Electrosmog in the workplace

Electric Fields

Almost every one of us, young or old, sits at a desk and works on a PC, laptop or tablet when we wish to write something. During the day, there is enough light to work by. But what happens when it gets dark and we turn the desk lamp on?

We discovered something amazing when we took some readings. When we turned on the desk lamp with its Osram energy-saving globe, the reading was over 100 V/m and the electric field spread in a circle with a 1.3 metre diameter. The table, with its timber top and metal legs, had a reading of 35 V/m. And what about the person sitting at that table? They absorbed the alternating current with readings of over 100 V/m. This meant that the electrical voltage in that workspace was discharging through the person and that person was practically plugged in!

Long-term effects of electrosmog

Should you wish to delve deeper into the subject of electrosmog, read the brochure ‘The consequences of long-term exposure to electrosmog’ from the Competence Initiative for the Protection of Humanity, Environment and Democracy e.V. www.kompetenzinitiative.net (‘Zu den Folgen der Langzeiteinwirkungen von Elektrosmog’)

Effects on people who have long been exposed to electric and electromagnetic fields:

• headaches
• fatigue
• burn out
• stress
• neurasthenia, neurotic symptoms
• EEG-Changes (disintegration of the alpha rhythm with the theta- and occasional delta rhythm)
• insomnia
• deformation of the hierarchy of biological rhythm
• disturbances in the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal system
• arterial hypotension, rare arterial hypertension, bradycardia or tachycardia
• vagotonic displacement of cardiovascular function
• overactive thyroid
• erectile dysfunction
• digestive disorders
• slowing of sensorimotor skills
• shivering / tremor of the fingers at rest
• hair loss
• tinnitus
• increased susceptibility to infection
• and much more…

* Source: ki_heft-6_web, page 16, Objektiv erhobene Befunde:
(Drogitschina et al. 1966; Drogitschina und Sadtschikowa 1968, 1965, 1964; Gordon 1966; Ginsburg und Sadtschikowa 1964; Kapitanenko 1964)

What happens when we turn the lamp off?

We get the same readings! Thus, the person is still connected to the electricity even though the light is turned off. Computer equipment and monitor, extension cords in contact with the legs of the table–these are all contributing factors. Of course we cannot work without electricity; for without it, no computer would work.

Solutions

How do we improve on this situation to minimise the electrosmog experienced by the person?

1. When daylight is sufficient, unplug the desk lamp at the wall. Or get yourself an easy means of turning all electrical equipment off by pressing one switch when you do not require any electrical devices. For example, a power board with a built-in switch or a foot switch produced a measurement of 15 V/m –anything up to 30 V/m is still considered safe.
2. When it is too dark to work, try using indirect light, like an up-tilted light which is more than
   2 meters away from you.
3. If you have to rely on a desk lamp, install a wall shelf and place the lamp on it. There should be no contact between the lamp, its cabling and the desk. This should enable any generated electrical fields to be led away in other directions.
4. Computer housings made from metal should be earthed.
5. The jumble of extension cords from multiple sockets can be wrapped with metal tape or aluminium foil and earthed (same functional principle as a shielded cable).
6. The electrical voltages of the tabletop can be reduced by attaching an electrically conductive surface under the table top and then connecting it to ground / earth.
7. The metal legs of the table can be connected to the earth in the home’s electrical system.

As you can see, the protection of a workspace always requires a bit of work, but it is a worthwhile thing to do and if done correctly, it will provide a safe and stress-free work environment. There are always several possible approaches and solutions. If you too, wish to work relatively radiation-free, then contact us for a workplace assessment. We will gladly show you how, with a few simple steps, you can get a grip on this frustrating issue.