Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.6.2.16 $; site haddock.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!bbnccv!haddock!marc From: marc@haddock.UUCP Newsgroups: net.med Subject: VDT radiation & related problems Message-ID: <88700002@haddock.UUCP> Date: Thu, 6-Feb-86 14:30:00 EST Article-I.D.: haddock.88700002 Posted: Thu Feb 6 14:30:00 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 9-Feb-86 06:36:29 EST Lines: 54 Nf-ID: #N:haddock:88700002:000:2806 Nf-From: haddock!marc Feb 6 14:30:00 1986 I a not usually a reader of net.med, but after reading an article recently in "PC Week", I thought that I might try to start up some conversation. The issue was dated January 21, 1986, Vol 3, No 3. The article was titled "Using VDT's in the workplace". The article talked about the ever increasing use of VDT's in the work environment and related topics such as their safety. It touched on some different laws which have been created to try and protect users of the things, and also some proposed legislation as well as interrest groups opposed to the regulation. It talked about different surveys conducted concerning the stress and related pain caused by VDT's. It is very interresting and worth while reading if you haven't already. One very interresting section talked about reproductive problems experienced by males and I quote: "The male reproductive system may also be at risk. A recent Swedish study of workers exposed repeatedly to ELF radiation suggests a decrease in male fertility and an increase in the congenital malformations of their offspring." ELF, by the way stands for Extremely Low-Frequency waves which are caused in the case of VDT's by the flyback transformer used to regulate the high speed scanning of the electron beem across the screen. There are also some other waves emited which are "X-rays, radio-frequency (RF) waves, microwaves and very low-frequency (VLF) waves". The article groups these waves into 2 catagories, "ionizing" and "non-ionizing". Apparently, the non-ionizing waves (VLF and ELF in the range of 0 to 30KHz) are the most recent area of concern were "In the past 5 years, at least 11 'clusters' of reproductive problems in connection with VDT usage have been reported in the US and Canada. ... The first such cluster came to light when four out of seven pregnant VDT operators at the Toroonto Star newspaper had babies with birth defects. According to a Bureau of National Affairs report, seven other women working in the same department who did not use VDT's gave birth to normal children during the same period". It is all quite interesting to read. Have any of you had any problems related to VDT's or computer usage in general? I know that myself, that I have been having problems with my right eye spasming recently, but the optomitrist claims that my eyes are fine and that there isn't anything to worry about. The problem has started sinse I have stopped using an Apollo DN550 color monitor and have degraded to a VT100 like terminal (I changed jobs). When I don't use the machine for a couple of days at a stretch, the problem disappears. I've tried reverse video, different intensity/contrast levels with no noticable improvement. Anyway, let's here your thoughts on this subject. Marc Evans, WB1GRH Interactive Systems Corp Boston, MA