Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between calculated vibration dose and the measured absorption of vibration power in the human hand, as well as the measured grip and feed forces applied by the subjects.

Methods The study was carried out with 10 healthy subjects. A special handle was used during the measurements. The influence of 4 different vibration levels with different durations during a test period of 5 minutes was investigated. The number of exposure intervals varied between 1 and 5. The same overall equivalent acceleration was used in all the experiments.

Results There is a significant difference between the calculated vibration dose and the amount of measured absorption of power. A higher acceleration level leads to significantly higher absorption. Furthermore, the outcome shows that rest periods contribute to a lower absorption of power in the hand and also lower feed forces.

Conclusion This study supports the hypothesis that vibration-free rest periods give the human organism an opportunity to recover.

Key terms assessment; hand force; hand-transmitted vibration; hygiene; machine; tool