Terminal Shock: The Health Hazards of Video Display Terminals

Dirk Leemans, P.Eng., lived in Toronto.

The health hazards associated with office automation have been in the news for several years. Recently the International Labor Office has issued a study reporting on the health hazards associated with new office technologies. In Canada, NC Press has brought out Terminal Shock, which is a good compilation of information on the hazards of the Video Display Terminal (VDT). The author, Robert DeMatteo, who has been the coordinator of occupational health and safety for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, brings to this book a specific workers’ perspective on the hazards associated with VDTs.

The book includes useful chapters on radiation (ionizing and non-ionizing), on controlling and monitoring VDT radiation, on ergonomic and stress problems, and on the legislative, legal, and compensatory context of VDT hazards. The book is well researched, but certain biases are clear. The chapters on radiation contain a lot of useful information and references, but they cannot be construed as a balanced assessment of radiation-related problems, as the information is confined to those studies that are damning to the industry. The chapters on legislation and workers’ compensation were very interesting and complete.

Throughout the book, the author manages to present difficult concepts clearly and simply. There are a few lapses in editorial firmness (notably in Chapter 2), but in general the book is well conceived and executed. This book will be very valuable for workers and unions, as it contains fine information to use as ammunition in labor disputes; and it will be a useful reference for anybody interested in the hazards associated with Video Display Terminals.