Occupational exposure

I am a 51-year-old public school educator living with chronic autoimmune illness. I am submitting this comment because I believe the potential health consequences of prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and radiofrequency (RF) radiation deserve serious, independent scientific investigation, particularly among individuals with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. I experience chronic inflammation, migraines, fatigue, and episodes of significant physical malaise. Over the years, I have observed that some of my most severe symptoms appear to coincide with environments containing extensive wireless infrastructure. In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdowns, new 5G cellular towers were installed in my area. During this period, I began experiencing frightening physical symptoms while traveling along interstate highways. On multiple occasions, I experienced episodes of apparent loss of consciousness while riding as a passenger. I also experienced painful bladder spasms that seemed to occur when traveling near certain cellular towers. These experiences became so debilitating that I struggled to travel on interstate highways. I purchased a silver-infused garment marketed for electromagnetic shielding and began wearing a Q-Link pendant, which I continue to wear daily. My career as a public school teacher raises additional concerns about occupational exposure and children’s health. Today’s classrooms are saturated with wireless technology. In my school, every student has a chromebook, and each classroom contains two enormous interactive smartboards. Wireless networks operate continuously throughout the school day, with dozens of devices communicating simultaneously. I experience migraines, inflammation, fatigue, and general malaise that interfere with my ability to function comfortably throughout the school day. Teachers spend approximately seven to eight hours daily in these environments, often for decades. Children spend much of their developmental years surrounded by wireless infrastructure. I question whether sufficient independent, long-term research has examined the cumulative effects of these exposures, particularly among individuals with existing inflammatory, neurological, or autoimmune conditions. I respectfully request that HHS prioritize the following areas of investigation: 1. Autoimmune and inflammatory responses: Investigate whether chronic RF exposure influences inflammatory pathways, immune regulation, oxidative stress, or symptom severity in individuals with autoimmune disease. 2. Neurological and autonomic symptoms: Examine reported associations between environmental RF exposure and migraines, dizziness, loss of consciousness, bladder dysfunction, fatigue, and other neurological or autonomic disturbances. 3. Individual susceptibility: Investigate whether certain populations, including individuals with chronic illness, experience different physiological responses to environmental electromagnetic exposure. 4. Cumulative exposure in schools: Conduct independent assessments of RF exposure in classrooms containing numerous student devices, wireless access points, and interactive smartboards. Evaluate both actual exposure levels and long-term health outcomes. 5. Existing safety standards: Reevaluate whether current RF exposure guidelines adequately address chronic exposure, evolving wireless technologies, and potential biological effects beyond established thermal mechanisms. 6. Exposure reduction: Investigate practical strategies for reducing unnecessary wireless emissions in educational settings, including wired connections and alternatives to continuous wireless connectivity. 7. Research integrity: Ensure that studies are independently funded, transparently conducted, and designed to investigate potential risks without predetermined conclusions. I recognize that personal observations do not establish scientific causation and that existing research has not consistently demonstrated that symptoms attributed to electromagnetic exposure are caused by RF radiation. Yet, the symptoms are real, and individuals reporting them deserve serious medical attention and rigorous scientific investigation. The absence of conclusive evidence of harm should not be treated as proof that every potential long-term health consequence has been adequately investigated. As an educator, I am particularly concerned about the widespread adoption of wireless technologies in schools without sufficiently examining possible consequences for vulnerable students and employees. I'm not advocating the abandonment of technology, but for responsible research, transparency, appropriate precaution, and informed public policy. People living with chronic illnesses should not have to choose between participating fully in society and protecting their health. Our technological capabilities should never advance faster than our willingness to investigate their potential consequences.

We have two 5G towers near our apartment building. I have felt more lethargic along with brain fog. It has caused lack of motivation and decreased productivity since we work at home. My mental health was affected also. I felt more irritable for no reason.

I have a str9ng suspicion these are causing cancer or at a minimum, contributing. Since the EV boom and covid, I've seen a shocking number of cancer cases. Many occured after riding on to of lithium batteries in EVs with no additional risk factors. Same as cell phone EMFs. I also see a striking number in overnight shift workers and I suspect it is from the emfs from artificial lighting.

I am a licensed GMDSS radio maintainer and former maritime navigation and communications technician. Any continuous non-ionizing radiation under 100 watts per square meter is within safe guidelines. For context on how much it would take, a 25,000 watt 9GHz radar is considered safe at 1.5m from the transmission source.

I worked in IT for a cable company for eight years, working in VERY buzzy cable head ends (full of servers), and before that I worked as a computer tech for several years, always in front of a computer and always on a cell phone. The more time I spent in server rooms and on the computer, the more it interfered with my sleep. Also I'm right handed so this affected the hearing in my right ear, and then I started to develop tinnitus before I finally quit. It got a bit better after that, but then when I moved to a new house and I had to sleep in a room where the bed was against a wall that had a Smart Meter outside, it got way worse. I experienced several years of terrible loud tinnitus roars and whistles before I understood that I might be affected by electro magnetic... something, anyway. I made the power company come swap it out for an analog meter and my tinnitus has gotten a little better since then, but now I've lost hearing in one ear.

I am commenting both as a health care professional and as a former employee exposed in an occupational setting. 1) Patient experiences: I have had several patients who believed they were being ill effected by EMF exposure, but one comes to mind. This patient had been previously healthy before fracturing her shoulder, which was repaired with a permanent Titanium plate implant. Since that time she has experienced headaches and frequent colds, flus, and respiratory infections which are worse when in proximity to various microwave emitting devices including various screens and satellite dishes etc. She keeps her phone wrapped in a piece of silver cloth and has hired a professional to evaluate and mitigate her home and it has helped. 2) My occupational experience: I worked at the Museum of Science and Industry in 1993-94 where I demonstrated different forms of electric waves in a show called "Electric Theater" that had been resurrected from the 1950s as part of the Hundred Year Anniversary of the museum. When I was not doing this show,I was in the Communications exhibit demonstrating the conversion of analogue sound to light, as part of an early AOL exhibit and cathode ray televisions from other exhibits. Over the course of about 6 months I became sicker and sicker with headaches, fatigue and general malaise, including frequent colds and flu. Eventually a research scientist from PA, who was attending an R & D Banquet at the museum visited me in the Communications exhibit and as we conversed and I relayed that I didn't feel well, mentioned EMF toxicity. She walked me outside to a high tension wire strung overhead and asked me if I could feel the EMFs coming from the wire and I could. I would also mention that the museum has a copper roof. I left this job soon after, but found that I became ill when sitting in front of a computer for too long. This was remedied when liquid silver screens were introduced, but I am still very sensitive to phones and certain batteries, such as those in the early electric cars. Certain ones are better than others. The conclusion that I have come to, based on the patient discussed and other patients, is that people with metal implants in their bones and teeth are more prone than others to EMF harms, and that extreme exposure creates a sensitivity from which it can take many years to recover.

As a professional Network Technician who has been in the IT Industry for well over 20 years, I find the DHHS regulations to be quite frankly absurd. I have been exposed to EMF, RF and Wireless Radiation since birth and have yet to experience any of the health related issues, you are expressing. Humans have been exposed to EMF and RF radiations including at the 5GHz frequency for centuries. Much of these RF and EMF exposures come from extraterrestrial sources. Yet, there has never been a documented case of increased illness or injury as a result. In addition to extraterrestrial sources, I have been EMF and RF exposed to High Voltage Power Lines, Wireless Communication Devices, Satellite Communication Devices, Cell Phones, Florescent and Halogen light sources, CRT, Plasma, LCD, and LED Televisions and monitors, just to name a few. At no point did I ever feel my life was in danger with this level of exposure. Admittedly, Exposure to RF radiation in extreme an extreme dosage can cause harm. But these situations are the exception, and not the rule. Scientific research on typical exposure shown no adverse affects. Any claims by a person asserting sensitivity to RF Radiation under normal operating conditions tend to see those claims fall apart under rigorous study, meaning the effects are normally a placebo effect than reality. Such exercises are nothing but a waste of time and taxpayer money on pseudoscience. Instead, I believe it would benefit the nation to explore ways to make helthcare less expensive, hold insurance, pharmaceutical companies, and for-profit hospitals accountable for putting shareholder profits over patients, and research into health crisis. such as the measles we are currently facing.

I am a Ph.D. researcher with two decades of expertise in wireless technologies and IoT. Ironically, two decades after dedicating my research to advancing these very technologies, I have become profoundly disabled by them. I now suffer from severe Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS), an environmentally acquired illness that has forced me to become virtually homebound, stalling my career and eliminating my ability even to participate in social and volunteer work. (note: My comment is longer than the 5000 word limit. So please see all my comments in the attached file. Thank you.)

I had began receiving Havana Syndrome like symptoms upon receiving my equipment from the Pittsburgh CDC location for a job as a contractor at the CDC. I experienced symptoms related to psychosis and felt that I was a targeted individual - someone who experiences V2K and is harassed by a mob of people. My router was acting funny as well - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09G5W9R6R?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title - and I began receiving odd search results through linked router. I was able to work fulltime as a contractor but due to the work environment as well as my brief psychosis but somewhat believe I was being studied. I previously had a galaxy s20 I believe as well as Iphone 13 max, both 5G related phones in my tenure as a contractor there. I never received treatment and symptoms relieved after quitting the position.

I have been negatively affected by wireless radiation. I had to leave my medical career due to not being able to work with all the wireless infrastructure surrounding me. Please take steps to lessen the toxic nnEMF in workplace environments, schools and neighborhoods. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment.