In addition to safety, it is well known that the hand-operated small machines involve some criticisms also for ergonomics, regarding especially high levels of noise and vibrations. More recently, attention was devoted also to the exhaust gas emissions. On the other hand, all these parameters, as well as the climatic conditions, the workload and other several factors contribute to make quite poor the operators’ wellness, so that a multifactorial approach could probably offer a good evaluation of the real working conditions. This paper deals with the technical progress about gas emissions, noise and vibration levels measured on a modern chain saw, a hedge cutter and a blower. The experimental data were recorded in 4 different running conditions: with the engine at idle, intermediate and max speed with no load, and when executing a typical work cycle. Moreover, in order to ascertain in particular the exhaust gas emission impact, the tests were repeated using two different fuel types: a commercial RON 95 gasoline added with a 2% of synthetic oil suitable for two-stroke engines and, as an alternative, a specific advanced mixture available on the market, based on alkylate gasoline. To evaluate furtherly the reduction of gas emissions and noise and vibrations levels, one of the 3 machine analyzed was compliant to stage 2 (Euro 2) standard, while the other two were exceeding the relevant limits (compliance to Euro 1 stage). In all the operating conditions, the tests were carried out: 1) for the noise, using a class 1 sound level meter, to record the levels at both the operator’s ears, taking into account the limits defined in EN 22868:2011; 2) for vibrations, using a tri-axial accelerometer fixed on the machine following what established in the ISO 5349-1:2001, and evaluating the overall value (ahw) by calculation from the single axes x, y and z, then referred to the normalized 8-hours A(8) exposure (EN22867:2011); 3) for gas emissions, using a MultiRAE IR/PID mod. PGM 54/5P analyzer, for measuring carbon dioxide (CO2), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) values.

Impact evaluation on the operator of some hand-operated small machines / D. Pessina, A. Calcante, D. Facchinetti, D.M. Giordano, D. Monarca, M. Cecchini - In: New Frontiers of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering for Feeding the Planet[s.l] : AIIA - Italian Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2015 Jun. - pp. 24-24 (( convegno International Mid-Term Conference tenutosi a Napoli nel 2015.

Impact evaluation on the operator of some hand-operated small machines

D. Pessina
;
A. Calcante
Secondo
;
D. Facchinetti;D.M. Giordano;
2015

Abstract

In addition to safety, it is well known that the hand-operated small machines involve some criticisms also for ergonomics, regarding especially high levels of noise and vibrations. More recently, attention was devoted also to the exhaust gas emissions. On the other hand, all these parameters, as well as the climatic conditions, the workload and other several factors contribute to make quite poor the operators’ wellness, so that a multifactorial approach could probably offer a good evaluation of the real working conditions. This paper deals with the technical progress about gas emissions, noise and vibration levels measured on a modern chain saw, a hedge cutter and a blower. The experimental data were recorded in 4 different running conditions: with the engine at idle, intermediate and max speed with no load, and when executing a typical work cycle. Moreover, in order to ascertain in particular the exhaust gas emission impact, the tests were repeated using two different fuel types: a commercial RON 95 gasoline added with a 2% of synthetic oil suitable for two-stroke engines and, as an alternative, a specific advanced mixture available on the market, based on alkylate gasoline. To evaluate furtherly the reduction of gas emissions and noise and vibrations levels, one of the 3 machine analyzed was compliant to stage 2 (Euro 2) standard, while the other two were exceeding the relevant limits (compliance to Euro 1 stage). In all the operating conditions, the tests were carried out: 1) for the noise, using a class 1 sound level meter, to record the levels at both the operator’s ears, taking into account the limits defined in EN 22868:2011; 2) for vibrations, using a tri-axial accelerometer fixed on the machine following what established in the ISO 5349-1:2001, and evaluating the overall value (ahw) by calculation from the single axes x, y and z, then referred to the normalized 8-hours A(8) exposure (EN22867:2011); 3) for gas emissions, using a MultiRAE IR/PID mod. PGM 54/5P analyzer, for measuring carbon dioxide (CO2), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) values.
Chain saw; Hedge cutter; Blower; Exhaust emission; Noise; Vibrations
Settore AGR/09 - Meccanica Agraria
giu-2015
Associazione Italiana di Ingegneria Agraria
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/285768
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