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A free electronic newsletter covering news and other topics for those interested in RF safety issues.
LIVE, Web-Based RF Safety Training
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Overview Today, most of the RF exposure standards from around the world are remarkably similar because they are based on the same biological data. These standards are frequency dependent and are designed to limit body heating over most of the spectrum and to reduce the probability and severity of RF shocks and burns, or electro stimulation, at lower frequencies. These standards are all exposure standards—they are designed to limit the amount of human exposure. There are some emissions standards, such as those used with microwave ovens. Emissions standards limit the amount of energy coming out of a device. All the U.S. standards are most restrictive from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. The 300 MHz represents the resonance frequency of a newborn infant in a crib. At the other end of this "human resonance" band the standards are designed to protect a well-grounded NBA center. The exposure limits are set for one tenth of known limits for healthy young adults—a SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) level of 0.4 W/kg. The safety factor can be greater than 10:1, depending on the polarization. However, several factors can "chip away" at that safety factor.
So, if you are climbing a tower when it is 95°F and 90+% humidity, your ability to tolerate RF energy is significantly degraded even though you are likely to be young and healthy. Although there are dozens of standards and regulations, many refer to the limits from the major standards. If you are from North America, there are three major standards and regulations that you may be concerned with. And everyone should be aware of the ICNIRP standard because it is gaining ground as the major standard worldwide outside of North America. Therefore, the four standards covered here are:
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