Overview
CEN ISO/TR 19664:2018 (ISO/TR 19664:2017) provides guidance and unified terminology for assessing daily human vibration exposure in the workplace. It covers both hand‑arm vibration and whole‑body vibration, focusing on how to determine vibration magnitudes and exposure times using different types of instrumentation and data sources. The report explains measurement concepts, instrument types and the origins of vibration magnitude information to support health and safety compliance and reliable occupational risk assessment.
Key topics
- Measurement concepts: Explanation of the components required to assess daily vibration exposure-weighted acceleration (vibration magnitude) and exposure duration-and how these combine into the standard daily exposure metric A(8) (reference to an 8‑hour period).
- Instrumentation types: Descriptions and distinctions between devices such as general‑purpose vibration meters, personal vibration exposure meters (PVEMs), vibration exposure meters (VEMs), exposure timers, machine timers and auxiliary calculators. Guidance clarifies when instruments perform measurements versus when they provide estimates.
- Vibration magnitude sources: Guidance on different data origins used for exposure evaluation, including manufacturer emission values, supplementary manufacturer data, comparable‑machine values, and machine‑ or type‑specific vibration database values.
- Measurement processes and limitations: Practical notes on attended vs unattended measurements, transient artefacts, how breaks affect exposure time, and the expected reliability differences among instrumentation types.
- Annexed examples: Informative examples of equipment configurations for daily vibration assessment.
Applications
- Occupational health and safety compliance and risk assessment for industries using hand‑held tools, vehicles and machinery.
- Selection and specification of appropriate vibration measurement instrumentation for workplace surveys and long‑term monitoring.
- Development of workplace monitoring programs to estimate daily exposure (A(8)), set controls, and detect when exposure limits may be approached.
- Use by equipment manufacturers, testing laboratories and consultants to interpret emission data and integrate it into exposure assessments.
Who should use this standard
- Health and safety managers and occupational hygienists assessing vibration risk
- Equipment manufacturers and product safety engineers
- Test laboratories, calibration services and standards bodies
- Consultants advising on vibration monitoring, compliance and exposure mitigation
Related standards
- ISO 2041 - Vibration vocabulary
- ISO 2631‑1 - Evaluation of human exposure to whole‑body vibration
- ISO 5349‑1 - Measurement and evaluation of hand‑transmitted vibration
- ISO 8041‑1 - General‑purpose vibration meters
Keywords: ISO/TR 19664, CEN ISO/TR 19664:2018, vibration exposure, hand‑arm vibration, whole‑body vibration, A(8), vibration measurement, occupational health and safety, PVEM, VEM.
