Industrial vibrating equipment has many uses, such as removing trapped air from a mass of concrete that has been poured. Operators of this equipment must follow safety guidelines in order to protect themselves from the harmful effects of whole body vibrations. This article discusses some of the signs and symptoms of incorrect use of vibrating equipment.

Numbness and Tingling

The first sign that you have been exposed to high levels of vibration is a feeling of numbness or tingling in your fingers. These sensations can occur while you sleep ,and they may cause you to have interrupted sleep as you frequently wake up to find out what is making your body tingle. You will begin to notice that your sense of touch is no longer as effective as it used to be. This effect is largely because the vibrations negatively affect blood flow to the extremities like the fingers so the tissues there become starved of oxygen and glucose .

Loss of Strength

Your hands and fingers will gradually lose their strength after prolonged exposure to vibrations as you hold or control vibrating equipment on a worksite. It will become hard for you to lift heavy objects in your hands. Even the act of holding something slightly heavy in your hand (such as a plate of food) will require some effort, lest it falls down.

Sensitivity to Cold

Your fingers will easily become white upon exposure to coldness or wetness. The fingers may first become white then turn red after a short while. As conditions become warmer, you will feel pain in your fingers. This symptom may initially be evident in one finger but it will eventually spread to other fingers if the exposure persists.

Lower Back Pain

People who operate vibrating equipment for long suffer from lower back pain. This symptom is particularly common among vibratory equipment operators who ignore safety measures such as strapping yourself in when operating equipment like compactors. The spinal column will be exposed to the vibrations of the equipment you are handling, and you will begin to feel pain in your lower back. The pain can become so severe that you may require medication to ease your discomfort.

It is very important for you to take all necessary precautions when operating industrial vibrating equipment such as immersion vibrators. Precautions include wearing special gloves to dampen the vibratory forces that reach your hands. These precautions will protect you from the signs and symptoms discussed above.