Effectiveness of Commercially Available Vibration Dampeners in Reducing Hand-Arm Vibrations on Diesel-Powered and Gasoline- Powered Hand Tractor
Jan Karl P. Binarao, Haerold Dean Z. Layaoen, Josefa Angelie D. Revilla, Angelo C. Ani, and Maria Liezel P. Caroche
Hand tractors are among the major agricultural machines used by Filipino farmers. They aid farmers in the laborious process of preparing the land prior to planting. Though hand tractors enhance efficiency and productivity of farming, they still pose some threat to the user, specifically with the vibration they generate during operation. Prolonged exposure to vibration from hand tractors may lead to the health risk called hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). This study compared the effectiveness of vibration dampeners available in the market when operating a diesel- and a gasoline-powered hand tractor. The experiment was done in a stationary position based on the standards set by IS/ISO 5349: 2001. Baseline measurements of vibration at 2100, 2700, and 3300 rpm were as follows: 6.60, 7.12 and 10.50 m s-2 for diesel-powered hand tractor, and 6.81, 4.65 and 11.04 m s-2 for gasoline-powered hand tractor, respectively. Combinations of handle grips and engine mounts were tested to determine the optimal reduction of transmitted hand-arm vibration. The combination of BMX handle grip with mount model F5A had the highest reduction in vibration by 35.23% when a diesel-powered hand tractor was used. Mountain bike handle grip with mount model F5A yielded the highest reduction by 52.29% when a gasoline-powered hand tractor was used.