ELECTRONIC AND ONLINE RESOURCES - THE "DARK SATANIC MILLS" OF CYBERSPACE

James Sweetland, Library Link Regional Convenor - USA

This month's position paper is inspired by my personal experiences in looking for a new computer.

There is a growing literature, especially in the United States, on the subject of what used to be called "industrial" injuries, and which now seems to be more related to white collar work. In short, it is the topic of on-the-job injuries.

For centuries, of course, every occupation has had its dangers-one thinks of sailors falling from the rigging, lead poisoning of hat makers and the like. The number and extent of such injuries seems to have increased with the industrial revolution, probably due to the increased speed of work, but also to the change in the nature of work. For example, operatives in the early textile mills didn't have a longer day than the hand-loom weavers, but the former were required to work almost constantly, and to deal with machines which run much faster than a spinning wheel or hand loom. And, the worker had to match pace with the machine-regardless of how tired s/he was, the worker could only rest at specified intervals.

The problem was mentioned by many commentators, and became a significant element of early labor union negotiations, and, by the early 20th century, state and national legislation. Or, having seen a new set of problems related to the technology, say by the middle of the 19th century, the problem was not really addressed until about the middle of the 20th. Some would say, of course, that the problem of dangerous work conditions still has not been completely addressed, but the point here is that it took several generations of workers before there was real recognition of the problems.

Now, of course, we have white collar workers spending hours a day at computers. The closest analogy which occurs to me is the garment industry, where workers spend much of the day at a sewing machine, and the problems suffered by clerk-typists. And the injuries are similar-the most common apparently being "repetitive stress" injuries. Other computer-related problems involve those related to posture, and possibly, exposure to radiation from the cathode ray tubes.

Now, all of these problems have been addressed to some degree in the literature, and in some legislation. However, I submit we have just begun to see the real problem. And, the real problem is not going to go away, and it will be much more difficult to solve than many of us realize.

Here is one example: one of the most common computer-related injuries is carpal tunnel syndrome. This comes from repeated strain on the tendons which go through one's wrist, and are the result of constant use of, for example, keyboards. (The same injury is seen in leather workers, and pianists, for the same reason).

One of the most common causes of the injury is improper keyboard height. Ironically, this seems to be because, having had a general standard that said (at least in the U. S.) that while a standard desk was 30 inches from the floor, and typewriters should be 28", we just put the computer keyboards on the desks. The extra height puts more strain on one's wrists, thus leading to the injury. As more people spend more hours a day at the computer, there are more injuries.

The solution, in part, of course, is to obtain new furniture at the correct height. And, we already see most office supply stores selling separate keyboard "drawers" to install on the existing furniture, as well as wrist pads. The other solution is the "split" keyboard, so designed that there is supposed to be less tension laterally on the user's wrist.

But, now to the new problem: I do not suffer from carpal tunnel problems, but from radial tunnel problems-that is, I have problems due to strain on tendons running near my elbow, not my wrist. This problem is handled, not by wrist rests, but by elbow rests. A split keyboard, by forcing my arms at an angle, makes it very difficult to rest my wrists, thus actually increases the risk of injury. Similarly, since I am over 6 feet tall, the optimum keyboard height for me is about 29 inches. Or, in short, the standard solution to the injury problem actually makes it worse.

While leaving aside such issues as the difficulties of using many computer screens while wearing bifocal or trifocal glasses, or using a mouse if one is left-handed, I submit we, as information professionals, must take more of an interest in this issue. Too often, a library or other information center is so happy at getting the new computer, or the new LAN, or the Ethernet connection, or the Internet, that it ignores the need to get new furniture, let alone specialized equipment such as adjustable arm chairs, wrist rests, left-handed mice, and the like.

We have established a tendency to accept that computing power is crucial, that the software must constantly be upgraded, that the equipment is obsolete in about five years, and that computer experts must be highly paid. Then, it is now time to also get the world to accept that, if we use computers every day, we must also provide the proper physical facilities, and that these must come in several varieties. If not, in the rush to the 21st century, we will also be creating more injuries.

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