97 lines
4.7 KiB
Plaintext
97 lines
4.7 KiB
Plaintext
|
||
|
||
VDT Radiation Danger
|
||
Summ: D. Lauffer
|
||
|
||
The New Yorker recently ran a series of articles under the
|
||
heading of "The Annals of Radiation" by Paul Brodeur. They
|
||
covered research and the industry responses to possible dangers
|
||
from a variety of radiation sources. The articles covered power
|
||
lines, microwave sources and Video Display Terminals. Brodeur
|
||
relies heavily on the work of several epidemiologists,
|
||
microbiologists and the maverick, Louis Slesin, editor of the
|
||
Microwave News and the VDT News. The VDT article appeared in the
|
||
6-26-89 issue of the New Yorker (an issue with skateboarders on
|
||
the cover if you are looking in the local library). Since I do
|
||
not have training in either medicine or electrical engineering, I
|
||
am only offering a very brief, uncritical summary of the VDT
|
||
article.
|
||
|
||
Brodeur points out that the groups most likely to fund
|
||
research into radiation dangers are the military and computer and
|
||
electronics manufacturers. All of these have a vested interest in
|
||
downplaying health hazards associated with regular use of VDTs
|
||
both by the public and by their own personnel. The medium most
|
||
likely to spread detailled information about hazards would be the
|
||
newspapers, who have reporters, editors and clerks who take
|
||
classified ads all of whom might hold them responsible for health
|
||
risks. The Columbia Journalism Review has documented the lack of
|
||
coverage by the press in articles in 1981 and 1984. Additionally,
|
||
there is documentation that NIOSH and the FDA have been lax in
|
||
pursuing problems in this area, even though they had announced
|
||
studies of the problem.
|
||
|
||
The major hazards no longer involve the X-Rays which had
|
||
been emitted by the CRTs and consumer TVs in the past. They seem
|
||
to lie in the magnetic radiation emitted by transformers
|
||
associated with the changing image on the VDT. Epidemiologists
|
||
have noted high incidence of miscarriages among VDT operators.
|
||
This seems to correspond to research on Extra Low Frequency
|
||
radiation (ELF) and Very Low Frequency radiation (VLF) which are
|
||
emitted by components such as the fly-back transformer in the
|
||
VDT. These components are often near the outside of the device,
|
||
and are even more likely to send radiation to the sides or to the
|
||
back of the terminal.
|
||
|
||
Embroylogy research on chickens by Delgado, who has taught
|
||
at Yale, indicated that serious changes were caused in early
|
||
development by 100Hz magnetic radiation. The results were
|
||
confirmed in a Swedish study, which led to banning VDTs which are
|
||
not shielded for VLF in Sweden as of 1988. IBM now markets a VDT
|
||
(only available in Scandinavian Countries) which meets VLF
|
||
guidelines. Other research has found that as little as 15 minutes
|
||
of exposure to ELF accelerates DNA/RNA transfer in insects. This
|
||
would indicate a potential for problems in fetal development for
|
||
early stage pregnant women who work at VDTs.
|
||
|
||
An additional area of problems is the role of magnetic
|
||
fields in these ranges in the increased incidence of childhood
|
||
cancer. These are usually associated with power lines near
|
||
residences. Epidemiologists have also noted increased incidence
|
||
of cancer in adult VDT operators.
|
||
|
||
Recommendations
|
||
|
||
When VLF-shielded terminals become available, these should be
|
||
given strong consideration for new purchases and
|
||
replacements.
|
||
|
||
When ELF-shielded terminals become available, these should be
|
||
also given strong consideration for new purchases and
|
||
replacements. These will require transformer shielding in Mu-
|
||
metal.
|
||
|
||
This is not a problem with liquid crystal displays LCD, such
|
||
as are found in Laptop Computers.
|
||
|
||
With the present generation of equipment you should sit 28
|
||
inches in front, and about 40 inches away from any other
|
||
terminal.
|
||
|
||
Waiver of responsibilty
|
||
|
||
I am still not sure that I understand all this material, and
|
||
I am in no position to critique the positions taken. However,
|
||
I'd rather be aware of the possibilities and and be conservative
|
||
in my approach to my own safety. If this is like other lengthy
|
||
articles in the New Yorker, it should be published in book form
|
||
shortly. It will be very interesting to see what sort of
|
||
reception the wider dissemination of these ideas gets, both from
|
||
the industry and the press.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Graciously supplied by Double Helix BBS
|
||
1 (212) 865-7043......2400 N81N
|
||
Listed by KeelyNet BBS
|
||
1 (214) 324-3501......2400 N81N |