Students using microcomputers for extensive periods of time are prone to the same problems as those experienced by video display terminal operators. Suggested guidelines include adjustable furniture and equipment, avoidance of eye strain, control of screen brightness and contrast, and specially prescribed glasses. (MLF)

Through the YouthRules! initiative, the U.S. Department of Labor and its strategic partners seek to promote positive and safe work experiences for young workers. YouthRules! strives to educate teens, parents, educators, employers and the public on Federal and State rules regarding young workers. Components of the initiative include a website…

Bargaining that makes available facilities for satisfaction of workers' basic needs can contribute to increased productivity, which in turn enhances competitiveness. Such bargaining can be an effective means of extending and reinforcing national economic planning. (SK)

Discusses issues related to possible health hazards associated with viewing video display terminals. Includes some findings of the 1979 NIOSH report on Potential Hazards of Video Display Terminals indicating level of radiation emitted is low and providing recommendations related to glare and back pain/muscular fatigue problems. (JN)

Teratogens are agents which act during pregnancy producing physical/functional defects in the embryo, fetus, or offspring. Discusses teratogenic hazards in the workplace and academic environment, classes of teratogenic compounds, precautions for interpreting Teratogen List from Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS), and how…

The authors state that employers need to adopt a preventive orientation with respect to stress management and stress training. They examine the costs of stress, the stressed employee, the structure of a stress management program, training objectives, skill acquisition, sources of stress, learning new skills, feedback, and program evaluation. (CT)

Asserts that China's rulers are trying to have a free labor market without the freedom, and that the Chinese labor union is actually a branch of the Communist Party. The result is worker exploitation and a burst of worker protests (despite the threat of jail). Describes efforts by Chinese activists to mobilize and empower workers and document…

Those responsible for planning and management of colleges and universities must plan comprehensively for hazardous waste disposal. Federal and state regulations are increasing, landfill area is becoming scarce, and incineration costs are rising fast. High-level institutional commitment to a sound campus environment policy is essential. (MSE)

Highlights of the Supreme Court's 1990-91 term include discrimination, arbitration, and pension cases and a new Justice. (Author)

Schools should be committed to health and safety standards in vocational programs. The facilities and equipment should provide a safe environment, responsibility for preventing injuries should rest with administrators and instructors, and adequate safety education should be provided to all vocational students. (SK)

In contrast to its 1988 term, the Supreme Court's new term presents less controversial, though still important, labor issues in such areas as public-sector labor relations, pensions, occupational safety and health, employment discrimination, and workers' compensation. (Author)

A study surveyed noise levels in an agricultural mechanics educational laboratory while students completed common arc welds. It found that the time a student spent in the welding booth posed no threat to hearing. Maximum noise measured was well below the 140 dB(A) impulse level set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (JOW)

Surveyed 166 child protection workers in rural Montana to determine the extent and nature of threats and actual violence they are subject to during the course of their duties. Found that 10% of workers had been pushed, shoved, or hit by clients in the previous year and that 33% received death threats from clients. (MDM)

The University of Arizona Medical School focuses on occupational health issues in a five-week interdisciplinary summer institute for medical students and in a portion of a required course on clinical medicine. Students learn about occupational health issues through lectures, seminars, and visits to local workplace settings. (DB)

Interviews with 30 Indiana migrant farmworkers revealed their limited formal education but broad experiential learning. They were more concerned with preventive health and safety training and literacy education than with pesticide training. Although growers were mandated by the federal Worker Protection Standard to educate workers, implementation…