Video Display Terminals and VDT Ergonomics Sample Clauses

Video Display Terminals and VDT Ergonomics. No pregnant staff member shall be required to use a video display terminal (VDT) if she feels that her physical and/or emotional health is being or is likely to be adversely affected through the use of a VDT, and she so advises her supervisor in writing. In such cases, the staff member will be assigned other duties without loss of pay or seniority for an initial period of up to thirty (30) days from the date of such notification. If prior to completion of this thirty (30) day period, the staff member cannot provide certification of pregnancy and continues to refuse to use a VDT, such action shall constitute a refusal to work. No staff member shall be required to use a VDT should they provide medical certification of a condition which precludes the use of same. If a staff member refuses to use a VDT and cannot provide such medical certification of a condition which precludes such use, such action shall constitute a refusal to work. Where a staff member is temporarily assigned other duties and provides certification of pregnancy within thirty (30) days of such notification to her supervisor, then the staff member will have the right to return to the same or a comparable position to that held prior to such notification without loss of salary, benefits or seniority where such pregnancy is not carried to term. Where the condition of a staff member providing certification of other medical grounds for not using a VDT ends, the University will assign the employee to the same or a comparable position for which the employee has the minimum required qualifications including education, experience and ability to perform the duties of the job. It is understood and agreed that where a contract or temporary employee is used to replace the employee assigned other duties because of medical grounds other than pregnancy, the term of such contract or temporary employment may be for an indefinite period, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement. The following recommendations of the Health and Safety Committee are to be implemented: 1. that the ergonomic difficulties consequent on long periods of concentrated work with VDTs be ameliorated by providing a 10-minute break period at the end of each hour of VDT work, away from the VDT and from concentrated visual activity, and in addition; 2. that workloads for employees who consistently use VDTs be limited to five (5) hours per working day on the VDT, with the remainder of the working day to be spent on work not involv...