{"id":11422,"date":"2017-09-01T07:52:57","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T14:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=11422"},"modified":"2018-06-14T08:15:45","modified_gmt":"2018-06-14T15:15:45","slug":"small-cells-endangers-electrical-worker-safety-and-public-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=11422","title":{"rendered":"Small Cells endangers electrical worker safety and public safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-j3mhsnhxba4\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer &apos;none&apos;;autoplay &apos;none&apos;;bluetooth &apos;none&apos;;browsing-topics &apos;none&apos;;camera &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-read &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-write;display-capture &apos;none&apos;;encrypted-media &apos;none&apos;;gamepad &apos;none&apos;;geolocation &apos;none&apos;;gyroscope &apos;none&apos;;hid &apos;none&apos;;identity-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;idle-detection &apos;none&apos;;keyboard-map &apos;none&apos;;local-fonts;magnetometer &apos;none&apos;;microphone &apos;none&apos;;midi &apos;none&apos;;otp-credentials &apos;none&apos;;payment &apos;none&apos;;picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create &apos;none&apos;;publickey-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;screen-wake-lock &apos;none&apos;;serial &apos;none&apos;;summarizer &apos;none&apos;;sync-xhr;usb &apos;none&apos;;web-share;window-management &apos;none&apos;;xr-spatial-tracking &apos;none&apos;;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-j3mhsnhxba4\" data-lenis-prevent=\"\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/j3MHSNhxba4?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/j3MHSNhxba4?feature=oembed&#038;iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autoplay=0\" title=\"\" width=\"900\"><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http:\\\/\\\/schema.org\\\/\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emrabc.ca\\\/?p=11422#arve-youtube-j3mhsnhxba4\",\"@type\":\"VideoObject\",\"embedURL\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\\\/embed\\\/j3MHSNhxba4?feature=oembed&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&autohide=1&playsinline=0&autoplay=0\"}<\/script>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">To the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>August 29, 2017<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>California Senate Bill 649 endangers electrical worker safety and public safety<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Dear IBEW:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">SB 649 (Hueso)i &#8212; sponsored by CTIA and promoted by AT&amp;T and Verizon &#8212; is speeding through the legislature. Without union opposition, it will pass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This bill fundamentally changes the work environment for <strong>utility electric line workers<\/strong>, adding a new standard exposure which creates hazardous working conditions. SB 649 allows utility and light poles to be converted into \u201csmall cell\u201d towers. Utility electrical workers would now be working on or near \u201csmall cell\u201d towers all the time. This routine exposure to hazardous microwave EMF emissions poses a great risk of injury and disability to workers, additionally so because \u201csmall cell\u201d towers would be constructed next to their homes, allowing no rest or recovery time. Fire fighters were granted an exemption from having these towers installed on their facilities due to the health hazards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Six <strong>firefighters<\/strong> living\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">under<\/span>\u00a0a cell tower were studied in 2004.ii<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Each of the men who had their brains scanned showed a hyper-excitability of the neurons, or brain cells. This is considered to be a precursor to early cell death and potentially early onset Parkinson&#8217;s, ALS, and Alzheimer&#8217;s. Now, 8 years later, two of the men have had psychotic breaks with reality and all are suffering from memory impairment. All the men tested in 2004 had tremors, and some were still in their 20&#8217;s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These<strong> firefighters<\/strong>, among the least likely to admit pain or disability, after cell tower activation reported:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 mental confusion and difficulty concentrating<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 lack of focus and motivation<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 memory loss<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 mood swings including depression, anger<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 sleep disruption and lack of alertness<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 chronic headaches<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 vertigo<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2022 ringing in the ears<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>They weren\u2019t working on cell towers. They weren\u2019t subjected to the intense daily exposure which utility workers will face under SB 649. But as a result of that study, firefighters internationally adopted a resolution calling for no more cell towers on their fire houses, and they got an exemption from SB 649 \u201csmall cell\u201d towers on their facilities. All of this because of the health hazards.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under SB 649, utility workers will work on and around these de facto cell towers every day. Research has found <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>cancer clusters<\/strong> <strong>up to \u00bc mile away from cell towers<\/strong><\/span>, but these workers will work within the envelope of highest microwave exposure and in the beam of the antennas. Wireless companies don\u2019t turn off power to cell towers when workers are present, and two national surveys also found that cell towers even frequently exceed FCC limits.iii Workers\u2019 exposure will routinely exceed FCC occupational exposure limits, which is based on a single 30 minute exposure not causing tissue heating. Cumulative, long-term, and non-thermal effects are not considered in FCC exposure guidelines.iv Also, co-location of small cells is encouraged, so utility and light poles will likely have more than one set of antennas \u2013 even higher microwave exposure levels for workers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Based on the research on microwave exposure, utility workers will be at extreme risk for cancers and tumors, cardiac problems including heart rhythm disturbances, DNA damage, changes in their blood, cellular stress and damage, breaches in the blood-brain barrier, neurological damage, brainwave changes and cognitive impacts, strokes, sperm damage, fertility impacts including having children with birth defects, electromagnetic sensitivity (EMS), seizures, blackouts, and what Europeans researchers call \u201cburnout\u201d.v They will likely experience nausea and vomiting, dizziness, headaches and migraines, vision problems including cataracts, insomnia, difficulty concentrating and remembering, impaired immunity, pain, ringing in their ears and other hearing problems, hair loss, and weakness and fatigue. The international literature from scientists and health care professionals is\u00a0extensive. vi\u00a0Last year the NIH National Toxicology Program announced significant carcinogenic effects from cellphone exposure levels after only two years of exposure &#8212; malignant brain tumors, malignant heart tumors, and precancerous lesions, as well as DNA damage.vii Recently I came across research on pancreatic lesions from exposure. Utility workers will have much greater exposure on a daily basis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u201cSmall cells\u201d<\/strong> will be used for 4G but are being promoted for future 5G use. 5G frequencies are used in <strong>\u201cactive denial\u201d systems used by the military and police<\/strong> for crowd control, causing acute burning pain. viii <strong>Skin reactions \u2013 including burns, flushing, rashes, eczema, bruising \u2013 already occur with microwave exposure, and sweat ducts have high absorption of these higher frequencies<\/strong>. ix <strong>Neurological and cardiac impacts, due in part to nerve receptors in the skin, are predicted by experts.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If utility workers start becoming impaired and then disabled, what happens? How much job loss can utility companies absorb before vital maintenance and repair work is jeopardized? How will that impact unions?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These \u201csmall cell\u201d towers and macro cell towers will be installed in the public right of way everywhere &#8212; outside homes, schools, offices, without regulation and in most cases, only require a ministerial over-the-counter local permit from cities and counties. The bill eliminates most local government regulation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Additionally, a stealth provision, previously spelled out in the bill, would allow <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>micro wireless antennas to be installed on or embedded in electrical lines<\/strong><\/span> (powerline communication PLC or broadband over powerline BPL). If this happens, u<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">tility workers and all electricians will be handling microwave-radiating wires<\/span>. Electrical lines will become de facto cell towers. This radiation will follow the wires into homes and buildings, and occupants will be surrounded by the emissions constantly. The Austrian Medical Association and 1500 physicians in Switzerland opposed PLC\/BPL because of the enormous health hazards.x<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If <strong>SB 649<\/strong> passes, electrical workers are at serious risk for developing disabling electromagnetic sensitivities due to new unavoidable and constant work contact with high levels of microwave radiation. In 2002, the U.S. Access Board recognized electromagnetic sensitivities (EMS) and that it could be disabling. In 2005, it released a report on accommodating those with EMS and multiple chemical sensitivities,xi and the California State Architect\u2019s office was involved in developing those recommendations. In 1998, a California Department of Health Services survey found 3.2% of respondents were very sensitive or allergic to electromagnetic radiation and .5% had lost a job or were unable to work due to it.xii The Department of Labor has materials on accommodating people with EMS.xiii<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There will be no rest and recovery time during off-work hours because small cells will be installed next to homes. Small cells will also be in public parks. If electrical lines become microwave transmitters, all wiring will emit in the home. As a result of this constant exposure, electrical workers will be at severe risk of not just becoming disabled, but of becoming unable to tolerate microwave radiation and even electrical current in and around their homes and at work, with increased risk of becoming homeless as a result.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">With workers forced into early retirement or on disability and\/or workers compensation, as well as those who leave line duty and retrain for less hazardous jobs, utilities could face a future of too few workers to maintain the electric grid. What then?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nationally, the FCC is trying to speed up utility pole deployment of small cells (proceedings 17-79 and 17-84). Utility workers will be pulled from essential safety and maintenance work to do \u201cmake ready\u201d assessments for wireless carriers. The FCC also wants to shorten the time for evaluating whether a pole can safely hold \u201csmall cell\u201d antennas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is disastrous.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <strong>2007 Malibu fire<\/strong> was due to <strong>overloaded utility poles<\/strong>. Malibu Mayor Andy Steen called these telecom-loaded poles \u201ctime bombs.\u201d Under SB 649, there will be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of these<\/span> \u201ctime bombs\u201d here in California. If health and safety are of so little concern now, what will the future hold?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It Is urgent to <strong>stop SB 649<\/strong>. It has already passed the California Senate, and has one final Assembly Appropriations vote on Friday before an Assembly floor vote next Tuesday or Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Please <strong>oppose this dangerous bill<\/strong> before it is too late.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Attached are letters from attorney Harry Lehmann and researcher Martin Pall PhD on this bill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sincerely,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nina Beety<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Member, <strong>California<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em><b>California Senate Bill 649 endangers electrical worker safety and public safety<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smartmeterharm.org\/2017\/08\/09\/california-senate-bill-649-and-small-cell-tower-hazards-why-are-union-leaders-and-utility-companies-silent\/\">https:\/\/smartmeterharm.org\/2017\/08\/09\/california-senate-bill-649-and-small-cell-tower-hazards-why-are-union-leaders-and-utility-companies-silent\/<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Antennas on FIRESTATIONS<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?page_id=8452\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?page_id=8452<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Small Cell Antennas<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?page_id=8805\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?page_id=8805<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers August 29, 2017 California Senate Bill 649 endangers electrical worker safety and public safety \u00a0 Dear IBEW: SB 649 (Hueso)i &#8212; sponsored by CTIA and promoted by AT&amp;T and Verizon &#8212; is speeding through the legislature. Without union opposition, it will pass. This bill fundamentally changes the work [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[346,525,58,471,107,103,21,558,28,444,204,368,344,255,492,430,431,325,326,139,443],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-5g","category-5g-corridor","category-bchydro","category-bill-sb649","category-california-2","category-canada","category-cancer","category-cancer-cluster","category-cell-tower","category-cell-tower-workers","category-electromagnetic-warfare","category-enode","category-fcc","category-fire-station","category-gnode","category-huawei","category-men","category-microcell","category-small-cells","category-telus","category-utility-electric-line-workers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11422"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13210,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11422\/revisions\/13210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}