ISO 14835-1:2016

Overview

ISO 14835-1:2016 - Mechanical vibration and shock - Cold provocation tests for the assessment of peripheral vascular function - Part 1: Measurement and evaluation of finger skin temperature (FST) - defines standardized methods to measure, conduct and report FST during cold provocation. The standard supports quantitative evaluation of vascular response to cold and the development of normative figures for assessing peripheral vascular disorders, particularly in persons exposed to hand‑arm vibration and suspected hand‑arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Measurement methods: Accepts contact thermometry (thermocouples, thermistors) and non‑contact point infrared techniques; thermography (infrared imaging) is covered but noted as more costly and harder to calibrate.
• Sensors: Must not thermally insulate measurement sites; should be highly sensitive with a thermal discrimination of 0.1 °C in the physiological range (5 °C to 40 °C).
• Recorders & data: All FST data shall be recorded; time interval between measurements for each finger shall not exceed 1 minute. Real‑time display and digital storage/transfer are supported.
• Calibration: Sensors calibrated in a cold‑water bath with a reference thermometer; sensor readings should be within ±0.2 °C of reference and measurement range stability 0.1 °C.
• Cold provocation procedure: Specifies conditions for hand cooling, sensor placement, choice of test fingers/hands, and measurement periods. The second edition allows clearly defined alternative test parameters (e.g., water temperature and immersion duration) to improve international comparability.
• Safety & ethics: Addresses electrical safety, contraindications, informed consent and requirement for examiner/medical supervision.
• Reporting: Standardizes documentation of test conditions, subject characteristics, symptoms/signs and results to enable quantitative comparison and normative assessment.

Practical applications and users

• Occupational health professionals and clinicians assessing peripheral vascular function in workers exposed to vibration.
• Researchers conducting epidemiology or intervention studies on hand‑arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).
• Manufacturers and laboratories developing or validating FST measurement systems (thermometry/thermography).
• Regulatory and safety bodies setting exposure guidelines or screening protocols for vibration‑exposed populations.

Related standards

• ISO 14835‑2 (Part 2: measurement and evaluation of finger systolic blood pressure)
• ISO 5349‑1 - Measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand‑transmitted vibration
• IEC 60601‑1 - Medical electrical equipment - basic safety and essential performance

ISO 14835-1:2016 provides a practical, standardized framework for reliable FST measurement during cold provocation, improving diagnostic consistency and comparability across clinical and occupational settings.