Overview
ISO 22867:2021 - "Forestry and gardening machinery - Vibration test code for portable hand‑held machines with internal combustion engine - Vibration at the handles" defines a standardized test code to measure the vibration exposure at the handles of handheld, engine‑powered forest and garden tools. Covered equipment includes chain‑saws, brush‑cutters, grass‑trimmers, edgers, pole‑mounted pruners, hedge‑trimmers and garden‑blowers. Although tests use artificial operating conditions, the results provide representative values for real work situations and support low‑vibration design and manufacturer declarations.
Key Topics and Technical Requirements
- Measured quantities: Frequency‑weighted accelerations in three perpendicular directions (a_hwx, a_hwy, a_hwz) and derived vibration totals (a_hv and equivalent a_hv,eq). The total is the root‑sum‑of‑squares of the three r.m.s. weighted axis values.
- Instrumentation: Measurement systems must comply with ISO 8041‑1. Tri‑axial accelerometers are used; total mass (including mounting, excluding cable) shall not exceed 25 g.
- Accelerometer mounting and calibration: Fastenings follow ISO 5349‑2 guidance; special procedures apply for resilient handle covers (remove or fully compress resilient material under the transducer). Calibration shall follow ISO 16063‑1.
- Measurement location and direction: Transducers are positioned close to the hand (area between thumb and index finger) to minimize operator disturbance; direction and location are defined per machine type in the normative annexes.
- Test modes and operating conditions: Defined operating modes (idling, racing, full load where applicable) and engine speed tolerances are specified per machine class; some modes are representative rather than fully loaded due to practical repeatability limits.
- Reporting and verification: Clause 9 details required information to report (instrumentation checks, test conditions, measured values), while Clause 10 covers declaration and verification of vibration values.
Applications and Who Uses It
- Manufacturers use ISO 22867:2021 to verify low‑vibration design, produce harmonized vibration declarations, and compare machine variants.
- Safety and regulatory bodies and market surveillance rely on standardized measurement methods to assess compliance and occupational risk.
- R&D and design engineers use the code for development, benchmarking and reducing hand‑arm vibration exposure.
- Occupational health professionals and employers can use the measured values to estimate worker vibration exposure and plan risk reduction.
Related Standards
Key referenced standards include:
Keywords: ISO 22867:2021, vibration test code, forestry and gardening machinery, hand‑held machines, internal combustion engine, vibration at the handles, accelerometer, vibration measurement.