The duration of continuous work at the computer should not be

Source: Magazine “Remuneration: Accounting and Taxation”

Nowadays, the computer has become a part of our lives: we cannot do without it either at home or at work. Of course, everyone has different working conditions: some work at a computer for only a couple of hours a day, while others do not work the entire shift because of it. Despite the fact that modern technologies are constantly being improved, workers can “acquire” health problems by working at a computer even for a small amount of working time. Today we will tell the employer what requirements apply to organizing a workplace with a computer, what the work and rest schedule should be for employees working at a computer, and whether they are entitled to medical examinations.

Electromagnetic radiation

Any household appliance emits EMR, but a person does not sleep next to a refrigerator or a working microwave oven, does not watch TV at a distance of 25-40 cm from the eyes, but when working on a PC, all emitters are concentrated near the body: monitor, operating unit, mouse, keyboard.

An independent study of computers distributed on the market for these products, which was carried out by employees of the Electromagnetic Safety Center (Moscow), allowed us to draw a disappointing conclusion that the biologically dangerous level of electromagnetic radiation in the user’s area was exceeded.

PCs increase the general EM background created by household appliances and “irradiate” not only the person sitting behind the screen, but also those around them. An area within a radius of 1.5 m from the computer is considered dangerous.

Increased EMR background causes:

• headache
• fatigue, nervousness
• decreased resistance to infections, from the skin to the internal organs
• The increased EM background also makes an undeniable contribution to the increase in the number of malignant neoplasms.

PC monitors made with cathode ray tubes

They are proven sources of ultraviolet, soft x-ray, visible, infrared, radio frequency, microwave and low frequency EMR. Most of all, EMR is emitted by the rear and side walls of the monitor. Every year, more stringent standards are adopted regarding the radiation power of the monitor, but manufacturers take a cunning step, not reducing this very power, but improving the quality of the protective coating applied to the front part of the screen. The back and side walls still emit EMR.

System unit

The system unit is also a powerful emitter. The human body is most sensitive to EMR in the range of 40-70 GHz. At these frequencies, the wavelength is comparable to the size of the cells, which means that the radiation easily penetrates the tissue. Features of modern PCs:

• this is an increase in operating frequencies of both the processor and peripheral devices
• increasing power to 400 - 500 W.

As a result, the unit's radiation level in the frequency range 40-70 GHz has increased thousands of times over the past 2-3 years.

Laptop and LCD monitors

LCD monitors and laptops made on the basis of liquid crystals are positioned as safe because they do not generate that “bouquet” of EMR characteristic of cathode ray tubes. But not only the tube is an emitter - the power supply voltage converter when the device is operating from the network, the control circuit, and other elements of the equipment are also capable of generating harmful fields.

At the same time, the laptop is always located closer to the user, and some users have the habit of placing the PC on their laps.

Research: and “ELITE” examined 5 types of laptops from the most famous manufacturers. EMR measurements were carried out in 8 directions from the equipment, including the keyboard, since it is monolithically connected to the laptop. In this case, the measurement distances from the PC were taken to be smaller than those normalized by the MPR II standard.

Research has shown that when the device was powered either from the mains or from a battery, the MPR II standards were not met for the majority of samples in all 8 directions. Particularly significant excesses were observed in front and to the right of the PC.

Effect of EMR on children and pregnant women

The brain matter in children is more conductive, and the skull bones are thinner, which ultimately leads to a greater specific absorbed power. EMR penetrates deeper into parts of the brain.

EMF is a biologically active factor in embryos. As is known, the sensitivity of an embryo to any damaging factors is many times higher than that of an adult, and EMR is no exception. Intrauterine injury from computer work most often occurs in the early stages of development, leading to miscarriages or developmental defects.

Work breaks

To prevent premature fatigue of computer users, it is recommended to organize a work shift by alternating work with and without using a computer (clause 1.3 of Appendix 7 to SanPiN 2.2.2/2.4.1340-03 ).
If the work requires constant interaction with the monitor (typing texts or data entry, etc.) with intense attention and concentration, excluding the possibility of periodically switching to other types of work activities not related to the PC, it is recommended to organize breaks for 10 - 15 minutes every other every 45 - 60 minutes of operation. These are the breaks:

• are included in working hours by virtue of Part 1 of Art. 109 Labor Code of the Russian Federation ;
• increase by 30% when working at night (clause 1.6 of Appendix 7 to SanPiN 2.2.2/2.4.1340-03 ).

Note that, depending on the category of work activity and the level of workload during a work shift when working at a computer, the duration of breaks can vary from 50 to 90 minutes (for an 8-hour shift) and from 80 to 140 minutes (for a 12-hour shift). The duration and beginning of each break are established by the employer in the internal labor regulations ( Article 109 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation ).
To reduce neuro-emotional stress and eliminate the influence of physical inactivity and hypokinesia, it is advisable to organize physical exercise minutes.
They are different in content and are intended for a specific effect on a particular muscle group (for example, for a general effect, improving cerebral circulation, relieving fatigue from the shoulder girdle and arms, etc.).

Vision

Modern monitors are already devoid of a previously characteristic problem - flickering, but this does not mean that the computer does not put stress on the eyes, which, subject to the standard operating time on a PC, is comparable to that when watching TV.

• Stress - uncontrolled use of a computer by children, whose health in rare cases is absolute, leads to tension in the visual apparatus, which is equivalent to severe stress. Everyone knows about the consequences of stress; this is a separate topic.
• Decreased vision - weakness of the eye muscles when overstrained leads to decreased vision. Captivated by the picture on the monitor, children forget to blink, which leads to dry corneas and deterioration of vision.

The final eye strain is influenced by 4 factors:

• monitor quality;
• work intensity;
• duration of work;
• organization of the workplace.

The screen image is a priori different from the natural one. Unlike natural reflected light, it is self-luminous and has little contrast, which is made even less by external light. The image from the monitor consists of individual dots and constantly flickers. A computer image does not have clear boundaries, like a picture on paper.

The increase in visual load is accompanied by the need to constantly move the gaze from the screen to paper text or the keyboard. The situation is aggravated by low-quality software, incompatible color selection, unreadable font, poor monitor placement, poorly organized workplace (glare reflections from the screen, non-compliance with the distance to the screen, etc.).

All this leads to the development of the so-called computer vision syndrome:

• eyes start to water
• the image becomes unclear, double
• fatigue occurs
• change in concentration.

A survey of people who work at a computer for a long time led to the identification of the following symptoms:

• redness of the eyes in 48%;
• itching of the periocular area in 41%;
• eye pain in 9%;
• “floaters” in the eyes of 36%;
• discomfort in 5-10%;
• headache in 9%;
• weakness in 3%;
• darkening and double vision in 2 – 0.16%;

In addition to subjective sensations, this group of people also observed physiological changes in the visual system:

• violation of convergence in 52% of cases, accommodation - in 45% of users;
• changes in binocular vision in 49%, stereo vision in 47%;
• decreased visual acuity in 34%.

Conducting medical examinations

According to clause 13.1 of SanPiN 2.2.2/2.4.1340-03 , persons who work at a computer more than 50% of the working time (professionally associated with the operation of electronic computers) must undergo medical examinations. Consequently, the employer is obliged to organize both preliminary (upon entry to work) and periodic medical examinations. Let us remind you that, by virtue of Art. 213 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, these medical examinations are carried out at the expense of the employer.
note

According to the Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation dated April 12, 2011 No.  302n “On approval of lists of harmful production factors and work, during which mandatory preliminary and periodic medical examinations (examinations) are carried out, and the Procedure for conducting mandatory preliminary and periodic medical examinations (examinations) of workers employed in heavy work and work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions” , persons working at a computer at least 50% of the time must be examined by a neurologist and ophthalmologist once every two years.

Pregnant women, upon presentation of a certificate confirming this fact, must be transferred to work that does not involve the use of computers, or their time working on such machines is limited (no more than three hours per work shift), subject to compliance with hygienic requirements. Please note that such a transfer requires an application from the pregnant woman.

Seated position

• Sitting at the computer for a long time in a virtually forced position results in stagnation of blood in the pelvic area, which contributes to the development of varicose veins.
• The load on the musculoskeletal system leads to poor posture and scoliosis in childhood, as well as salt deposition and osteochondrosis in adults.
• Physical inactivity leads to muscle weakness and obesity. A person's sedentary lifestyle leads to elevated cholesterol levels by the age of 35-40, which threatens heart attacks and strokes.

As for children, the problem is more than serious. Parents who are faced with problematic posture in their children know that it is very difficult to stop the progression and cure the curvature of the spine that has begun. The computer completely captures the child's attention; the child does not feel like he is sitting slouched. The pathological process starts very quickly in a growing child’s body:

• At first, a barely noticeable stoop appears
• It is more difficult for the child to keep his back straight
• When sitting, the back becomes round
• then muscle weakness and incorrect posture lead to curvature of the spinal column, which can progress literally before our eyes.

How much time can a child spend at the computer?

This question has long been of concern not only to parents. Psychologists, doctors and other specialists have already become interested in it. Today it’s no secret that a computer can harm a person’s health if you spend all your free time on it. Children also have to use a computer while studying. When they take a break from lessons, they also pick up gadgets and play or go online and communicate. All this inevitably leads to poor vision and other serious health problems. Children spend less time in the fresh air and do not play sports. This affects the state of the immune system. Scientists come to the conclusion that computer technology causes various ailments, including psychological ones.

In this regard, experts have developed instructions that should be followed when working at the computer.

These recommendations also include time limits. They are averaged and depend on the age of the child. At the same time, when they talk about controlling the time that a child can safely spend on a computer, we mean not only laptops and regular computers, but also tablets, smartphones and other gadgets.

You can also try to answer the question: should you limit your child from watching TV?

Exposure to dust, dirt and chemicals

During operation, the PC attracts dust and various dirt, which accumulates in the system unit and settles on the keyboard and mouse. The PC cooling system causes dust to circulate indoors.

• It has been proven that the keyboard contains many times more germs than the toilet lid.
• Dust, being an active allergen, leads to the development of hypersensitivity reactions, allergic rhinitis and allergic bronchitis. In turn, pathogenic microorganisms enter the body with dirty hands and cause various obvious or hidden infections.

Swedish environmentalists discovered that within two years after manufacture, the monitor releases the chemical compound triphenyl phosphate into the air, which is a strong allergen. This substance is part of the plastic, and when the latter is heated during operation of the PC, it begins to be released into the air. Triphenyl phosphate levels are ten times higher than background while working on a PC.

Effect on the nervous system and psyche

This factor is the most dangerous and in some cases leads to irreversible consequences and the formation of complete mental dependence on the computer.

Impact on children

The unstable psyche of children and teenagers suffers from being addicted to the computer. Problems begin with a simple reluctance to leave the computer to do usual things (walk, eat). Then the child refuses to go to bed at the proper time.

In the future, deprivation of a computer leads to irritability and hysterics. There is a violation of attention and memory, depressive and even aggressive mood.

The taste for life and mood return only when playing on a PC. At the same time, the child is not interested in those around him or what is happening; addressing him during computer games causes aggression or goes unnoticed. Literally, addicted children end up in the computer world, becoming zombies and not interested in real life.

Effect on adults

Adult users often run away from their problems by immersing themselves in the virtual world and already being the winner of life there. At the same time, the events of the game are perceived as in reality, with experiences and emotions. The adrenaline produced during the game is not destroyed by the body, as happens when playing sports, cycling, etc. When adrenaline heats up in the body, it leads to the destruction of the nervous system, the development of neurasthenia and psychosis.

And for those who already have mental problems, the computer is absolutely contraindicated. Having tasted the taste of murder during a game, such people easily decide to commit this act in real life, including suicide. The well-known case of suicide of 6 Russian schoolchildren – fans of “Final Fantasy”, which occurred in 2001, is far from the only one; sad statistics are constantly updated with the ridiculous deaths of people addicted to computers.

Computer addiction is equal in strength to alcohol or drug addiction! But if in the case of the last two, various methods of struggle are adopted, starting from the state level, then gamers remain on the sidelines, destroying their lives and the destinies of their relatives.

Is radiation from a Wi-Fi router harmful?

There is probably a wireless access point to the global network in every apartment. It is convenient and economical, and those who switched to Wi-Fi are unlikely to return to wired Internet.

• The router's radiation frequency is 2.4 GHz (slightly higher for a microwave oven).
• The radiation power is 18 mW (for a mobile phone it is approximately 1 W.
• If the device is turned on constantly, the impact on humans will also be constant. Some people do not turn off the access point even at night and sleep in the room where the router is located, which is completely unacceptable.
• An excess of radio waves threatens the development of irritability, fatigue and other symptoms.

Operating at a fairly high frequency, the router has low power. Those. reasonable use of the device, placed at a safe distance, outside of bedrooms, is considered acceptable and comparable to the effect of a TV, refrigerator and other EMR-emitting devices. The closer the healing generator (in our case, the router) is located to a person, the longer it operates continuously, the greater the negative impact it has.

In public Wi-Fi Free access points, the source is located far from users, without affecting health. In this case, the device used to access the Internet (phone, tablet) emits more radiation.

Rules for working on a personal computer

All of the problems listed above can be avoided by strictly following the rules of working on a PC yourself and not giving any concessions to children, allowing them to play “just 5 more minutes.”

Working time on a PC - how long can you sit at a computer?

For adult users, the total time spent working on a PC is 6 hours a day (you can sit at a computer for a maximum of 8 hours, due to professional needs). This does not mean that you can sit on the computer at 9 am and sit non-stop until 3 pm. Breaks must be observed, which we will discuss below.

• Teenagers 12-16 years old can spend no more than 2 hours on a PC per day;
• Children aged 7-10-12 years are allowed 1 hour of work on a PC;
• A child 5-7 years old can sit at the computer for no more than half an hour.
• For children under 5 years old, PC should be prohibited.

Scheduled breaks

To prevent overload of organs and systems, as well as mental discomfort, it is necessary to take breaks for active rest. Those. Simply turning away from the monitor and looking out the window is not an option.

• During each working hour, after 15-20 minutes, you should take your eyes away from the screen for 2-3 minutes, or at least close them, doing a mini-unload on the visual analyzer.
• After every 45 minutes of working on a PC, you need to take a 10-15 minute break: warm up, walk around. If possible, you can lie down with your eyes closed.
• After 3 hours of work, you need to take a break for a half-hour rest - go for a walk, breathe fresh air, have a snack.
• It is useful to do eye exercises - rotating the eyeballs, blinking frequently, looking from near to distant objects.

Organization of the workplace - how to sit at the computer correctly

To work on a PC, you must have appropriate furniture - a computer desk and chair. Both adult and children's furniture are available, which can be adjusted according to height. In this case, the height of the chair should correspond to the height of the table.

• The lighting should be even, there should be no contrasting light sources near the monitor.
• The best option for placing the monitor is in the corner of the room, which will allow the walls to absorb the EMR generated by it. The distance to the monitor should be from 40-50 cm, while it should occupy a position several cm below the eyes, so that the view of the monitor is from top to bottom, and not vice versa. The refresh rate of the monitor screen must be at least 85 Hz.
• The system unit should be located as far as possible from a person.

For working on a PC, special safety glasses are sold, which in no way affect the quality of the picture, but protect the eyes from overexertion.

Computer care

At least once a month you need to remove the back cover of the system unit and carefully vacuum the parts. The keyboard and monitor should be wiped with special products every day.

To prevent a computer from emitting harmful radiation when not in use, it should be unplugged. This rule also applies to wireless or wired Internet routers - they must be turned off.

Indoor microclimate

During breaks in work, the room should be ventilated through the room, and during work, the window should be micro-ventilated. PC operation leads to an increase in the level of positively charged and a decrease in negatively charged ions.

Fifteen minutes of ventilation brings this indicator back to normal. During ventilation, the room also leaves other chemicals that enter the air due to the operation of the PC.

Breaks when working at a computer labor code

Unfortunately, the legislator did not link together such concepts as the labor code. computer work and occupational hazards.

The lack of regulation in this matter, as a rule, leads to abuse by employers.

Perhaps, as a result of subsequent changes to the standards that are included in the labor code, working at a computer will be equated to harmful working conditions .

What are the sanitary standards for working at a computer?

If the labor code does not regulate the rules for working at a computer, then you should refer to the Sanitary Rules, which regulate activities using a personal computer or PC. These standards are necessary for the health of workers who spend “hours” at computers .

The source of natural light when working with a PC should be on the north side of the room.

In addition, during production, each computer is subject to examination, the results of which must be reflected in the quality certificate of each product .

Therefore, if an employer bought computers in a company store, then there is no need to worry about their compliance with sanitary standards, since the equipment was tested in a special laboratory.

An important factor when choosing computers for employees is the ability of the computer design to change the position of the PC in different planes (horizontal or vertical) . with possible stable fixation in a position that is convenient for the user.

The color of the PC case should be gentle, calm, without shiny parts, which, creating glare, cause increased eye fatigue. The monitor screen must contain brightness and contrast adjustments so that each worker can set the desired mode .

which will correspond to the sensitivity of the eyes.

When installing a PC, employers are required to fulfill the following list of requirements :

• to the premises;
• to lighting;
• to the organization of medical examination of users;
• and much more.

Let's look at some of the requirements in more detail.

Premises requirements

To create safe working conditions, premises must have cables with protective grounding. The PC must not be placed near power cables or high-voltage transformers . and other equipment that may interfere with computer operation. In addition, an area determined by the Sanctuary norms must be allocated per PC user.

What should the lighting be like in the workplace?

In addition to the presence of natural and artificial lighting, window openings should have blinds or curtains . or any other devices that allow you to adjust the light.

For workplaces with constant document flow, there must be combined lighting . In more detail, lighting standards are prescribed in SanPin.

Didn't find the answer to your question? Find out how to solve your particular problem - call right now: +7 (499) 938 42 63 (Moscow) (Other regions) It's fast and free!

A few words about furniture design

The workbench arrangement should be used to optimally accommodate the equipment being used. In addition, the shape of the desktop should be convenient to maintain a rational user posture . so that he could change the positions of his body to prevent fatigue.

A little about breaks

When working with a PC, the user is required to take a break of 15 minutes every 60 minutes of continuous work . In addition, once users must do special exercises for the eyes to relieve muscle and nervous tension.

Failure to follow the rules developed for PC users can lead to increased worker fatigue, memory disorders, headaches, eye diseases and much more. But unfortunately, there is no regulatory legal act that would oblige the employer to comply with all the recommendations established by SanPin .

Question: How are breaks provided and how long should they be when working at computers?

QUESTION: How are breaks provided and how long should they be when working at computers?

ANSWER: In accordance with Article 135 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus, for certain types of work, along with a break for rest and food, additional special breaks are provided during the working day, included in working hours, incl. regulated breaks when working at the computer. These breaks are paid.

According to the sanitary rules and regulations “Hygienic requirements for video display terminals, electronic computers and work organization”, approved by the resolution of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Republic of Belarus dated November 10.

2000 No. 53 (SanPiN 9-131 RB 2000), workers working at computers are provided with a certain work and rest regime when working with electronic computers (computers), personal electronic computers (PCs) and video terminals (VDT).

Work and rest regimes when working with computers, personal computers and VDTs are determined by the type and category of work activity.

For types of work activities, 3 categories of severity and intensity of work with VDTs, PCs and computers are established, which are determined by the total number of characters read or entered per shift, as well as the duration of direct work time per work shift.

Source: https://pravostoriya.ru/pereryvy-pri-rabote-za-kompyuterom-trudovoj-kodeks/

How to save a child from computer addiction or prevent it from forming

• It is difficult to completely eliminate the computer for a schoolchild, but health should always remain a priority! The PC should be used strictly for homework and under adult supervision. If you give up some slack and allow you to play the game after completing your homework on your PC, you can forget about further productive completion of your homework. Tasks that involve working on a PC should be completed last.
• A computer should never be positioned as a bonus for something. You cannot turn a computer into a super-forbidden thing (it is always more attractive), just as you cannot turn a PC into a cult and an incentive prize for obedience. The child must understand that a computer is a gadget for adults.
• Try to use all your child’s free time usefully: let it be sports sections, clubs, swimming pool, dancing, gymnastics, hockey and others. While devoting energy to useful pastime, you simply won’t have enough time for the computer.
• Don't set a bad example by enthusiastically fighting space monsters in front of your children. Let the computer be associated with a work necessity, not with entertainment.
• Spend time with your children, excluding moments when the child sits at the computer and is left to his own devices, without distracting adults from their daily activities. Games should be in a child’s life, because they develop, but let them be active street games or exciting board games that are so fun to play with the whole family.
• Don’t start introducing your children to the computer world right away with an adult PC or laptop; if a child wants a computer, buy him a toy educational device similar in appearance to a laptop.

A computer and human health are contradictory concepts, but with reasonable organization of work on a PC, you can minimize the harmful effects of the device on health.

Author:

Sabuk Tatyana Leonidovna hygienist, epidemiologist