Question

Conduct an online search about the following topic:
Effect of Transmission Lines Electric Fields on Humans (depending on voltage levels, safe distance
from power lines, risk of working or living near power lines).
Your findings should be presented in the form of a word file consisZng of 4 pages (including
diagrams, pictures, other graphics) with Times New Roman font, size 12.

Answer 1

Electric and magnetic fields

Electric and magnetic fields, often referred to as electric and magnetic fields or EMF, occur naturally and as a result of the Power generation, Power Transmission, Power distribution and use of electric power.

Effects of High Voltage Transmission Lines on Humans

• EMF is fields of force and is created by electric voltage and current. They occur ar01md electrical devices or whenever power lines are energized.

• Electric fields are due to voltage so they are present in electrical appliances and cords whenever the electric cord to an appliance is plugged into an outlet (even if the appliance is turned off).

• Electric fields (E) exist whenever a(+) or(-) electrical charge is present. They exert forces on other charges within the field. Any electrical wire that is charged will produce an electric field (i.e. Electric field produces charging of bodies, discharge currents, biological effects and sparks). This field exists even when there is no current flowing. The higher the voltage, the stronger is electric field at any given distance from the wire.

• The strength of the electric field is typically measured in volts per meter (V /m} or in kilovolts per meter (kV/m}. Electric fields are weakened by objects like trees, buildings, and vehicles. Baying power lines can eliminate human exposure to electric fields from this source.

Electric and Magnetic Field (EMF) Effects

• Extremely high voltages in EHV lines cause electrostatic effects, where as short circuit currents & line loading currents are responsible for electromagnetic effects. The effect of these electrostatic fields is Effects of High Voltage Transmission Lines on Humans and Plants I Electrical Notes & seen prominent with living things like humans, plants, animals along with vehicles, fences & buried pipes under & close to these lines.

EMF Effects Human beings:

• The human body is a composed of some biological materials like blood, bone, brain, hmgs, muscle, skin etc. The permeability of human body is equals to permeability of air but within a human body has different electromagnetic values at a certain frequency for different material.

• The human body contains free electric charges (largely in ion-rich fluids such as blood and lymph) that move in response to forces exerted by charges on and currents flowing in nearby power lines. The processes that produce these body currents are called electric and magnetic induction.

• Short term Health Problem

1. Headaches.

2. Fatigue

3. Anxiety

4. Insomnia

5. Prickling and/or burning skin

6. Rashes

7. Muscle pain

• Long term Health Problem:

(1) Risk of damaging DNA.

(2) Risk of Cancer

(3) Risk of Leukemia

(4) Risk of Neurodegenerative disease

(5) Risk of Miscarriage

Distance from power lines

At FPL, safety is a cornerstone of our commitment to our customers, our employees, and those working in the community. We urge anyone who is working near power lines to work safely to avoid serious injuries, save lives, and prevent property damage.

Coming into contact with a power line can be dangerous – even deadly. That’s why we launched the FPL Safety 6 program more than a decade ago to alert our business customers and their employees to these dangers. The program features six key safety rules to follow when working around power lines. It includes U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations listing minimum safe distances from power lines for workers and equipment.

Safety Distances from Various EMF Sources: Possible EMF Safety Distances To Consider for Common EMF Sources	ELF Magnetic Fields	ELF Electric Fields	Radio Frequency (RF) & Microwaves
Power Lines
High voltage power lines (on metal towers)	700 feet	1000 feet
Neighborhood distribution power lines (on wooden poles)	10 to 200 feet	10 to 60 feet
Electric utility transformer (on pole or ground)	10 to 20 feet
Broadcast Towers
Cell towers/antennas			1/4 mile
Radio and TV broadcast towers			1/2 mile
Electrical Panels
Main electric meter/service panel - Unshielded	10 feet
Main electric meter/service panel - Shielded with metal	5 feet
Other electrical panels and sub-panels - Unshielded	8 feet
Other electrical panels and sub-panels - Shielded with Metal	4 feet
Smart Meters (RF emitting electric utility meters)			40 feet

Health Risks Associated with Living Near High-Voltage Power Lines

Potential health concerns about power lines were first raised in a 1979 study which associated increased risk of childhood leukemia with residential proximity to power lines. More recent studies such as that by Draper et al., confirm a reported association between elevated risk of childhood leukemia and proximity to residential power lines, but failed to clarify whether the observed association is causal or coincidental. Some scientists have argued the physical impossibility of any health effect due to weak ambient levels of EMFs, while others maintain that the potential health risks should not be dismissed even though the evidence remains equivocal and contradictory.

In conclusion, there are no known health risks that have been conclusively demonstrated to be caused by living near high-voltage power lines. But science is unable to prove a negative, including whether low-level EMFs are completely risk free. Most scientists believe that exposure to the low-level EMFs near power lines is safe, but some scientists continue research to look for possible health risks associated with these fields. If there are any risks such as cancer associated with living near power lines, then it is clear that those risks are small.

Electric and magnetic fields

Electric and magnetic fields, often referred to as electric and magnetic fields or EMF, occur naturally and as a result of the Power generation, Power Transmission, Power distribution and use of electric power.

Effects of High Voltage Transmission Lines on Humans

• EMF is fields of force and is created by electric voltage and current. They occur ar01md electrical devices or whenever power lines are energized.

• Electric fields are due to voltage so they are present in electrical appliances and cords whenever the electric cord to an appliance is plugged into an outlet (even if the appliance is turned off).

• Electric fields (E) exist whenever a(+) or(-) electrical charge is present. They exert forces on other charges within the field. Any electrical wire that is charged will produce an electric field (i.e. Electric field produces charging of bodies, discharge currents, biological effects and sparks). This field exists even when there is no current flowing. The higher the voltage, the stronger is electric field at any given distance from the wire.

• The strength of the electric field is typically measured in volts per meter (V /m} or in kilovolts per meter (kV/m}. Electric fields are weakened by objects like trees, buildings, and vehicles. Baying power lines can eliminate human exposure to electric fields from this source.

Electric and Magnetic Field (EMF) Effects

• Extremely high voltages in EHV lines cause electrostatic effects, where as short circuit currents & line loading currents are responsible for electromagnetic effects. The effect of these electrostatic fields is Effects of High Voltage Transmission Lines on Humans and Plants I Electrical Notes & seen prominent with living things like humans, plants, animals along with vehicles, fences & buried pipes under & close to these lines.

EMF Effects Human beings:

• The human body is a composed of some biological materials like blood, bone, brain, hmgs, muscle, skin etc. The permeability of human body is equals to permeability of air but within a human body has different electromagnetic values at a certain frequency for different material.

• The human body contains free electric charges (largely in ion-rich fluids such as blood and lymph) that move in response to forces exerted by charges on and currents flowing in nearby power lines. The processes that produce these body currents are called electric and magnetic induction.

• Short term Health Problem

1. Headaches.

2. Fatigue

3. Anxiety

4. Insomnia

5. Prickling and/or burning skin

6. Rashes

7. Muscle pain

• Long term Health Problem:

(1) Risk of damaging DNA.

(2) Risk of Cancer

(3) Risk of Leukemia

(4) Risk of Neurodegenerative disease

(5) Risk of Miscarriage

Distance from power lines

At FPL, safety is a cornerstone of our commitment to our customers, our employees, and those working in the community. We urge anyone who is working near power lines to work safely to avoid serious injuries, save lives, and prevent property damage.

Coming into contact with a power line can be dangerous – even deadly. That’s why we launched the FPL Safety 6 program more than a decade ago to alert our business customers and their employees to these dangers. The program features six key safety rules to follow when working around power lines. It includes U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations listing minimum safe distances from power lines for workers and equipment.

Safety Distances from Various EMF Sources: Possible EMF Safety Distances To Consider for Common EMF Sources	ELF Magnetic Fields	ELF Electric Fields	Radio Frequency (RF) & Microwaves
Power Lines
High voltage power lines (on metal towers)	700 feet	1000 feet
Neighborhood distribution power lines (on wooden poles)	10 to 200 feet	10 to 60 feet
Electric utility transformer (on pole or ground)	10 to 20 feet
Broadcast Towers
Cell towers/antennas			1/4 mile
Radio and TV broadcast towers			1/2 mile
Electrical Panels
Main electric meter/service panel - Unshielded	10 feet
Main electric meter/service panel - Shielded with metal	5 feet
Other electrical panels and sub-panels - Unshielded	8 feet
Other electrical panels and sub-panels - Shielded with Metal	4 feet
Smart Meters (RF emitting electric utility meters)			40 feet

Health Risks Associated with Living Near High-Voltage Power Lines

Potential health concerns about power lines were first raised in a 1979 study which associated increased risk of childhood leukemia with residential proximity to power lines. More recent studies such as that by Draper et al., confirm a reported association between elevated risk of childhood leukemia and proximity to residential power lines, but failed to clarify whether the observed association is causal or coincidental. Some scientists have argued the physical impossibility of any health effect due to weak ambient levels of EMFs, while others maintain that the potential health risks should not be dismissed even though the evidence remains equivocal and contradictory.

In conclusion, there are no known health risks that have been conclusively demonstrated to be caused by living near high-voltage power lines. But science is unable to prove a negative, including whether low-level EMFs are completely risk free. Most scientists believe that exposure to the low-level EMFs near power lines is safe, but some scientists continue research to look for possible health risks associated with these fields. If there are any risks such as cancer associated with living near power lines, then it is clear that those risks are small.