| Summary: | The debate as to whether working with computers poses a health threat is growing in business, government, and academe. The low-frequency magnetic fields that video display units emit have been linked to an increased incidence of cancer, miscarriages, and malformations in embryos, but the results of epidemiological studies and biological experiments have not been consistent or definitive. Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are a more readily observed effect of working with computer terminals. RSIs, however, have appeared for centuries, and the majority of problems today appear in manufacturing and other industries. Dr. Peter Buckle of the University of Surrey in Great Britain argues that repetitive action becomes harmful when it appears in combination with bad posture, force applied excessively or awkwardly, and psychological stress. Visual and mental strains may also result from computer work.
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