A review of NIOSH ergonomics VDT research.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Smith, Michael J.
• Description:
  Recent laboratory and field research into the health and safety issues of work with video display terminals (VDT) by NIOSH was reviewed. Studies have been conducted to determine possible occulomotor and visual function patterns inherent in VDT viewing which may be related to eye strain or visual fatigue and to isolate workstation design, environmental and work regimen factors which are related to VDT operator health complaints and performance. While the studies thus far have not resulted in clear findings, certain areas of greater uncertainty have arisen. Using a variety of indicators of visual acuity, eye movement patterns, and pupillary response for VDT tasks lasting from 1.5 to 3 hours in the laboratory and over a normal work day in field testing, attempts to objectively quantify visual fatigue and strain have not been successful. These same studies have indicated a wide variety of subjective visual complaints including eye fatigue, eye irritation, and blurred vision as well as significant muscular strain. Both laboratory and field studies indicated that VDT operators have more subjective muscular strain than nonoperators and that ergonomically suboptimal workstation features produced increased muscular strain. Studies to date offered mixed results concerning the relative stressfulness of VDT and non VDT work.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Aniline Compounds Hydrocarbons Occupational Health Plastics Preceptorship Safety Urine
• Keywords:
  Biomechanics Ergonomics Eyesight Job-stress Musculoskeletal-system-disorders NIOSH-Author Office-workers Posture Task-performance Video-display-terminals
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Other
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DBBS - Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-18
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00185301
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1984 Jan; :1-18
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1984
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5c921689ca5caee9c55cc8b1da7f7700015be582443eea18604241bb0511bdae92e3f7a726a057c3dce01d7dca6a51a757d98320a076c316eb254f4f442e924c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/180210/cdc_180210_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 560.49 KB ]