This page contains abstracts of peer-reviewed studies by our group, related to working conditions in rail bound transportation equipment. You will find here abstracts of the following publications:

Journal of Occupational Medicine/

Volume 33 No. 5/May 1991

Scand J Work Environ Health 1991;17:414--9

Int J Occup Environ Health,

1996; 2:79-87

AIHA Journal 63:439-446 (2002)

Transportation Research Board - 83rd Annual Meeting -1/11-15/2004 Washington D.C.

Transportation Research Record, 2004, volume 1899, 145-155

Whole-Body Vibration Exposure in Subway Cars and Review of Adverse Health Effects

Back disorders and health problems among subway train operators exposed to whole-body vibration

Cardiovascular Risk and Back-disorder Intervention Study of Mass Transit Operators

Whole-Body Vibration Exposure Study in U.S. Railroad Locomotives--An Ergonomic Risk Assessment

Back Disorders and Ergonomic Survey Among North American Railroad Engineers

Back disorders and ergonomic survey among North American railroad engineers

 Journal of Occupational Medicine/Volume 33 No. 5/May 1991

Whole-Body Vibration Exposure in Subway Cars and Review of Adverse Health Effects

Eckardt Johanning, MD; David G. Wilder, PhD, PE; Philip J. Landrigan, MD; and Malcolm H. Pope, PhD

New York City Transit Authority subway operators have a high prevalence of back problems. To evaluate a possible dose-response relationship for whole-body vibration, we studied subway car vibrations measured and analyzed according to the International Standard Organization 2631 and Verein Deutscher Ingenieure 2057 standards. Vibration transducers in triaxial orientation were mounted in a disc pad directly on the subway operator's seat. The relatively high lateral and vertical accelerations, primarily the combined effects, may all contribute  to the high rate of musculoskeletal complaints, especially of the lower back. Other factors aggravating whole-body vibrations include primitive ergonomic cab and seat design, forced body posture, high noise levels, and organizational work stress.

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Scand J Work Environ Health 1991;17:414--9

Back disorders and health problems among subway train operators exposed to whole-body vibration

Eckardt Johanning, MD

Back disease associated with whole-body vibration has not been evaluated for subway train operators. A recent study demonstrated that this group is exposed to whole-body vibration at levels above the international standard. To investigate this risk further, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among subway train operators (N = 492) and a similar reference group (N = 92). The operators had a higher prevalence than the referents in all aspects of back problems, particularly for cervical and lower back pain. In a multiple logistic regression model, the odds ratio for sciatic pain among subway train operators was 3.9 (95 ~70 CI 1.7--8.6); the operators also had a higher risk of hearing-related problems (odds ratio 3.2, 95 % CI 0.6--17.4) and of gastrointestinal problems (odds ratio 1.6, 95 % CI 1.1--2.5). Although a cumulative dose-response relationship could not be statistically demonstrated, the findings appear to be related to exposure to whole-body vibration and inadequate ergonomic conditions.

Key terms. adverse health effects, epidemiology, ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders, rail vehicle, spine.

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Int J Occup Environ Health, 1996; 2:79-87

Cardiovascular Risk and Back-disorder Intervention Study of Mass Transit Operators

Eckardt Johanning, MD, MSc, Paul Landsbergis, EDD, MPH, Heinrich Geissler, PhD, Rudi Karazmann, MD 

A prospective intervention study was conducted to evaluate an employer/union-sponsored physical and psychological health program, which was offered to 195 transit operators aged >45 years with >15 years of job seniority. The one-year, biweekly program included physical exercise, relaxation, back school, and work-related stress management and diet counseling. A control group (n = 26) was available for comparison. Twenty-seven operators dropped out of the study.

WHO cardiovascular risk survey methods, ergometry, low-back tests, blood lipids, lead, and carboxyhemogtobin were measured. Before the intervention, the ten-year cardiovascular-disease risk of all study subjects (15.1%) was greater than that of the general reference population (14.0%). After the intervention it fell to 12.9%, but not significantly compared with that of a non-exercising control group, which also showed a reduction.

The prevalence and the self-rated intensity of back problems were reduced after the intervention: 55.4% of low-back-pain sufferers reported substantial improvement, and only 12.3% reported substantial worsening. The multidisciplinary intervention program appeared to be effective for musculoskeletal conditions, but not for overall cardiovascular risk, compared with the controls.

Key words: cardiovascular risks; back disorders;  mass transit operators; drivers; employee health programs.

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AIHA Journal 63:439-446 (2002)

Whole-Body Vibration Exposure Study in U.S. Railroad Locomotives--An Ergonomic Risk Assessment

Link to Full Text (PDF)

Eckardt Johanning, Siegfried Fisher, Eberhard Christ, Benno Göres, Paul Landsbergis

Whole-body vibration exposure of locomotive engineers and the vibration attenuation of seats in 22 U.S. locomotives (built between 1959 and 2000) was studied during normal revenue service and following international measurement guidelines. Triaxial vibration measurements (duration mean 155 min, range 84-383 rain) on the seat and on the floor were compared. In addition to the basic vibration evaluation (a_w rms), the vector sum (a_v), the maximum transient vibration value (MTVV/ a_w), the vibration dose value (VDV/(a_w T^1/4)), and the vibration seat effective transmissibility factor (SEAT) were calculated. The power spectral densities are also reported. The mean basic vibration level (a_w rms) was for the fore-aft axis x = 0.18 m/sec², the lateral axis y = 0.28 m/sec², and the vertical axis z = 0.32 m/sec². . The mean vector sum was 0.59 m/sec² (range 0.27 to 1.44). The crest factors were generally at or above 9 in the horizontal and vertical axis. The mean MTVV/ a_w was .5.3 (x), 5.1 (y), and 4.8 (z), and the VDV/ (a_w T^1/4 )) values ranged from 1.32 to 2.3 (x-axis), 1.33 to 1.7 (y-axis), and 1.38 to 1.86 (z-axis), generally indicating high levels of shocks. The mean seat transmissibility factor (SEAT) was 1.4 (x) and 1.2 (y) and 1 (z), demonstrating a general ineffectiveness of any of the seat suspension systems. In conclusion, these data indicate that locomotive rides are characterized by relatively high shock content (acceleration peaks) of the vibration signal in all directions. Locomotive vertical and lateral vibrations are similar, which appears to be characteristic for rail vehicles compared with many road/off-road vehicles. Tested locomotive cab seats currently in use (new or old) appear inadequate to reduce potentially harmful vibration and shocks transmitted to the seated operator, and older seats particularly lack basic ergonomic features regarding adjustability and postural support.

Keywords: ergonomics, locomotives, railroads, seat, shock, whole-body vibration

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TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD - 83rd Annual Meeting -1/11-15/2004 Washington D.C.

BACK DISORDER AND ERGONOMIC SURVEY AMONG NORTH AMERICAN RAILROAD ENGINEERS

Eckardt Johanning, M.D., M.Sc., Paul Landsbergis, Ph.D., M.P.H., Siegfried Fischer, PhD, Raymond Luhrman, M.A.,

Submission date: November 14, 2003

ABSTRACT

Railroad engineers are exposed to whole-body vibration and postural/sedentary stressors while operating locomotives. A self-administered 200-item health survey was distributed to a randomly selected subset of active railroad engineers (n=2546) from the USA and Canada and a comparison group (civil engineers; n=798). The questionnaire was in part compiled from standardized whole-body vibration and ergonomic survey instruments. The survey response rate was 47% for the railroad engineers (n= 1195) and 41% for the controls (n=323).

Back pain lasting more than one day per week within the last year was reported by 75% of railroad engineers compared to 41% of controls. In a logistic regression model, adjusting for age, gender, race, smoking, and non-job related vibration exposure, the adjusted OR was 4.24 (95% CI 3.20-5.62). The adjusted OR for sciatic pain (neurological complication) was 2.17 (95% CI 1.33-3.56). Other measures of back pain severity as well as neck and shoulder pain were also elevated among railroad engineers. In conclusion, railroad engineers have a higher rate of back disorders and other health problems compared to controls with lower levels of occupational exposure to shock and vibration and less subjective complaint about seating conditions. Improved seat and cab ergonomics may be an important prevention factor.

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Transportation Research Record, 2004, volume 1899, 145-155

Back disorders and ergonomic survey among North American railroad engineers

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© 2004 - 2005, Occupational and Environmental Life Sciences, Albany, New York, USA. Last updated: 06/23/2005