Printers

We recently bought a laser printer with a copier and scanner built into the printer. When I read the manual that came with the printer it said "If you are using a cardiac pacemaker this machine generates a low level magnetic field. If you use a cardiac pacemaker and feel abnormalities, please move away from this machine and consult your physician immediately." We live in a small apartment and I did not want my husband to have any problems with his pacemaker, so I put the manual back in the box and sent this printer back. I called the manufacturer and asked about this & they said they never had this question before and didn't know it was in their manual. They just said, "Check with your doctor." I would like to get a printer. Would an inkjet printer without a copy/scanner have less or no magnetic field that would affect my husband's pacemaker?

9 Comments

Printers

by Jennheart - 2012-04-17 01:04:54

I have an ink/jet/scanner/printer as well and i always use mine and never had any problems. If the manual says that, i think he should definitely consult his doctor!

Big, Yellow CYA banket!

by donr - 2012-04-17 02:04:04

No way that any producer of anything magnetic will tell you it's safe to get near their gear w/ a PM. The third party liability would be beyond belief!

Get the printer back - take it from those of us who use them all the time that the chances of any affect at all on his Pm is about as remote as being hit by a falling meteorite. I sit between two of them - an HP & an Epson. I lean over them all the time to adjust paper, etc - never a problem. The worst that could happen is that it would put his PM into test mode briefly & he'd feel that & move immediately away from the printer.

To give you a idea how insensitive a PM is to EM fields, I have lain across the big, green transformer box in my front yard w/o any ill effect.

Just be cautious when he approaches something new.Don

printer experience

by Hope - 2012-04-17 02:04:05

Hi! Agree it is best to be cautious. May I suggest checking with your husband's cardiologist about systems in general. Then, if you have an ok, choose a system and check with the manufacturer about the particular system. Have an ICD and have enjoyed my Kodak multi-purpose system for years, even sitting for a couple of hours at a time printing family photos. Have not had any problems. Hopeful Heart

Printers

by me2 - 2012-04-17 06:04:24

I’m a computer junkie and spend a lot of time with the equipment. I have an HP Laser Jet and an Epson Stylus Photo 1400. My pacemaker: CRT-D. Never have any problems. Never occured to me that I might.
Mickie

I also

by walkerd - 2012-04-17 08:04:47

have one and no problems, I didnt see that warning in my book but actually i didnt read it that close.

dave

Additional comment on Big CYA Blanket

by donr - 2012-04-17 10:04:14

Last Fri when I faced the TSA sreening at Jackson, MS airport, I asked the TSA guy if he minded if I just walked through the scanner quickly to see if it had any ill effect on me - I did not expect it to, as I've inadvertently walked threough them before I came to grips w/ remembering that I had the device.

You'dathunk I was asking for his first born as a slave for life. He would have tackled me before letting me do that. Absolutely no way would he have taken responsibility for me going through there. Same way for cardios & mfgrs of PM's & other machiner. You ask, the answer will nearly AWAYS be a resounding "NO!!!!!"

Falls into the category of "It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission."

Don

Printers

by J.B. - 2012-04-17 12:04:53

I have worked about 15 inches from an inkjet/scanner/printer for several years and it has never bothered my PM. In fact I do not believe the printer you sent back will hurt his PM. But to be absolutely safe all he would need to do is keep his PM about 3 inches from the device.

I have a problem with wife's new printer!

by ronaldhoel - 2015-10-04 08:10:24

My wife bought a Canon MG7520 and while I was sitting in my recliner about 5 feet away she started using it. I noticed a sharp pain in my chest and complained about it. She had mentioned the warning in the manual to me in passing earlier and doubted it would be a problem. But, then I knew there was definitely a problem with this printer for my pace maker. She immediately turned it off and ever since has printed when I am not present. She accidentally started the printer later on and it happened again. So, this is a real problem and wonder about others who do not look at the warning in the manual and the problems they might have.

Ron in Tampa FL

Pacemaker and inkjet Cannon printer

by Virginiamary - 2019-12-23 08:10:10

Does anyone have any new knowledge about the magnetic effects on a pacemaker.  I saw the warning on my new Cannon inkjet printer/scanner and I am nervous.

Would another brand of printer be safer?

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