ILO Home
Go to the home page
Site map | Contact us Français | Español

CISDOC database

Document ID (ISN)108781
CIS number 08-1431
ISSN - Serial title 0271-3586 - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Year 2008
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Milham S., Morgan L.L.
Title A new electromagnetic exposure metric: High frequency voltage transients associated with increased cancer incidence in teachers in a California school
Bibliographic information Aug. 2008, Vol.51 No.8, p.579-586. Illus. 10 ref.
Abstract In 2003, the teachers of a school in California complained of an abnormally high incidence rate of cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate the cancer incidence among these teachers, and its cause. A retrospective study of cancer incidence in the teachers' cohort was investigated in relationship to the school's electrical environment. Sixteen school teachers among the 137 teachers working at the school from 1988 to 2005 were diagnosed with 18 cancers. The observed to expected (O/E) ratio for all cancers was 2.78, while the O/E ratio was 9.8 for malignant melanoma, 13.3 for thyroid cancer end 9.2 for uterine cancer. A positive relationship was found between cancer risk and cumulative exposure to high frequency voltage transients on the classroom's electrical wiring. It is concluded that high frequency voltage transients may be a universal carcinogen, similar to ionizing radiation.
Descriptors (primary) California; electricity; electromagnetic fields; physical hazards; cancer; teaching; premises
Descriptors (secondary) ionizing radiation; mesothelioma; USA; thyroid cancer; uterine cancer; cohort study; frequency rates; case study
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceUSA
Subject(s) Commerce, services, offices
Broad subject area(s) Physical hazards
Occupational medicine, epidemiology
Browse category(ies) Electricity
Teaching and educational institutions
Electromagnetic fields