Abstract:
Commercial bus drivers are daily faced with the rigours of travelling on roads characterized by several imperfections and defects. Due to these imperfections, the drivers are daily exposed to a whole body vibration (WBV) with varying frequencies which exceeded the ISO recommended doses which results in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In this study, the post effects of the vibration on commercial bus drivers were determined by measuring his WBV exposures. The measurement was carried out with the aid of a consumer device accelerometer which evaluated the WBV indices while
a well structured questionnaire was developed and administered to selected drivers to collect their anthropometric parameters. The buses used in this study were categorized into; B1, B2 and B3 based on their years of usage. The measurements were taken on the seat of the buses in x, y and z directions with the aid of the accelerometer mounted on the seat of the buses. The result revealed that the (z) vertical displacement is far more pronounced than the corresponding x and y directions. The result also showed that, few drivers were within the health guidance caution zone; HGCZ (0.47and 0.93) m/s2 and VDV (8.5 and 17) m/s1.75 as specified by ISO. Also, It was revealed that, the drivers were
more probable to develop MSDs in their back, neck, which increases with year of active professional bus driving. The result revealed that most of the MSDs the driver suffers were due to driving as none of them was said to suffer from any of the MSDs identified in the study which means that all of the disorders were driving induced. Unlike driving relatively newer buses, the surveys revealed that driver of older buses in all instances were subjected to WBV which value is beyond the ISO recommendation. It is, therefore, recommended, since the WBV cannot be completely eradicated, newer buses with latest technology suspension system are used and further study should be carried out to determine the frequency spectral density of Nigerian roads.
