Electromagnetic fields [0 Hz - 300 GHz]

Guide for using the Database

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The ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF) Database has been developed for the following purposes:

a) guarantee an easy retrieval of the exposure values related to the electromagnetic radiations produced by widely used industrial, health and research machinery/equipment/source, in order to promote, as far as possible, the implementation of interventions aimed at reducing and preventing the risk yet in the course of risk assessment, without having to recur to measures that are often expensive and complex;

b) allow the employers and their consultants to identify the machines/sources that reduce to the minimum the risk of exposure to electromagnetic fields, when purchasing new machinery or replacing the obsolete one.

DATA CONTAINED IN THE EXPOSURE DATABASE

The PAF is pre-arranged in order to report exactly the features of both the machinery under evaluation and the sources mounted at its inside, when performing the assessment.

For each machinery or apparatus present in the PAF, two types of data are provided:

• The machine identification data, in order to properly identify the machinery/apparatus itself.
• Specific data related to sources/applicators to which the measures reported in the portal refer. In this respect, it must be noted that it can happen that a same equipment/machinery has different applicators mounted at its inside, in the operating conditions of use. In this case, the data related to the applicator of interest must be sought.

The database can also contain pdf documents associated to the specific machinery. These documents are related to analytical data of interest on field assessments or on efficient reclaims performed on that machinery for the purposes of the reduction of worker's exposure.

The following is an example of machine identification data, protection measures and field measures reported in the portal in the case of an induction oven.

MACHINE IDENTIFICATION DATA:

• Brand of the apparatus: XXXX
• Model of the apparatus: XXXXX
• Picture of the apparatus:
• TYPE: Induction heating
• Power: 4000 KW
• Reference standard (for the purposes of EMF emission certification). In the case under examination: EN 12198-1-1
• Classification in accordance to EN standard :
• Category following the EN 12198-1 (0,1,2) standard. This data can be found in the instruction manual and is provided by the manufacturer when the apparatus falls within the Machinery Directive: In the case under examination: 1

SOURCE IDENTIFICATION DATA:

• Applicator dimensions (X, Y, Z)  and shape (in this example, cylindrical)
• Emission: Continuous
• Brand of the applicator: XXX
• Model of the applicator: XXX
• Picture of the applicator

PROTECTION MEASURES

Protection measures to put in place in the specific case, due to the magnitude of the fields detected under the specific indicated operating conditions:

1. EMF emissions under the action levels for workers

2. Before activating the generator, insert the crucible and its load

3. Delimit Zone 1: Exposure values above the reference levels for the general public

4. The access to the Restricted Access areas must be permitted only to those people with proven absence of contraindications to EMF exposure

Field measurements

Power: 4500 W
Working frequency: 30 KHz

SECTOR: Working of gold and precious metals

Results obtained for this specific applicator.

The last two columns report the magnitude of the field measured in terms of percentages of the action values for workers (2013/35/EC Directive) and of the reference levels for general public exposure established in the ICNIRP Guidelines (1998). These values allow delimiting the two Zones: Zone 1 (yellow) and Zone 2 (red). When the exposure values are lower than the action levels for workers, the Zone 2 is absent. In the opposite case, the extension of Zone 2 is defined starting from the centre of the applicator. The same procedure is followed to define the Zone 1 (in the case under examination this must be delimited at a distance of 0,4 m from the machinery).

PROCEDURES FOR THE PROPER USE OF THE DATA CONTAINED IN THE DATABASE

The exposure data reported in the Database can be used for the purposes of risk assessment only for undamaged apparatuses, and when the technical specifications of the machinery/source set present in the workplace and the way they are used agree with that reported in the PAF - Exposure database for the specific machinery/sources set.