program components non-ionizing radiation · non-ionizing radiation philip campbell, chp uw...

PROGRAM COMPONENTSNON-IONIZING RADIATION

Philip Campbell, CHP

UW Radiation Safety Officer

March 19, 2018

• ELF

• RF/MW

• UV

TOPICS

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EXTREMELY LOW FREQUENCY

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• Power lines and large electrical components

• Worker education and training

• De-energize source whenever possible

• Be aware of employees with medical implants

ELF

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• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)– https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/elfradiation/index.html

• World Health Organization (WHO)– http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/fs322/en/

ELF SAFETY REFERENCES

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RADIOFREQUENCY AND MICROWAVES

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• Radiofrequency (RF) and Microwave (MW) fields

LIMITATIONS

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RF/MW FIELDS EXPOSURE STANDARDS/GUIDELINES

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MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE (MPE)

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MPE BASED IN POWER DENSITY (S)

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Occupational Worker General Public

Frequency Range Power Density (mW/cm2) Power Density (mW/cm2)

10 kHz – 3 or 1.34 MHz 100 100

3 or 1.34 MHz - 30 MHz 900/f2 180/f2

30 MHz - 300 MHz 1.0 0.2

300 MHz - 1500 MHz f/300 f/1500

1500 MHz - 100 GHz 5 1

MPE BASED IN POWER DENSITY (S)

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PROPER SIGNAGE

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• Apply to situations in which persons are exposed as a consequence of their employment– Have been made fully aware of their potential for exposure, and

– Can exercise control over their exposure

• Also apply to situations where exposure is of a transient nature as a result of incidental passage through a location where exposure levels may be above general population/uncontrolled limits as long as above conditions are still met.

OCCUPATIONAL/CONTROLLED EXPOSURE LIMITS

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• Apply to situations in which – The general public may be exposed, or

– Persons who are exposed as a consequence of their employment may not be made fully aware of their potential for exposure or cannot exercise control over their exposure.

GENERAL POPULATION/UNCONTROLLED EXPOSURE LIMITS

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• Awareness can be provided through– Specific training

– Warning signs and labels as long as they provide information

• On risk of potential exposure, and

• Instructions on methods to minimize exposure

“FULLY AWARE”

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EXPOSURE LIMITS NOT EMISSION LIMITS

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EXPOSURE LIMITS NOT EMISSION LIMITS

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EXPOSURE LIMITS NOT EMISSION LIMITS

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• Relevant to locations that are only accessible to workers or members of the public

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• UW must protect it’s workers and the public

• Vendors (carriers) must protect their workers.

Licensees (antenna owners) are responsible for exposure from their antennas, but what about locations with multiple licensees?

RESPONSIBILITY

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MULTIPLE ANTENNAS

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MULTIPLE ANTENNAS

• If exposure limits are exceeded due to emissions from multiple antennas– Responsibility of all licensees whose antennas exceed 5% of the applicable exposure limit

• Owners of sites should encourage co-location of transmitters and common solutions for controlling access to areas where the RF exposure limits might be exceeded

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• Review plans for installation of new antenna(s)– Do other antennas need to be de-energized?

• Have the carrier provide a NIER that addresses rooftop and ground level exposures– Does the antenna produce levels that exceed 5% of the applicable limit?

• Specify required signage with locations

• Post-installation inspection and survey

CONSTRUCTION REVIEWS

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• All accessible areas that exceed exposure limits are posted properly.

• Physical barriers in accessible areas where time averaging cannot be used as a control measure.

• RF training for individuals who will exceed general population/uncontrolled exposure limits.

CONTROLS

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NIER EXAMPLE

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NIER EXAMPLE

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• Federal Communications Commission– OET Bulletins 56 and 65

– https://www.fcc.gov/general/oet-bulletins-line

• 47 CFR 1.1310 Radiofrequency radiation exposure limits– https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title47-vol1/pdf/CFR-2012-title47-vol1-sec1-

1310.pdf

RF SAFETY REFERENCES

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ULTRAVIOLET

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• 100 nm to 400 nm

• UVA – 320 to 400

• UVB – 280 to 320

• UVC – 100 to 280

• Biological systems most sensitive to 250-270 nm

UV LIGHT

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UV LIGHT

• Radiant Exposure (dose) – joule per square meter– 8 hour threshold limit value (TVL) for 270 nm is 30 J/m2

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• Shorter wavelengths can produce Ozone– OSHA permissible exposure

limit (PEL) of 0.1 ppm

UV LIGHT

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• Distance – Increase distance between yourself and the source

• Time – Limit time spent near sources

• Shielding – Use appropriate shielding material for UV wavelengths in use

UV LIGHT

• Eyeglasses, goggles, face shields, portable shields– Ordinary glass blocks most UV wavelengths <300 nm

– Polycarbonate lenses absorb 100% of UV wavelengths

• Gloves, clothing

• Sunscreen creams and lotions – UVA and UVB only– Sun Protection Factor = fraction of incident UV that is

transmitted by a thickness of 2 mg/cm2

– SPF only applies to UVB

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• OSHA– 29 CFR 1910.97 Nonionizing Radiation

• WISHA– WAC 296-62-09005 Nonionizing Radiation

• FDA– https://www.fda.gov/Radiation-

EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/default.htm

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)– https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emf/

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences– https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/index.cfm

REFERENCES

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