Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 81-073-976, Narragansett Electric Company, Providence, Rhode Island

摘要

On October 29, 1980, the Brotherhood of Utility Workers of New England, Local 310, requested that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) evaluate the potential radiation hazards associated with working on or near video display terminals (VDTs) at the Narragansett Electric Company, Providence, Rhode Island. Their primary concern was for pregnant women whose physicians had recommended that they be reassigned to other job duties because of possible radiation exposures from cathode ray tubes. Approximately 53 terminals are used by the company. Both ionizing and nonionizing radiations were evaluated during the survey on January 15, 1981. The levels of ionizing (X-ray) radiation were not distinguishable from the background, and all nonionizing (ultraviolet and radiofrequency) radiations were below the detection capability of the instrumentation. Therefore, all exposures were well below the current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) occupational standard and NIOSH-recommended criteria. From these measurements, NIOSH concluded that there is no radiation hazard to employees working at or near the terminals. Since the radiations are very low and in most cases not detectable, there is no radiation hazard from the VDT to the women and developing embryos or fetuses.