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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 787
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LarryC Offline OP
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The insulation discussion in another thread reminded me of the various EMF discussions. The last I remember was a long term study of electrical workers in the UK(?) with respect to the workers getting cancers at a higher rate than the general population.

Has there been any updates to this study?

Joined: Jul 2004
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I have been reading EMF "studies" for 40 years (computer rooms are really living in the belly of the beast). I have never seen one that proved anything that another study did not disprove.
My take away is EMF is so far down the list of things I have to worry about it is around "getting hit by a meteor" or "bit by a rattlesnake" in the things that might kill me.
To put it in perspective, the most dangerous thing you do is drive to the job and once you are there falling off the ladder becomes a close second.
... then there is that "current" thing. Two tenths of an amp will send you to that big break room in the sky.

All of this is from a guy who lives under a 250kv power line.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,273
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I've noticed that many electricians get mouth cancer around EMF fields....

Then again, they hunked down Redman chew.


Tesla
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 806
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Did the study that showed an increased cancer incidence control for all the non-EMF factors that electrical workers might be exposed to. Stuff like PCBs, asbestos, solvents, ozone, etc.?

My understanding is that there isn't any known mechanism for EM fields to induce cancer, or cause any other bioeffects beyond simple heating. Cancer requires the disruption of DNA, and non-ionizing EM radiation doesn't deposit enough energy to do that.

This isn't to say that some such mechanism doesn't exist, just that it isn't yet known to science. But given the difficulty in teasing out a clear causal relationship between EMFs and cancer, any increased cancer risk that may be found in the future seems likely to be so small as to be hiding in the statistical noise floor.


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Quote
I've noticed that many electricians get mouth cancer around EMF fields....

Then again, they hunked down Redman chew.


... and the insulation some guys chewed, although THHN made that somewhat obsolete. TW was good chewing wink



Greg Fretwell
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
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Originally Posted by Tesla
I've noticed that many electricians get mouth cancer around EMF fields....

Then again, they hunked down Redman chew.

In California?
I thought the "chew" was reserved for places like VA and KY.

Most electricians won't be exposed to the great majority of the EM fields they are talking about.
The simple fact is most EM fields cancel in pipes, panels and other places where cables of the same circuit are grouped together and insulated to full working voltage.

If you have an EM field problem it is because of poor design or installation, or both.

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
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well i read some story long ago about some sparky that got lead posioning because he stripped wire with his teeth

~S~

Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,233
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Member
I heard that you can only get EMF from, High voltage lines, toaster, hairdryers, cell phones, etc., etc., etc. smile Seriously though, I was on a job where a doctor lived in a house, and found EMF inside her house. We traced it to some recess low voltage lights in the kitchen. When we shut the power off to that circuit, the EMF readings dropped drastically. I had to re=route the circuit wiring for the kitchen from the original spot (Which went under 2 bedrooms) along the basement walls, up through a garage, to get to the attic and feed the kitchen lights. The good doctor was happy that we were able to relocate the EMF from the bedrooms to the garage.

P.S. she could have changed the kitchen lights from low voltage to line voltage and that might have work too.

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 169
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Quote
In California?
I thought the "chew" was reserved for places like VA and KY.


We have our fair share of rednecks (nothing but the utmost respect intended) up here in North CA.
Although actually, many would consider Sac to be more of a "central CA".... smirk

Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,233
H
Member
Another EMF story,
We had to remove, and relocate service to house and keep the whole service off the house by 6". It seems the previous homeowner who slept in the room by the service died of a brain tumor. The new homeowner didn't want to be anywhere near the service cable.

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