Magnetic Name Tag

Hi Everyone,

The management at my place of work has given every employee a nametag that is to be worn at all times while on the job. It is secured by a very powerful magnet which goes behind your shirt and sticks to the name tag. Is this safe for me to wear?

It is on the opposite side of my chest across from where my pacemaker is located which is approximately 9 inches separation.

4 Comments

how do you feel wearing it?

by Tracey_E - 2015-02-09 02:02:32

It's probably not strong enough to affect the pm. Generally 6" is the rule of thumb for anything questionable. If it was affecting it, you would feel similar to when they test it. It's probably fine but just to be on the safe side, can you get one with a pin?

I have one for volunteering

by Theknotguy - 2015-02-09 03:02:47

Have one for volunteering. Doesn't affect the PM.

But not to temp fate, is your company large enough to have on-site or on-staff medical care? You can request alternate name tag because of the PM. With worker's comp and all that stuff you can get a medical exemption.

Used to get into discussions with technology standard's board. They wanted everything the same. I just pointed out all the person had to do was say, "Carpal tunnel" and they could get any equipment they wanted. We had a person who was so left handed we had to get her a left handed keyboard for her computer.

Hope everything works out for you.

Playing it safe

by PeteFindlay - 2015-02-09 05:02:29

We have these as standard at work for public events. I didn't fancy risking it, as it's worn on the left side suit lapel or breast pocket - right over the PM. And it's a pretty strong magnet!

I just asked for one with a good ol' fashioned pin on the back. Problem solved.

To make you feel Comfy...

by donr - 2015-02-10 09:02:18

...w/ your magnetic name tag.

Note: I edited this about an hour after writing it because I observed something unusual occur while testing my name tag w/ a paper clip. I did some Googling to find a reason for my observation.

1) Like Tracey says, on the other side should be far enough away to protect your PM from the ravages of magnetism.

2) I am holding in my currently paint-stained hands a nametag w/ a magnetic keeper bar. The keeper bar, which goes inside the shirt, has two circular rare earth magnets which are very strong. BUT - they are stronger on one side than the other! When you have the keeper bar on the back of the name tag, the back side is weaker (Significantly) than the front side was before sticking it to the name tag.

3) So you can get a feel for the relative strength of the keeper bar magnets, do the following Take the keeper bar OFF the name tag. Grab a paper clip & (Steel & hence magnetic attractive) Check the magnets on the keeper bar from front & back. Note any difference in strength between front & back? There SHOULD be a difference because the two magnets are attached to the steel keeper bar & it soaks up magnetic field like a sponge & concentrates it in the steel instead of the air surrounding it. On the front side, the magnets should be stronger.

NOW: Stick the keeper bar on the nametag & check it w/ the paper clip, front & back. Note the relative strengths now. The front should be MUCH weaker & the back should remain about the same. The reason? the steel bar on the back of the name tag soaked up magnetic field from the front & concentrated it in the steel.

3a) THIS IS THE EDIT! If the magnetic strength on the back seems to increase when the keeper is attached to the name tag, it is because the steel keeperbar is so thin that it "saturates" with magnetic field (just like a sponge saturates w/ water.) . That forces the field that it cannot absorb out into the air behind it. If you were to put a thicker keeper bar behind the existing one, you will find that the field BEHIND the keeper bar goes nearly to zero. I have no idea why they don't mfg magnetic name tags w/ the keeper bat just twice as thick as they currently are. I tested mine & that is perfectly adequate to reduce the field behind it nearly to zero.

3b) I found a Google reference from a firm that tested magnetic name tags for effects on PM/ICD's. They found that they were safe a mere 30 mm away from the PM. 30 mm roughly equals 1.2 inches. It's the thickness of a kitchen granite counter top.

4) Wear it on the right, just to be safe & for your own piece of mind.

Donr

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