ABSTRACT
The 1990s is fast becoming the decade of ergonomics legislation. Since the visual display terminal (VDT)/CRT was introduced into the office during the early 1960s, the interest in ergonomics has evolved to the extent that a number of domestic and international interest groups have drafted ergonomics standards for the design of VDT work stations. In 1989, Maine passed a law that requires education and training for all employees who use VDTs for more than four consecutive hours per day. HBN3528 was written to provide protection for pregnant women using VDTs, and HBN4331 is designed to facilitate rulemaking on the biological effects of exposure to electrical and magnetic fields. The study concluded that when pregnant mice were exposed to magnetic fields, like those produced by VDTs, they showed no statistically significant increase in either spontaneous abortion rates or in malformations among their offspring. Interestingly, this document notes that the emission levels are not intended to imply that biological hazards exist when VDTs are used.
