The SVRG assessed the occupational whole-body vibration of heavy mobile equipment operators at a South African opencast mine. A fleet of 22 vehicles were measured in 32 different operational measurements accumulating 68 hours of data. The rugged terrain included sandy dunes, gravel roads, forest and plantations in a warm, humid climate. A field data sheet was developed and occupational health and safety teams were trained in rigorous measurement practise. Seated operators in this environment are regularly exposed to shock, much of which can be reduced by simple interventions such as installing ramps at level changes in warehouses.