In terms of ozone and particle emissions?

Background: we are moving to a smaller office. The office squawker was fine with the new layout for a couple of days then voiced health concerns about being in her words "right on top of" the color laser copier (Xerox latest model) based on her research on the internet. [head hitting keyboard]

1. She would have had at least 5 feet between her and the copier and possibly more depending on how she sets up her desk.

2. The copier won't be doing the amount of copies previously because we've cut way back on the amount of stuff given to sales reps in spite of her insisting that we will be printing "tons of stuff". We don't anymore, period.

3. I googled heath hazards of laser copiers and came up with a wide variety of sources. The oldest was 1998 on the OSHA.gov website and the most recent is 2007. MOST of the papers are from Australia and the UK other than the one OSHA.

4. Most of what I gathered from the papers is you pretty much have to be on top of the copier for long periods of time to be affected (I might be wrong but technology has changed and improved since 1998, yes?)

Thanks for reading...

Probably get far more "negative waves" (a tip of the hat to "Oddball") from microwaves, RF, UV, cosmic rays, and other radiation from space than from a laser copier.

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Disclaimer: This post is checked for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any attempts at humor are solely the responsibility of the author and bear no claim that any and all readers will approve or appreciate said attempt at humor.
My name is DP, and I approve this message.

"Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime."- Lavrentiy Beria

ask her what can be done to calm her concerns otherwise move her.

not sure that scientific literature is going to work here.

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Our copier-collater that got used a lot had its own space near the door about 20 feet from the closest order taker with three 5 foot plants as a wall.
Another laser printer was in the computer room.

God forbid someone should go to the web for information, they should live in the dark uninformed instead, reading and listening to just CNN and NPR for their daily dose of what to think and believe.



and toner particles are a concern just like diesel exhaust.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2017 08:19AM by billb.

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billb
Our copier-collater that got used a lot had its own space near the door about 20 feet from the closest order taker with three 5 foot plants as a wall.
Another laser printer was in the computer room.

God forbid someone should go to the web for information, they should live in the dark uninformed instead, reading and listening to just CNN and NPR for their daily dose of what to think and believe.



and toner particles are a concern just like diesel exhaust.

I would be far more worried about the noise of the printer operation and distraction from people coming to get copies than about the emissions.

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C(-)ris
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C(-)ris

I would be far more worried about the noise of the printer operation and distraction from people coming to get copies than about the emissions.

It's an open room so we're going to get the hum of the server plus the occasional noise of the color copier regardless of the position. The Office Squawker will be printing to it the most I think. I know I won't be doing any major quantities anymore.

Get a good air filter? Maybe $100-$200, plus annual filter replacement.

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anonymouse1
Get a good air filter? Maybe $100-$200, plus annual filter replacement.

Good idea. Will float that one as an option for her to investigate herself if and when the issue comes up again - for now the copier has been moved away from her at the other end of the room on the opposite wall.

It's been a long week and I'm at BEC stage with her because of her lack of comprehension (you know it when you see it - that look on someone's face that makes you think you're speaking Mongolian instead of clear concise English). Good thing that there's a bunch of jobs I'm applying for tonight

Space for a single cubicle wall partition to block the line-of-sight air currents?

There are lots of industrial products we can't see that are indeed harmful. I don't know if this is one of them. But given the choice, I'd prefer my desk to be somewhere other than right next to the machinery, too.

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DP
Probably get far more "negative waves" (a tip of the hat to "Oddball") from microwaves, RF, UV, cosmic rays, and other radiation from space than from a laser copier.

Thought I was the only one to remember that movie...

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

--

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Eureka, CA

You can smell the ozone coming from a laser printer when it is printing. Ozone is not a healthy gas, as it produces free radicals of oxygen. Definitive research on safety may be lacking, but it makes sense not to sit right next to one in a business setting for 8 hours per day five days per week, if it is printing more than just occasionally.

Family member had an employee like that who refused to work with computers when the company started switching everything over in the 80s. She was a long-time employee (had been with the previous company, was part of the start-up, etc.) and worked well until the computer showed up.

The accommodated her best they could for a while, offered to send her to classes and workshops; she refused. Would not go near one.

Eventually they had to let her go; they bent over backwards for her (kept finding new work for her, new things to do at the office, etc.) but she wound up going from being a valued employee to being a burden.

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If you can smell ozone, it is time to replace the filter in the printer. Pretty much every printer made in the last 20 years has an activated charcoal or other filter to capture ozone and the occasional stray toner particles.

As for significant amounts of toner being around, most of the time that can be traced to persons not handling the cartridges properly. Another source is poorly remanufactured cartridges. Get people who will follow directions and have them do the changes.

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S. Pupp
You can smell the ozone coming from a laser printer when it is printing. Ozone is not a healthy gas, as it produces free radicals of oxygen. Definitive research on safety may be lacking, but it makes sense not to sit right next to one in a business setting for 8 hours per day five days per week, if it is printing more than just occasionally.

Plus, toner is plastic and you're melting it to fuse to the page, sending nasty gasses out.

Plus paper-dust, etc. I know from experience that this messes with me during allergy season.

I wouldn't want to sit next to the printer, either.

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DP
Probably get far more "negative waves" (a tip of the hat to "Oddball") from microwaves, RF, UV, cosmic rays, and other radiation from space than from a laser copier.

One of the best war movies ever! The casting was superb, from Donald Sutherland to Don Rickles to Carroll O'Connor to Gavin MacLeod, the characters were amazing.

I still watch it whenever it's on TV.

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Cary

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DP
Probably get far more "negative waves" (a tip of the hat to "Oddball") from microwaves, RF, UV, cosmic rays, and other radiation from space than from a laser copier.

One of the best war movies ever! The casting was superb, from Donald Sutherland to Don Rickles to Carroll O'Connor to Gavin MacLeod, the characters were amazing.

I still watch it whenever it's on TV.

"Always with the negative waves, Moriarty!"

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Disclaimer: This post is checked for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any attempts at humor are solely the responsibility of the author and bear no claim that any and all readers will approve or appreciate said attempt at humor.
My name is DP, and I approve this message.

"Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime."- Lavrentiy Beria

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Lizbeth-

Your official response depends both on where you are located (state and local employment laws differ) and exactly HOW the squawker has termed their objections, AND IN WHAT FORM. (Writing, email, or just vocalizations).

It also depends on EXACTLY what the manufacturer recommends in their official literature. That is the only LEGAL literature that you should be referring to. MSDS sheets on the consumables, maintenance records (like Ozone filter replacement, etc..) and so forth.

Never ever ever respond officially to Interwebs stupid questions with other interwebs responses. That's the kind of stuff lawyers LOVE to make hay with.

Voice concerns about her perfume etc.

I guess everyone who has laserjet printers on their desks is going to die.

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C(-)ris
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cbelt3
Lizbeth-

Your official response depends both on where you are located (state and local employment laws differ) and exactly HOW the squawker has termed their objections, AND IN WHAT FORM. (Writing, email, or just vocalizations).

It also depends on EXACTLY what the manufacturer recommends in their official literature. That is the only LEGAL literature that you should be referring to. MSDS sheets on the consumables, maintenance records (like Ozone filter replacement, etc..) and so forth.

Never ever ever respond officially to Interwebs stupid questions with other interwebs responses. That's the kind of stuff lawyers LOVE to make hay with.

She's just been vocal about it; nothing in writing. NY State and City. I will look up the MSDS for the copier to see what they have Thanks!

Issue her Laser Goggles and an Ozone Mask, all to be used when the printer starts up any printing....

FACT: 100% of laserjet users will eventually die

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C(-)ris
I guess everyone who has laserjet printers on their desks is going to die.

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I think those little pins in dot matrix printers are dangerous too, what happens if one falls out and you step on it?

Seems like one of the worst hazards of a color copier is that it shows skin blemishes when doing a butt shot...

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=wr=

You guys are killing me!

Switch desks with her.

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In tha 360. MRF User Map

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Filliam H. Muffman
Switch desks with her.

THEN she'll complain about the noise of the server because my desk is closer to that than she is...the only good solution is to find another job.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2017 01:26PM by Lizabeth.

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C(-)ris

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billb
Our copier-collater that got used a lot had its own space near the door about 20 feet from the closest order taker with three 5 foot plants as a wall.
Another laser printer was in the computer room.

God forbid someone should go to the web for information, they should live in the dark uninformed instead, reading and listening to just CNN and NPR for their daily dose of what to think and believe.



and toner particles are a concern just like diesel exhaust.

I would be far more worried about the noise of the printer operation and distraction from people coming to get copies than about the emissions.

I'm pretty sure this is the real basis for her objections.

billb: Stop being an @#$%&. There is no need to inject your personal views regarding certain media outlets into every thread to which you respond.

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It is what it is.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2017 02:26PM by N-OS X-tasy!.

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mattkime
FACT: 100% of laserjet users will eventually die

Hey now, we don't know that! We just know that in the past, everyone who has used a laserjet HAS died... We don't know that trend will continue for CURRENT users.



We strongly suspect it, though... ;)

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Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

--

--
Eureka, CA

In my old office gig, I had to spend time near a copier after we moved to a smaller office space. I no longer had a door that I could close. It drove me nuts trying to work and concentrate. One person used to hum the entire time she was making copies. People would chat in that area, or whistle. It was not conducive to productive work.

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Paul F.

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mattkime
FACT: 100% of laserjet users will eventually die

Hey now, we don't know that! We just know that in the past, everyone who has used a laserjet HAS died... We don't know that trend will continue for CURRENT users.



We strongly suspect it, though... ;)

We might discover that Xerox Laser Copiers are the fountain of youth.

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Lizabeth

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Filliam H. Muffman
Switch desks with her.

THEN she'll complain about the noise of the server because my desk is closer to that than she is...the only good solution is to find another job.

Put the server and the copier together? (sorry)

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In tha 360. MRF User Map

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Paul F.

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mattkime
FACT: 100% of laserjet users will eventually die

Hey now, we don't know that! We just know that in the past, everyone who has used a laserjet HAS died... We don't know that trend will continue for CURRENT users.



We strongly suspect it, though... ;)

The stats are still pretty wide open on this death thing— there are some 7 Billion people out there who have avoided it so far. Including everyone in this thread! Pretty damn encouraging, I tell you.

I can't stand the smell of a working laser printer. If that was me working within 5' of a laser printer, I'd be in your office within the minute. If there was no way to change the situation, I'd quit.

I'm also a big believer in a good air filter. I think I'd be ok with the air filter compromise.

is there a closet or garage the squawker can relocate too?
I think you need to protect the other workers from her verbal pollution.

is the printer on wheels, up hill from said employee?

i know that would make me nervous!

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Chan School of Public Health
Researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology recently assessed 11 common laser printers to see if they emitted nanoparticles during use... Further experiments in Demokritou’s lab found that exposure to the particles elicited an array of unfavorable biological responses at the cellular level, including those linked to the development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

But that doesn’t mean that people should stop printing — just that minimizing exposure to nanoparticle emissions during printing might be a good idea.

ETA: I should mention that these concerns started some time ago with emission of ultra fine particles, this shows a more recent development. Whether someone is a crank or not, doesn't excuse an employer from ignoring concerns. I wouldn't ignore someone complaining about this.

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“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in."





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2017 12:33AM by August West.

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N-OS X-tasy!

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C(-)ris

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billb
just CNN and NPR for their daily dose of what to think and believe.

billb: Stop being an @#$%&. There is no need to inject your personal views regarding certain media outlets into every thread to which you respond.

Very tiresome.

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Oh, my mistake. I though it said color lizard copier.