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POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS OF VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINALS

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William E. Murray, C. Eugene Moss, Wordie H. Parr, Clinton Cox, Michael J. Smith, Barbara F.G. Cohen, Lambert W. Stammerjohn, Alan Happ · 1981

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Government health agencies have been studying electromagnetic radiation from workplace electronics since 1981.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

NIOSH examined potential health risks from video display terminals (early computer monitors) in 1981, focusing on radiation exposure, ergonomic factors, and occupational safety concerns. This pioneering government assessment addressed growing workplace health questions as computers became common office equipment. The study established early frameworks for understanding electromagnetic radiation exposure from workplace electronics.

Why This Matters

This 1981 NIOSH report represents a pivotal moment in recognizing that everyday electronic devices could pose health risks. Video display terminals were the smartphones of their era - ubiquitous workplace technology that people spent hours using daily. The government's decision to investigate potential health hazards demonstrates that concerns about electromagnetic radiation from common devices aren't new or fringe thinking.

What makes this particularly relevant today is the pattern it established. Just as NIOSH recognized the need to study VDTs when they became widespread, we're now seeing similar investigations into cell phones, WiFi, and 5G. The difference is that modern devices operate at much higher frequencies and power levels than those 1980s computer monitors, yet we're often told there's nothing to worry about.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
William E. Murray, C. Eugene Moss, Wordie H. Parr, Clinton Cox, Michael J. Smith, Barbara F.G. Cohen, Lambert W. Stammerjohn, Alan Happ (1981). POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS OF VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINALS.
Show BibTeX
@article{potential_health_hazards_of_video_display_terminals_g6000,
  author = {William E. Murray and C. Eugene Moss and Wordie H. Parr and Clinton Cox and Michael J. Smith and Barbara F.G. Cohen and Lambert W. Stammerjohn and Alan Happ},
  title = {POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS OF VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINALS},
  year = {1981},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

NIOSH examined radiation exposure, ergonomic issues, and occupational safety risks from early computer monitors. The study addressed growing workplace health questions as computers became common office equipment in the early 1980s.
Video display terminals were becoming widespread in offices, and workers were reporting various health complaints. NIOSH conducted this assessment to determine if electromagnetic radiation and other factors posed legitimate occupational health risks.
Early computer monitors operated at much lower frequencies and power levels than today's smartphones, tablets, and WiFi devices. Modern electronics expose us to significantly more electromagnetic radiation than those 1980s workplace terminals.
Video display terminals emitted various forms of electromagnetic radiation including extremely low frequency fields, radio frequency emissions, and ionizing radiation from cathode ray tube technology used in early computer monitors.
This early government investigation established precedent for studying electromagnetic radiation from common workplace electronics. It demonstrated that health agencies recognized potential risks from everyday electronic devices decades before smartphones and WiFi became ubiquitous.