Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 alpha 4/15/85; site pucc-j Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!pucc-j!ac4 From: ac4@pucc-j (Tom Putnam) Newsgroups: net.med,net.cse,net.periphs Subject: Re: HELP! Need to show VDTs not dangerous to pregnant women Message-ID: <620@pucc-j> Date: Mon, 2-Dec-85 13:57:39 EST Article-I.D.: pucc-j.620 Posted: Mon Dec 2 13:57:39 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 5-Dec-85 08:25:25 EST References: <938@lsuc.UUCP> Reply-To: ac4@pucc-j.UUCP (Tom Putnam) Organization: Purdue University Computing Center Lines: 70 Xref: watmath net.med:2885 net.cse:567 net.periphs:926 In article <938@lsuc.UUCP> dave@lsuc.UUCP (David Sherman) writes: >We are just in the final stages of setting up a course ... >... The course takes about 5-8 hours on-line >(plus a few hours of workbook work away from the terminal). >... >Some students in the course who are pregnant are now objecting >that they do not want to use a video display terminal, because >they believe it is dangerous and related to birth defects. > >Does anyone have data or reports they can mail me or point me to, >which can help allay these students' fears? The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has published a number of summaries of visual display terminal (VDT) health issues over the last 5 years. You can write to them at: NIOSH, Publications Disseminations, DTS 4676 Columbia Parkway Cincinnati, Ohio 45226 Attn: VDT (I suppose they might mail a copy of their summary to Toronto..??) Better yet, check with the Canadian Occupational Health authorities. You might also check your local library for the August 1981 issue of the Human Factors journal where some papers on the subject were published. In (very short) summary, the reports say: * No problem with radiation (x-ray, radio-frequency, microwave, ultrasound, ultraviolet, infrared, or visible). * There can be problems with ergonomics. NIOSH recommends (source: FDA Consumer, April 1981, p.13) - Workers should be able to adjust the height of their keyboard, screen, chair seat, and backrest; screen brightness and contrast; leg room; viewing distance; room lighting levels; and chair tension. - Screen glare should be controlled by using drapes or blinds on windows, hoods and glare shields over screens, and proper positioning of machines with respect to room lighting. - Workers should take rest breaks of at least 15 minutes every 2 hours. - Workers should undergo a complete eye exam before they begin wiorking with VDT's and limited exams periodically. Again quoting from FDA Consumer, April 1981: "... in 1979 radiation worries welled up again when four women who worked at VDT's in the classified advertising department of a Canadian newspaper had babies with birth defects. The provincial government checked all of the newspaper's VDT's but could find no levels of radiation that could account for the birth defects. Nevertheless, the results of these tests by NIOSH and Canadian health officials were not enough to relieve the growing concern among VDT workers that many health problems were being caused by radiation from their machines." It goes on to describe additional testing and additional results as I summarized above. Just thought you should be aware that the concern may be very close to home! -- Tom Putnam, Manager of User Services Purdue University Computing Center ARPANET: ac4@asc.Purdue.EDU BITNET: PUTNAMT@PURCCVM CSNET: ac4@purdue-asc-tn USENET: {decvax|harpo|ihnp4|inuxc|seismo|ucbvax}!pur-ee!pucc-j!ac4 USMAIL: Mathematical Sciences Bldg. West Lafayette, IN 47907 PHONE: 317/494-1787