• 14 OCT 06
    • 0

    #565: Brain tumour cluster in BBC video cameramen

    The weblog version of this message is at:
    http://www.emfacts.com/weblog/index.php?p=565

    From Yasmin Skelt:
    (Sept 2006)

    THE BBC was at the centre of a cancer scare last night after six
    cameramen who worked at the Pebble Mill studios were found to have brain tumours. Experts fear that radiation from video camera viewfinders may have caused the six men, who had been employed at the Birmingham centre, to develop tumours.

    Worried bosses fired off an urgent memo requesting the names of other staff suffering from similar complaints, even if they were no longer working for the corporation. The memo, sent out by health and safety official John Howcroft, read:
    “Around six ex-cameramen have developed brain tumours. This number seems too high to be a coincidence and preliminary discussions are focusing on radiation from
    viewfinders as a possible cause. We need to determine how widespread this problem is. If any of you are aware of camera operators with the condition, could you send me all the information you have at the earliest opportunity.”

    The six workers all worked at the now defunct Pebble Mill TV complex. The corporation has since moved into Birmingham’s new Mailbox shopping mall site.

    And from the Scotsman:

    http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1377192006

    Mon 18 Sep 2006

    Inquiry into BBC cluster of brain tumours

    HEALTH and safety officials are investigating a cluster of brain tumours among cameramen who worked at the Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham. The cases sparked fears that radiation from video camera viewfinders may be linked to the tumours.
    However, the BBC played down the concerns, saying it had investigated and found no link between equipment and brain-tumour risk.
    Last week, John Howcroft, a health and safety official for the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union, sent a memo to staff about the brain tumour cases at the old studios.
    It read: “This number seems too high to be a coincidence and preliminary discussions are focusing on radiation from viewfinders as a possible cause.”

    Comments

    1. Robert, Kirriemuir / 3:53pm 18 Sep 2006
    Observation like this does not surprise me. I purchase one of those TFT monitors and discovered that it was rapidly affecting my eyesight when I could feel the strain on my eyes accompanied by dullish headaches and double vision. On changing back to the CRT model those problems dispersed. Whether the problem was due to the TFT technology or the make of the one I possessed I am unable to say but, of course, I am wondering how many others are affected and what affect this technology is having on viewers.

    2. douglas, Bathgate / 12:46am 19 Sep 2006
    If the powers that be won’t acknowledge the clusters of cancers around electricity pylons and sub stations I’m afraid the camera ops are on a hiding to nothing

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