#636: Gosford Hospital’s new paediatric wing places sick children’s health at risk.
The precautionary advice mentioned in the last message further strenghtens the need to limit childrens exposures to below the 4 mG level. This would especially be the case for young children battling sickness. I doubt that there is anyone who would now argue that fact, other than perhaps Michael Repacholi. Now look back to message# 561, sent out on Oct. 1, 2006 that examined the Gosford Hospital complex in New South Wales, Australia. This complex is currently undergoing a major re-development in the vicinity of $126 million.
See: http://www.centralcoast.health.nsw.gov.au/healthaccessplan/gosredv.html
“Construction is well under way on a new paediatric unit and perioperative suite costing $8.7 million. The paediatric unit will include a section for seriously ill children; better facilities for parents to stay beside their child; and an adolescent lounge where patients can mix, have time away from their bed, and play and watch television.”
Now the problem is that in planning for the re-development, which involved demolishing older buildings, there was a question of what to do with a large external electrical substation that already occupied part of the site. The solution that the building firm came up was simply to build the children”s wing immediately above the substation with a meter space between the top of the substation and the floor of the new building.
Now is placing seriously ill children and newborns on top of a substation really advisable with what is now known? Magnetic field measurements taken on the footpath fence alongside the substation by a concerned staff member found levels of about 25 mG at 1.5 meter distance from the large cooling screens on the side wall of the substation. From previous experience with in-building substations, the magnetic field levels in the ward areas immediately above the substation will most likely be far in excess of 4 mG. At the time the measurements were taken access to the wing was restricted to builders only. It will be interesting to find out what the levels are once the ward is in operation. It is only a matter of time before this one hits the media. I have attached a photo of the hospital wing and substation to this message. Hopefully it will come through. If not, I can email.
Don