantly shorter and heavier than the Swedish. American bus drivers and sedentary workers were a little older and had been longer on the job than their Swedish colleagues, whereas American truckers were a little younger. The Swedes used tobacco more than the Americans did, and all drivers smoked significantly more than sedentary workers. Bus drivers took more time off work than truckers in both countries. American bus drivers lifted more than truckers and sedentary workers, and Swedish truck drivers lifted more than bus drivers and sedentary workers. Swedish bus drivers were exposed to higher vibration levels, whereas the American truckers were exposed to higher vibration levels than the Swedes. Swedish bus drivers experienced more vibration exposure than did the American bus drivers. This is probably due to the difference in bus types, road conditions, and driving demands. The American truckers were vibrated more than anyone in the study, possibly due to travel on dirt roads and less use of vibration attenuation in seats and cabs.
