Evaluation of occupational exposure to ELF magnetic fields at power plants in Greece in the context of European directives

ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE LEVELS OF CLEANING PRODUCT MANUFACTURING FACTORY WORKERS TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

Determination of the levels of the electromagnetic field of frequency between 0 Hz and 300 GHz bands in the working area and the evaluation of the results measured in terms of international standards is now essential according to the regulation of working safety and health. In this study, electromagnetic field measurements were performed in a cleaning product manufacturing factory with 400 workers. Electric and magnetic field measurements were performed at 10 different departments of the factory with extremely low-frequency and broadband (radiofrequency) frequencies. Obtained values are shown and analysed with graphs and compared by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and National Information Technology and Communication Authority (Turkey) limits. Also, an assessment is made for the occupational electromagnetic field levels in the factory and recommendations are suggested for the lowest risk occurrence and providing a healthier working environment for workers.

ESTIMATION OF THERMAL POWER PLANT WORKERS EXPOSURE TO MAGNETIC FIELDS AND SIMULATION OF HAZARD ZONES

Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) have raised some concerns due to their possible effects on workers' health. In this study ELF-MFs were measured in different units of the thermal power plant based on gridding the indoor space. The exposure level was measured by spot measurement based on the IEEE Std C95.3.1 and then simulated in units with the highest magnetic field intensity by using ArcGIS software. The operators and balance of plant (BOP) technicians (12.64 ± 9.74 μT) and office workers (2.41 ± 1.22 μT) had the highest and lowest levels of both measured and estimated ELF-MFs exposure. The highest measured ELF-MFs were in the vicinity of the power transmission lines in the transformers' building (48.2 μT). Our simulation showed the high and low exposure areas and ranked exposure well; but, the actual measurements of ELF-MFs exposure were in all cases higher than the estimated values, which means we still need to improve our estimations.

Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields. The situation in Greece

PURPOSE

The management of the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issue of great scientific, social and economic significance, was under intense negotiations at European level over the last twenty years; the Directive 2013/35/EU is the new legislative tool. The presented study deals with the practical aspects of the Directive's implementation.

METHODS

The appropriate, extensive measurements and the overall EMF exposure assessments (i.e. exposure mapping, identification of hot spots, proposition of solutions) were conducted in specific workplaces, including power production, railway, broadcasting, clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems, industrial and research sites, as well as common office workplaces.

RESULTS

The vast majority of the performed EMF assessments did not reveal occupational overexposures; moreover in most of the cases, even the general public exposure limits (in the above occupational areas) were not exceeded. The very few localized overexposures detected, were manageable on the basis of the technical and organizational OHS principles. On the contrary, the maintenance procedures of the EMF emitting equipment, as recorded in this survey, presented overexposures revealing a challenging field.

CONCLUSIONS

This study lays a firm basis for the clarification of the occupational EMF environment, where potential exposures might be high. The proper risk assessment demands precise exposure identification and deep understanding of the EMF nature and hazards. Misconceptions range from the common exposure overestimation to the rarer case of the maintenance hazards underestimation, while attention is needed concerning the proper application of the complex limiting system of the Directive.