7

Safety Guidelines on

Human Exposures to

Electromagnetic Fields

7.1

Introduction ......................................................................................303

7.2

Electromagnetic Fields.....................................................................304

Static Fields • Low-Frequency Fields • Radiofrequency Fields

7.3

Guidelines Setting Bodies ...............................................................307

ICNIRP • IEEE/ICES

7.4

Two-Tier Target Population of Exposure......................................308

Occupational Exposure • General Public Exposure

7.5

Basic Restrictions and Reference Levels........................................309

7.6

Guidelines for Static Magnetic Fields............................................309

7.7

Guidelines for Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields...............311

ICNIRP Guidelines • IEEE Safety Standard

7.8

Guidelines for Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields............. 314

Kenichi Yamazaki

ICNIRP Guidelines • IEEE Safety Standard

7.9

Conclusion ......................................................................................... 318

Tsukasa Shigemitsu

References...................................................................................................... 318

7.1 Introduction

In general, when considering the efects of electromagnetic felds on health, direct and indirect efects

are considered. Direct efects include stimulation of the nervous system and muscles by the induced

electric current by the electromagnetic felds, causing perception and muscle contraction, and thermal

efects where the energy of electromagnetic feld is absorbed in the living tissues, causing an increase in

temperature in the tissue. Te indirect efect is mainly the contact current that fows when person con­

tacts with an object with diferent potential, due to induction from the electromagnetic feld. Te con­

tact current may cause electric shocks and burns in person. It may also afect medical devices implanted

in the body. Tere have been reports suggesting the possibility of increased risk at the level of electro­

magnetic felds that do not cause above direct and indirect efects.

Tere has been ongoing social concern and anxiety about the health risks of electromagnetic felds

for about 50 years. In particular, the International Electromagnetic Fields Project (International EMF

Project), initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1996, has promoted the assessment of

health risks from electromagnetic felds. Te project divides electromagnetic felds into direct current,

low-frequency electric and magnetic felds, and high-frequency electromagnetic felds according to fre­

quency range, and tries to summarize the environmental health criteria for each. Although the WHO

DOI: 10.1201/9781003181354-7

303