TNAG-1726-FCO40-2439-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 334

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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-3 February 1988

health of operation of computer terminals

6. MR. TAM asked (in Cantonese): In view of the increasingly prevalent use of computers in various trades in Hong Kong, will Government inform this Council whether it is aware of any overseas or local studies which have found that operating computer terminals for long hours would adversely affect the health of the operators and, if so, what measures will be taken to protect these operators?

SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, no systematic study has been undertaken in Hong Kong on the effect of operating computer terminals for long hours on the health of operators. I understand that extensive studies on this subject have been carried out overseas. These studies have found that operators of visual display units sometimes complain of eye-strain, headaches and pains in the neck, shoulder and back.

According to these studies, eye-strain and headaches are caused by such factors as inadequate lighting of the working environment, the small size of characters on the screen, poor adjustment of brightness and contrast, and flickering on the screen caused by the poor quality of the visual display unit. Neck, shoulder and back pains are largely the result of incorrect posture, poor chair design or poor layout of the work station.

As regards radiation, the studies conducted overseas have shown that the radiation emitted by a visual display unit is very low, so low that it poses no harmful effect to health.

Current medical opinion is that the operation of visual display units is safe and is unlikely to have adverse effects on the health of operators, provided that appropriate attention is given to working conditions and suitable rest periods are given. No other measures are therefore required to protect these operators.

From an advisory angle, Sir, the Labour Department has published a booklet on the 'Health Aspects of Visual Display Units', giving detailed information and advice on this subject. This booklet is available free of charge to interested parties.

MR. TAM (in Cantonese): Sir, since visual display unit operators sometimes suffer from eye-strain, headaches and pains in the neck, shoulder and back, why can the Government not give more publicity to this problem so that the operators will pay attention to the problem and will not suffer from such complaints?

SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, as I have already said, the Labour Department has published a booklet on this particular subject giving guidance both to workers and to management in various working situations. I think this is reasonably good enough.