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Often there is a need to transport newborn babies from birthing location to other areas. Neonates are less developed and therefore less tolerant of transports that are usually performed with an environmental conditioning instrument known as incubator. Neonatal patients show a large sensitivity to external stimulation, that is, noise and vibrations. It has been shown by the International Standards Organization that vibrations have "adverse effects on cardiorespiratory function, the peripheral and central nervous system, electroencephalographic activity, body temperature, metabolic and endocrine function, and the gastrointestinal system" in adults. Standards concerning safe incubator transport are currently lacking. There is a standard concerning the allowable amount of noise a baby within an incubator can safely endure, but there are no standards concerning the amount of allowable vibrations. Standards have been set by the International Standards Organization concerning whole-body vibration for seated adults. The standards consider weighted vibrations of more than 2 m/s² to be extremely uncomfortable. The standard only takes into account seated adults; however, no standard for large or small individuals in other positions such as standing, reclining, or in a recumbent position has been adopted. Neonatal transport patients are much more sensitive to mechanical stress, especially in a recumbent position. In our study, vibrations in the z-axis were found to be above the extremely uncomfortable level. Average root-mean-square values for the acceleration were found to be at a maximum of 2.6 m/s², and the peak acceleration values were found to be at a maximum of 15.9 m/s². This novel study develops a baseline value for the incubators currently in use at the hospital, along with an in-house testing procedure to help identify safe conditions for neonatal transport. The results of this study can further assist in developing and maintaining an effective shock suppression system as part of the transport incubator preventative maintenance program. This information facilitates an important step toward the understanding of the critical transport system's vibration isolation components and the contribution of poor maintenance toward increased vibration amplitude during transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]