Ever wonder why, after a few minutes on the treadmill at the end of a grueling week, you're breathing harder than (eighteen pack a day smoker) James Simons trying to explain 5/44 to investors? Forget the crippling fatigue, lousy diet, self-loathing and emotional stress, it’s the PRINTERS.
Australian scientists from the Queensland University of Technology have found that office laser printers can damage lungs as much as smoke particles from cigarettes. Almost a third of the 60 printer models studied emit dangerous levels of toner into the air. A detailed explanation of your deteriorating health, from the BBC:
Almost one-third were found to emit ultra-tiny particles of toner-like material, so small that they can infiltrate the lungs and cause a range of health problems from respiratory irritation to more chronic illnesses. Conducted in an open-plan office, the test revealed that particle levels increased five-fold during working hours, a rise blamed on printer use. The problem was worse when new cartridges were used and when graphics and images required higher quantities of toner.
Since “working hours” for bankers include most of the 168 hours in a week, it turns out banking causes you to really suck, much more than originally thought.
Office printers 'are health risk' [BBC]






Posted by Jon , Jul 31, 2007 11:30AM
What is 5/44?
Posted by Jon , Jul 31, 2007 11:30AM
what is 5/44?
Posted by , Jul 31, 2007 11:34AM
i KNEW it!! emmer effers!
Posted by c'mon , Jul 31, 2007 11:34AM
jon: 5/44 is what they charge
Posted by G.O.B. , Jul 31, 2007 12:00PM
says the guy with the $6,000 suit!
Posted by jt , Jul 31, 2007 12:36PM
I didn't realize there was anyone here who 1)didn't know who simons/rentech was, 2)didn't know jack about hedge fund fee/fee structures, and 3)was bold (read:dumb) enough to set themselves up for chastising by commenting about it
Posted by Bulging Bracket , Jul 31, 2007 12:47PM
Depends on the setup of your office, I guess (don't habe time to read the study). My offices have always had printers segregated in a hallway close to the stairs, with a few doors separating them from real staff. The only people at risk from this seem to be those in the mailroom and the guys who Xerox or HP have hired to run the outsourced printing function.
Posted by NBAT , Jul 31, 2007 1:10PM
Soon liberals will lobby for a ban on indoor printing and increased ink cartridge taxes to make up for the health costs. This will go from Weird News item to one debated on the op/ed pages of the Times and by TV talking heads. The expansion of the State into printer regulation paid for from increased taxes and will be supported by left wing academics who talk about the health positive incentives of a pigouvian tax.
In a few years a class action settlement will force the industry to pay into a general fund to pay for dubious disability claims where injuries were supposedly caused by printer ink. They average claimant will get $500,000,000 the equivalent of $100 today with the lions share going to the lawyers. Also they will revive The Truth commercials, this time telling the youth that printing with laser is extremely uncool and that big corporations have been manipulating people to print that way for decades despite knowing the risks.
Posted by jt , Jul 31, 2007 1:28PM
hp'll just blame it on carly fiorina, and she can then write a 2nd ed to her book about how "if she did it" ala OJ
Posted by Brett , Jul 31, 2007 1:38PM
hey JT, yep, I'm sure Jon feels really dumb having asked a question on an anonymous message board. But you go ahead and pat yourself on the back for ripping him a new one anyway.
Posted by jt , Jul 31, 2007 2:00PM
patting myself on the back as we speak buddy
Posted by Andy , Jul 31, 2007 2:14PM
seriously guy. get a life.
Posted by jt , Jul 31, 2007 2:30PM
well I wasn't trying to be a dick to the kid - just making an observation that it seemed like a bit of a noob sorta question, but now that you're gonna get all sissy on me maybe I'll hafta start being one more often...
stop getting your panties in a bunch over nothing little girls
(no offense to the actual ladies of course)