tom (01/11/83)
Ban VDT's Update: Union officials at a Vancouver hospital are calling for a ban on the yue of video display terminals after a sixth abnormal pregnancy occurred among women using the computer equipment. Hospital workers at Surrey Memorial Hospital in suburban Vancouver reported that of six recent pregnancies among VDT operators, only one has produced a healthy baby. Now another hospital worker has miscarried. In the wake of that miscarriage, the hospital workers' union is demanding an immediate shutdown of the terminals, until they can be thoroughly tested by an independent agency. Similar clusters of multiple miscarriages have occurred at other workplaces in the US and Canada, but the total numbers of women involved have been so small until now that scientifically "significant" studies have not been possible. For further information about possible health hazards to pregnant women who work with Video Display Terminals, there is a booklet on the problem available from Sharon Samek, Labor Occupational Health Program, UC Berkeley, 2521 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94720. Cost is $3. --As appeared in the January 1983 issue of The Clarion, 302 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85705
lou (01/20/83)
The story referred to (VDT scare at Surrey Memorial Hos-
pital) occurred sometime in mid fall, I think. Testing of the
VDT's for several kinds of radiation emission was carried out by
an independent testing agency, with completely negative results.
As far as I can recall, the whole thing was written off as an un-
fortunate statistical coincidence. At the very least, no evidence
was found to implicate emissions from the VDT's as the cause. I
don't know if anyone thought of looking at overall working condi-
tions for stress. Unions up here have a tendency toward excessive
militancy, and it's hard to sort out truth from hyperbole when
working conditions are discussed.
Lou Hafer
SFU, Burnaby, B.C.
sfucmpt!lou