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Scientific basis and applicability of the ISO 2631-1 health guidance caution zone.

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Τίτλος: Scientific basis and applicability of the ISO 2631-1 health guidance caution zone.
Συγγραφείς: Tarabini M; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico Di Milano, Milan, Italy. marco.tarabini@polimi.it., Williams G; Public Health and Sport Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK., Smith S; Consultant/Research Engineer, Dayton, OH, USA., Maeda S; Department of Engineering, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK., Bovenzi M; Clinical Unit of Occupational Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
Πηγή: International archives of occupational and environmental health [Int Arch Occup Environ Health] 2026 Sep 06; Vol. 99 (7). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Sep 06.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Springer-Verlag Country of Publication: Germany NLM ID: 7512134 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1432-1246 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 03400131 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Berlin, New York : Springer-Verlag.
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Vibration*/adverse effects , Occupational Exposure*/adverse effects , Occupational Exposure*/standards , Occupational Diseases*/etiology, Musculoskeletal Diseases/etiology ; Humans ; Risk Assessment ; Posture ; Occupational Health ; Working Conditions
Περίληψη: Purpose: This work evaluates the scientific foundation and practical applicability of the Health Guidance Caution Zone (HGCZ) defined in the ISO 2631-1 standard for assessing health risks from whole-body vibration. The primary objective is to investigate the HGCZ's derivation process, its underlying data sources, and its effectiveness in predicting adverse health outcomes across various occupational environments.
Methods: This study examines the relationship between vibration metrics-such as frequency-weighted acceleration and vibration dose value-and reported musculoskeletal, neurological, and vascular outcomes, while also considering the role of individual confounding factors, including posture, age, and body mass index, in shaping exposure-response relationships.
Results: HGCZ boundaries were identified as pragmatic expert compromises rather than being derived from quantitative dose-response relationships. While the zone is a reasonable predictor for low back pain in seated operators, it lacks empirical support for neck, shoulder, or vascular outcomes. Analysis of aviation data showed that most flight scenarios reached caution thresholds significantly faster than traditional land-based driving, while individual factors such as posture and body mass index were found to modify actual health outcomes.
Conclusion: We suggest the evolution of the HGCZ toward a probabilistic framework, where fixed thresholds are complemented by models linking exposure magnitude and duration to the likelihood of specific health outcomes (not only low back pain). Supported by biomechanical modelling and segment-specific frequency weightings, this approach would enable a more accurate assessment of WBV risk, extending rather than replacing the current framework.
(© 2026. The Author(s).)
Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Ethical approval: Not applicable to this study. The original epidemiological studies were conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki, and obtained ethical approval by the Local Health Autorities of the Italian NHS.
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Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Health guidance caution zone; ISO 2631–1; Occupational musculoskeletal disorders; Vibration exposure assessment; Whole-body vibration
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260906 Date Completed: 20260906 Latest Revision: 20260925
Update Code: 20260925
PubMed Central ID: PMC13547171
DOI: 10.1007/s00420-026-02236-0
PMID: 42701916
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
Περιγραφή
ISSN:1432-1246
DOI:10.1007/s00420-026-02236-0