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Is it safe to sleep close to an electrical socket?

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Been asked to move a power socket in a clients bedroom as the wife is concerned about the health effects of sleeping right next to the socket. To be honest I've not come across this before so it threw me a bit.


The socket is right behind the headboard (on the wife's side) and has a trailing extension lead plugged into it powering a clock, a table lamp and a phone charger. I think the previous owners must have had the house rewired at some point and used that room as a 'twin' and not a double as the sockets are in really odd places around the room.


She's concerned that there is an electromagnetic field right close to her head (about 5 or 6 inches away) for around 8 hours during the night and how that may affect her health.


Not that I'm going to talk her out of it ? but should I recommend a tin foil hat?
Parents
  • 0
    We need to be very careful to split this discussion up in terms of risk to:
    1. Members of the public

      Agree with David's post, and in general there are standards and practices to ensure that most people are not exposed to electric and magnetic fields that would damage their health. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electric-and-magnetic-fields-health-effects-of-exposure/electric-and-magnetic-fields-assessment-of-health-risks

       

    • Exposure for persons at work
      Some people are employed in premises, industries, or have occupations, where there is the possibility that they may be exposed to abnormally strong electric and magnetic fields which are known to be hazardous to health. The Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations 2016 address this.

      Further guidance can be found on the HSE web-site - but I can't post the links at the moment because the HSE web-site is down for maintenance.

      Obviously we all know that x-rays, some microwaves, and ionizing radiation, can be harmful to health, but there are occupations where exposure to power frequency fields is assessed, or otherwise addressed by working practices.


    The good thing for most of us, is that we are talking about "fields", and the strength of the field diminishes with the square of the distance from the energy source ... and of course CRTs have all but become a thing of the past !
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  • 0
    We need to be very careful to split this discussion up in terms of risk to:
    1. Members of the public

      Agree with David's post, and in general there are standards and practices to ensure that most people are not exposed to electric and magnetic fields that would damage their health. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electric-and-magnetic-fields-health-effects-of-exposure/electric-and-magnetic-fields-assessment-of-health-risks

       

    • Exposure for persons at work
      Some people are employed in premises, industries, or have occupations, where there is the possibility that they may be exposed to abnormally strong electric and magnetic fields which are known to be hazardous to health. The Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations 2016 address this.

      Further guidance can be found on the HSE web-site - but I can't post the links at the moment because the HSE web-site is down for maintenance.

      Obviously we all know that x-rays, some microwaves, and ionizing radiation, can be harmful to health, but there are occupations where exposure to power frequency fields is assessed, or otherwise addressed by working practices.


    The good thing for most of us, is that we are talking about "fields", and the strength of the field diminishes with the square of the distance from the energy source ... and of course CRTs have all but become a thing of the past !
Children
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