Occupational exposure

I am asking the Department of Health and Human Services to seriously consider stronger regulations and precautionary protections regarding electromagnetic fields (EMFs), particularly in and around schools. I work in a school every day, and I have personally experienced symptoms that I associate with prolonged exposure to EMFs, including migraines and physical sensations that I describe as body/energetic pain. Whether or not the science has fully established the connection between these exposures and individual symptoms, I believe people deserve to have their concerns taken seriously and to have reasonable options to reduce unnecessary exposure. Schools are especially important because children and school employees can spend many hours a day in these environments. With the increasing presence of Wi-Fi networks, wireless devices, Bluetooth technology, cell towers, and other sources of radiofrequency exposure, I believe we should be asking whether current standards adequately protect people in places where they spend significant portions of their lives. I am not asking that technology be eliminated. I am asking for a precautionary approach: stronger research, transparent monitoring, reasonable exposure standards, and consideration of lower-exposure options in schools whenever practical. As an employee who spends the majority of my day in a school building, I want to feel confident that my workplace is as safe as reasonably possible. I hope the Department will consider the concerns of people like me and take meaningful steps toward understanding and addressing potential health impacts of long-term EMF exposure, particularly in schools. Thank you for considering the experiences and concerns of school employees, students, and families.

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding from the perspective of a [patient, parent, family member, advocate, concerned member of the public]. In 2021 I was working from home for one year by this time.wheningot a blast to my right ea, forcing me to throw my work headset off my head. I screamed as I was answering my first call after morning break. That evening, the pain and pressure got worse and traveled from my ear to my temple then to my front lobe of my brain. I wanted answers neurologist didn’t know much about EMF, RF But told me it was psychological. I knew all I was doing at the time was answering a phone call, therefore, I did nothing to cause it and that I was injured. I told my employer, but the injuries continued until I had to go out on disability. It caused me financial hardship and no doctor s in NJ knew how to treat it. The only thing that helped is getting away from it. I feel HHS should look into this because I can kill you it causes biological damage to our tissues and organs. Thank you for caring about a very important issue. I support HHS taking an active role in examining the potential health and environmental effects of wireless radiation. Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies with appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected should be considered alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to carefully evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.

About five years ago, my husband who was 61 at the time woke up with a migraine headache. He never has migraine headaches. It was almost impossible, but he got out of bed just to walk down the hall. Tell his employer that he could not work that day because of the headache. As he got closer to his computer, the headache got worse. We realized that it was electronic magnetic frequencies from the computer, Wi-Fi router, monitors, printer, etc. in his home office. It took him nine months of living in an RV on our property to recover from that experience. We spent thousands of dollars to remediate our home to make it in at Free as possible. Yes, wireless radiation has done severe damage in our lives. You’re welcome to contact us for more information.

Re: Docket HHS-OASH-2026-0397 — Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure Questions addressed: 2, 3, 8, 9, 11, 16, and 18 I am submitting this comment as a concerned member of the public based on my personal experience and concerns regarding EMF exposure. I began noticing significant fatigue, headaches, anxiety, heart palpitations, and brain fog while working at the computer in my home office. My desktop computer, cell phone, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth printer were all located very close to me. After purchasing a consumer EMF detector, I observed elevated readings near several devices, with the highest readings near my printer. I began unplugging my printer except when needed and unplugging my computer after use. After making these changes, I noticed an improvement in my symptoms. I recognize that my personal experience does not establish causation, but it raised important questions for me about prolonged, real-world exposure to multiple EMF sources. I encourage HHS to study not only individual devices in isolation, but also environments where people are exposed to multiple EMF sources for extended periods. This is particularly important to me because the City of Columbia, Missouri, has proposed the 161-kV Grindstone-to-Perche Creek transmission line, including a potential Vawter School Road corridor. The proposed infrastructure would pass through developed residential areas and near places used by children, including Mill Creek Elementary School and its playground and Cale School. I respectfully ask HHS to include 60-Hz extremely low-frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields from high-voltage transmission lines in its EMF research and review, particularly regarding children and long-term exposure. I am especially concerned about the complete EMF environment of a school near high-voltage transmission infrastructure. Modern classrooms may contain Wi-Fi access points, laptops, tablets, Bluetooth devices, wireless printers, cell phones, electrical wiring, lighting, and other electronic equipment. If a school is also near high-voltage transmission lines, children may experience multiple types and frequencies of electromagnetic fields throughout the school day and over many years. I recognize that ELF fields from transmission lines and RF emissions from wireless technology are different and cannot necessarily be combined into a single exposure number. However, children experience these sources together in the real world, and I believe HHS should investigate whether simultaneous, repeated, and long-term exposure to multiple EMF sources and frequencies has health implications. For new high-voltage transmission projects near homes and schools, I ask HHS to consider recommending: * Public disclosure of modeled 60-Hz magnetic-field levels at various distances from proposed transmission lines; * Modeling based on actual conductor configuration and expected average and peak electrical loads, not voltage alone; * Modeling or measurements at nearby homes, schools, classrooms, and playgrounds; * Baseline measurements before new lines are energized and follow-up measurements after construction; and * Additional research on long-term ELF exposure and combined real-world EMF environments, particularly for children. I am not asserting that these exposures cause specific health effects. I am asking HHS to investigate these questions rigorously and provide families, schools, and communities with clear, evidence-based information about long-term and multiple-source EMF exposure.

I have lived the last 4 years of my life around the usage of a cell phone (for navigation as a delivery driver) during the course of this time I've developed Sub-clinical Hyperthyroidism, legions in my mouth that needed to be surgically removed, heart palpitations, irate blood sugar, high cholesterol, digestive issues, fog and overall fatigue- yet I've been told that my health was "fine" and administered over the counter drugs to cope. I have made strides in my health due to de-worming and being selective of my water. The air quality is bad wherever I go as well and I know there are microparticles in the air that are being destroyed in my body through non-ionized radiation coming from EMF radiation from todays modern day towers.

I am a Wisconsin landowner and agricultural operator whose working farm is being considered for a proposed 765-kV extra-high-voltage transmission corridor. My attached comments address the need for updated federal research and guidance concerning long-term 60-Hz electric and magnetic field exposure, including residential, occupational, agricultural and livestock exposure. Please see my attached comment for my complete response.

EMFs have given me issues many different times, long before I made the connection that that is what was causing my symptoms. I will give you a few examples. A couple of years ago we had a dog and bought a shock collar for her. My husband installed the device that sends out the perimeter signal in our laundry room, which happens to be on the other side of the wall from the head of our bed. I woke up with the worst headache the next day that persisted all day long. Nothing would relieve it. The next day was even worse. Then it occurred to us that the device may be the problem, so he unplugged it. Gradually the headaches subsided, but it was the most intense and unusual headache I have ever had! We never ended up using the shock collars because it was clear that the product and its frequencies were unsafe. I also have difficulty flying on airplanes. It gives me terrible restless leg syndrome that goes away as soon as we are on the ground again. This was not an issue for me before Wi-Fi became available. I used to work a job that required me to wear a radio with an earpiece. A headache developed all day long and work its way down in my shoulders and the upper half of my back. I would go home in misery every day. I saw a chiropractor often and got adjustments, but the pain would always come right back. And then I made the connection! After I stopped wearing the device, no more pain and stiffness. I can also no longer go out to the movies without having concussion-like symptoms afterward from the EMF exposure… for weeks! Not everyone is as sensitive as I am— AND not everyone has made the connection that their symptoms may be related to EMF— but this is a daily issue for someone like me and it is ever-increasing as the world depends on more devices and generates more frequencies from those devices. I am terrified that the power company will come out and install a smart meter on my house without my knowledge. Then how would I live in my home? If a cell tower was installed closer to my home -what recourse would I have? I would literally have no way to avoid feeling awful all the time and there are no laws in place to help someone like me. Please take our safety seriously. I’m referencing real-time symptoms, but there are long-term effects to these things too, and if not enough study is done then we are all guinea pigs. We have failed to do the research! And now people are paying the price.

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding as a parent, individual consumer, and concerned resident of the North Houston, Texas, area. I do not have one specific diagnosed health event to report. My concern is the rapidly increasing, involuntary, and continuous nature of RF/EMF exposure in our communities—and the possibility of negative health effects developing over years of cumulative exposure. Our area has recently experienced the installation of thousands of new utility poles, along with additional cell extenders, small-cell equipment, and towers. Families are being surrounded by wireless infrastructure without meaningful notice, informed consent, health monitoring, or practical ways to avoid or reduce their exposure. I am especially troubled that cell towers have been placed at local fire stations. Firefighters already face significant occupational exposures from smoke, combustion byproducts, contaminated protective equipment, diesel exhaust, disrupted sleep, and chronic stress. They should not be subjected to another continuous environmental exposure where they work, eat, sleep, and recover. However, my concern is not limited to towers at fire stations. I want the cell towers, cell extenders, and small-cell equipment throughout our North Houston communities removed—not simply relocated from fire stations to another neighborhood. Moving this infrastructure closer to another family, school, childcare facility, workplace, or public space does not resolve the underlying concern. Reliable communication service is important, but I do not want perfect wireless coverage when it may come at the expense of our health. Faster speeds and uninterrupted connectivity should not automatically take priority over the well-being of children, families, first responders, and communities. Children are of particular concern because they are exposed from very young ages and may experience this exposure throughout their lives. Wireless signals now come from many sources simultaneously, including towers, small cells, Wi-Fi routers, phones, tablets, wearable devices, smart meters, appliances, vehicles, schools, and neighboring homes. Our bodies and nervous systems are given little meaningful break from this constant background exposure. I urge HHS to investigate potential negative health effects associated with long-term and cumulative RF/EMF exposure, including possible effects on sleep, neurological and autonomic nervous-system function, cognition, behavior, headaches, reproductive health, immune function, development, and cancer risk. The absence of an immediate or easily identifiable symptom should not be treated as proof that continuous lifetime exposure is harmless. Research and safety evaluations must reflect real-world conditions—not one device or frequency tested in isolation. Studies should examine continuous lifetime exposure, simultaneous exposure from multiple sources, pulsed and modulated signals, potential non-thermal biological effects, exposure during pregnancy and childhood, occupational exposure among firefighters, antenna density, and cumulative neighborhood exposure. This research should be conducted by independent experts in medicine, neurology, biology, epidemiology, pediatrics, reproductive health, occupational health, and public health, with strong safeguards against industry conflicts of interest. I am asking federal, state, and local authorities to stop further expansion of wireless towers and small-cell infrastructure in our communities and establish a process for removing the equipment already installed. Communities deserve clear disclosure, exposure measurements, meaningful authority over infrastructure placement, and access to safer wired alternatives. Technology should serve people without requiring constant and unavoidable exposure. We should not have to choose between participating in modern society and protecting our families’ health. Please place long-term human health ahead of convenience and ever-increasing wireless coverage.

I have electromagnetic hypersensitivity. It started in 2005 when I was subjected to undue stress in the workplace and to the exhaust from a laser printer. It started with a red bloch on my left hand and increased to all areas of my skin that was exposed to the air. At its peak I was subjected to excruciating pain, like an electric shock, that affected all parts of my nervous system. My only solution was to not expose myself to electromagnetic fields. I was forced to quit my job using a computer. One day after I turned on my computer I was met with a strong electric shock that went straight to my heart. Today I still suffer from the effects, but not as dramatic. At its peak I could locate electric wires and cables in walls and even underground. Passing under overhead high voltage lines in a car drew very strong electric shocks in my nervous system. I saw a research doctor in San Francisco and he determined that the surface temperature of my skin increased when exposed to an electromagnetic field. Apparently my skin is conducting electricity.

Dear [Recipient Name], I am writing to share some health concerns I have been experiencing while using my computer for my work as an author and for Zoom meetings. Over the past year or so, I began experiencing painful and concerning symptoms, including an electrical tingling sensation in my body while using my computer, severe headaches, memory loss, and difficulty processing and retaining information. During a few Zoom meetings, I also felt a sudden, sharp pain in the ear facing my computer and office window. These symptoms gradually subsided when I moved a substantial distance away from the room. I have discussed this with my physician twice, and we agreed that the symptoms might be related to EMF exposure. Following this, I experimented by removing my Smart Watch and iPhone from the room, which provided some relief. For context, I am 78 years old and otherwise in good health. I wanted to reach out and share these details with you. Best regards, Kathleen Marden