Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 80-127-1337, The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Maryland

摘要

In response to a request from the Newspaper Guild, AFL-CIO, an evaluation was undertaken of possible hazardous working conditions at the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Maryland specifically for those workers using video display terminals (VDTs). These workers had complained of cataracts, other eys problems, headaches, and back and neck aches. A survey was conducted of 379 workers concerning symptoms, VDT use, and job characteristerics. The type of VDT work and VDT screen and keyboard characteristics were found to be related to the type of headaches experienced. Eye examinations were performed on all survey participants. No meaningful relationships were found between the adequacy of the participants' refractions, including the wearing of glasses with multiple focal lenses, and the reporting of work associated symptoms. No significant association was found between VDT use, including hours per week of VDT operation and total years of VDT operating experience, and the prevalence of eye abnormalities including cataracts.