Any Telecom technicians?

I just had my first PM surgery 2 days ago- I work as a telco technician. In my work I climb poles, manholes, occasionally visit cell sites and frequently get zapped by poorly insulated wires carrying between 51v dc (telephone voltage) and 190v dc (T1 line voltage)- the latter can really sting! My cardiologist didn't seem to think it was an issue but I would hate to find out the hard way that he was mistaken. Last time I fell from a pole was over 10 years ago-would like to keep it that way. Wondering if anyone has experience with this? Thoughts on what is the safe distance to keep from cell tower transmitters, microwave transmitters, and commercial radio transmitters? I can only find info that says keep your cell phone 6 inches away, but cell sites have transmitters that are way more powerful than a cellphone.

Also probably stupid newby question but are the walk thru metal detectors hazardous? I have to pass thru them occasionally.

7 Comments

Thanks!

by Ravenflight - 2012-12-07 06:12:01

Yep - been there, done that- the older I get the less risks I take- especially when I climb. Have a 6 week disability-which I may extend, won't be climbing or lifting for a while.

I was looking at the voltage this PM outputs- 3.5V if I'm reading my Surgery Report right. Slightly more than two double a batteries. It seems very small compared to the voltages I come in contact with daily. Was worried it may pick up foreign voltage I come in contact with and either damage the device or cause it to malfunction or interpret the shock as a heart problem. I'm still going to be a lot more paranoid when handling bare wires now- going to stock up on disposable vinyl gloves.

No Worries

by ebfox - 2012-12-07 10:12:00

Hi Raven,

I am telco guy too (in Corporate Real Estate). I think the main thing is, don't fall off any more telephone poles.
48DC is not going to hurt your PM (unless you somehow hit your chest, that would be like doing a self-cardioversion a la James Bond).

RF from switching equipment and cell sites should not be a problem. If you were standing directly in front of a microwave antenna that might be a concern (but that is true even without a PM).

Bottom line is you shouldn't have any work limitations other than for the first couple of months you cannot lift your left arm above shoulder level. You should not be pole climbing until the leads heal (your doctor should have told you that).

Metal detectors are no problem either.

Best of luck,

EB

Why do you have ...

by donr - 2012-12-08 08:12:14

...a PM?

That is a critical question for a pole-climber.

If it was for any of the ills that cause syncope (Passing out), or for one that has a lot of A-Fib, you face a horse that just went through a paint spray booth.

HIgh potential for passing out tells me you should NOT be climbing poles.


If you are having A-fib to the point that they put you on Coumadin (Anti-coagulant) to protect you from stroke, You definitely should not be climbing poles. You fall off a pole & injure your head, the probability of even making it to an ER in time to take care of a potential cerebral hemorrhage is pretty small. That's if you fall off a pole close enough to a hosp ER w/ access to a neuro surgeon - AND someone sees you fall & gets you there fast enough. And, further, that someone in the emergency treatment chain finds out that you are on coumadin; AND, further (Believe it or not) recognizes/remembers that Coumadin + head injury is a time-sensitive injury in terms of action on their part.

Don

Valid Question

by ebfox - 2012-12-08 10:12:05

Don asks a valid question; I assume your doctor has cleared you for pole climbing and confined space work?

Raven doesn't tell us the reason for the PM but it may be that syncope is not an issue.

I know how paranoid the phone company is about safety, they do not want you climbing unless the doctor says it's OK-

It's ok

by Ravenflight - 2012-12-08 11:12:34

Why I have a pacemaker is slightly complicated... Didn't really want one, tried to say no to one, and was left with no choice but to either have one put in right now, or lose my drivers license-probably forever, my job (for which the former is a requirement), my house, my ability to support my family, etc. So yeah- I was given a choice in the hospital that really wasn't much of a choice. Don't believe that bit about 'Doctor Patient privilege' there is no such thing.

I've never passed out on a pole, or cycling, or running, or from any normal activity. I have passed out from heatstroke (once) and I've had about one vasovagal syncope episode for every 8 years of my life- pretty much for one or more of the same reasons as everyone else on earth will pass out at least once in their lifetime- extreme pain, dehydration, the sight of someone taking blood out of me, extreme vomiting, certain injections.... What makes my case slightly unusual is this last episode I wound up in an emergency room and they documented on an EKG ( after giving me an injection that caused a repeat episode) that my heart stops for 10 seconds when I pass out- before that happened they had just got done telling me my blood work was normal, my CT scan was normal, my EKG was normal, I was very healthy (albeit slightly overweight). I was going to be released after 24 hour observation- Then I made the mistake of agreeing to some medication they injected and... lights out.

Now you could say my heart stopped, or you could say my heart paused, or you could say it simply slowed to 6 beats per minute (it did restart on it's own, like it's done every other time)- irregardless, once they documented it, several cardiologists looked at it, my socialist mommy state we live in was determined to fix it (whether I wanted it fixed or not), so here I am. It goes against my beliefs, I find it abhorrent, but I'm still alive, I survived for 3 days in a hospital (didn't think that was even possible in my case-considering my history with run ins with western medicine before) over 48 hours with no food and only 3 sips of water of water. There were positives that came out of it, so in time I'll be ok with it. I have a very dim view of western medicine, and death-trap... er, I mean hospitals in particular. This is the first time I've ever been admitted to one, and they didn't do anything to change my opinion of them.

telecom issues

by manaman - 2012-12-12 02:12:37

Like Don R I would be MORE concerned with the syncope issues! If you are having passing out spelss that ain't good!
I work around all kinds of elecrtical/magnetic items for over 15 years with a PM and the only real isssues I had was what I called PM confusion! I did a fair amount of electrical work and have bee hit with full 120 volts MANY times! I found that if I was around/near anything that had an affect on me I got symptoms that I learned to pay attention to. Worst case issues that I had was the PM trying to reset/correct itself, BUT I had both feet planted firmly on the ground. I would rather be out of "PACE " for a few minutes than fall off a pole at any height. Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to you1
Cecil

I'd be worried too

by Ravenflight - 2012-12-12 10:12:14

if that were the issue. I've come off poles a couple times but it was due to cutting out with my gaffs and not due to dizziness or loss of consciousness- last time was over 10 years ago- I fell about 18 feet, rolled backward, and climbed right back up- not sure I'd want to try that now, I was a lot lighter back then and there weren't any electrical wires in my arteries.... My syncope episodes have all been caused by dehydration (vomiting, diarrhea, heatstroke) or certain injections (immunizations, zofran). I've learned to avoid heatstroke, I don't work when I'm seriously ill, and I avoid immunizations or any kind of injections, and if doctors are insistent I give them my history. They usually have second thoughts when I tell them the last time I had immunizations my heart stopped and I passed out in the hospital waiting room.... ;-)

It actually makes me feel better knowing you've been hit w 120v- I'm assuming that's AC- which from experience I know hurts more than the DC stuff I play with. I work around DC current almost exclusively, but the 190v DC will leave a burn mark if you're well grounded. I zap myself almost daily and never gave it a second thought till I got this early Christmas present.

You know you're wired when...

Microwave ovens make you spark.

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It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.