VISUAL DISPLAY UNITS (Legal norms for usage)

Dr Wan Soon Bee asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour, in view of the widespread use of visual display units, if he will consider introducing legal norms concerning the use of visual display terminals, especially with a view to enabling the factory inspector to exercise control with special attention paid to the global effect of radiation to which workers are continuously exposed.

The Minister of State for Labour (Dr Wong Kwei Cheong) (for the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour): Mr Speaker, Sir, we appreciate the concern of the Member over the possible ill effects of radiation on workers operating visual display units (VDUs). VDUs do emit a low level of radiation which is no more than that emitted from a television set. This level of radiation is not harmful to the worker's health. This was the finding of the Department of Scientific Services of the Ministry of Health which conducted a test on VDUs in December 1980. The finding concurs with those in the UK and the US.

However, it is recognized that prolonged work on a VDU may give rise to eye-strain and other complaints like fatigue, headache and muscle aches. These subjective complaints vary with individual operators and are more common under working conditions which do not cater to physical comfort. To minimize such complaints, many countries have drawn up guidelines on lighting, avoidance of glare, working postures, rest and hours of work.

My Ministry has also, in 1981, prepared and issued a set of guidelines on visual display unit work. These guidelines were prepared after a study of recommendations made by authoritative bodies overseas. The include recommendations on work station design, for example, the-positioning of the keyboard, screen and seat; level of illumination; work-rest periods and medical examination. Because people are built differently and work in different ways, VDU work stations should be designed so that it can be adapted to the needs of individual operators. These guidelines may be used by management and operators to assess the adequacy of VDU work conditions.

Dr Wan Soon Bee: Sir, would the Minister inform the House how to ensure that the guidelines recommended are being followed by the employers? And would the Minister also inform the House whether he will introduce legislation so that the level of radiation can be monitored by the Ministry to ensure that the radiation level of all VDUs is always maintained below the international standard set? Would the Minister also inform the House whether the cumulative effects of low level radiation will pose certain health hazards?

Dr Wong Kwei Cheong: Mr Speaker, Sir, the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Labour have been distributed to all concerned, i.e. employers and employer groups for implementation. The Industrial Health Department of the Ministry of Labour is monitoring and helping such employers to implement these guidelines. The Ministry is also liaising with the Department of Scientific Services of the Ministry of Health to ensure that the level of radiation remains at a low level so that the guidelines will continue to be kept by these employers and they will ensure that radiation will not be harmful to the workers.

As for legislation, up to now -we have no evidence that radiation is harmful to workers. If the Member for West Coast has any such evidence and is able to show us such cases, I am sure the Ministry will be very happy to look into these instances. If there are sufficient cases to justify it, we will certainly consider legislation.

On the point about cumulative effects, as long as the workers exposed to VDUs have sufficient break periods, for example, a 10-minute break after every two or three hours or lunch break which the worker would normally take, then it has been shown that the cumulative effects of such radiation are not harmful at all to the worker's health.