Whole-body-vibration Measurement and Assessment for Cairo Subway (metro), Car and Bus Passengers

This study quantifies whole-body vibration on a range of the transportations used in Cairo, Egypt. Subway (Metro), car and bus are the important transportations in Cairo. They are well-known public transportations and play an important role for the human to travel from one place to another. High magnitude of whole-body vibration formed by these transportations may cause diseases and health problems to the human especially a low back pain. It may lead to a muscular and bone system disorder of the neck and back. After daily exposure over a number of years, these same whole-body vibrations can result in a number of health disorders affecting your entire body including permanent harm to internal organs, muscles, joints and bone structure. The measured data were analyzed according to ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5 standards. The ISO 2631-1 (1997) standard utilizes the daily exposure A(8) and VDV, whereas the new ISO 2631-5 (2004) standard methodology uses the parameters Sed and R factor. During the analysis it was found that the whole-body vibration absorbed by human body increased when the magnitude and duration of vibration exposure experienced by the passengers increased. The shock parameters (VDV and Sed) were computed from data and compared to see if the same trend obtained. The results show high levels of vibration and adverse health effects on the lumbar spine are expected. It was found that subway (Metro) passengers were identified to have a high risk of exposure little more than bus and car passengers respectively in accordance with health guidance caution zone boundaries with A(8) as a measure. Similar results were achieved from the Sed and R factor values which were the measure of ISO 2631-5. The main conclusion from this study is that musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders of low back and in the neck and upper extremities, among passengers of the selected transport may be a result of long-term exposure to shock-type, vertical and horizontally oriented seated WBV.