Electromagnetic Fields
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) arise whenever electrical energy is used. So for example, EMFs arise in our home from electrical appliances in the kitchen, from work processes such as radio frequency heating and drying and in the world at large from radio, TV and Telecoms broadcasting masts and security detection devices.
It has been known for a long time that exposure of people to high levels of EMFs can give rise to acute effects. The effects that can occur depend on the frequency of the radiation. At low frequencies the effects will be on the central nervous system of the body whilst at high frequencies, heating effects can occur leading to a rise in body temperature. In reality, these effects are extremely rare and will not occur in most day-to-day situations.
A directive, entitled "Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive (2004/40/EC amended by 2008/46/EC), to postpone, for four years, until 30 April 2012, the deadline for introducing legislation on workers' exposure to electromagnetic fields has been adopted by the European Union.
The Directive deals only with health and safety at work and applies to work activities where workers are exposed to risks from electromagnetic fields.
The Directive places a number of duties on employers. The main ones being that it:
- places a duty on the employer to conduct a risk assessment and calculate EMF strengths,
- places a duty on the employer to eliminate or reduce as low as possible the risk of exposure and where risk can't be eliminated that measures are devised by the employer to reduce the risk of exposure below an Exposure Limit Value and
- requires an investigation and medical examination where an employee is detected as having been exposed.