If employers are legally obliged to provide a safe system of work, a safe place of work and safe equipment, how can they be sure that their employees are not put at risk by non-ionising radiation in the workplace?
Employers should be aware of workplace equipment that could or does emit non-ionising radiation, such as mobile phones or VHF radios used by workers like security staff, ambulance crew, fire brigade employees or airport personnel. Microwaves used, for instance in the ceramics industry, in food preparation and for sterilising in medical situations can also emit non-ionising radiation.
Mr Liam Howe, chairman of the southern district of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), explains that non-ionising radiation is the energy or radiation that comes from mobile telephones, VHF radio transmission, television transmission, microwaves and even hair-dryers. "It's energy that is transmitted in waves" from such equipment, he says.
It is "absolutely unproven" whether non-ionising radiation is bad for people's health. "There was a big scare some time ago about the dangers of radiation from VDUs and how it would affect the foetus in a pregnant lady operating the machine." But this too is unproved and he notes that there is no prohibition on pregnant women using VDUs.
However, pregnant women are advised to keep clear of microwaves. But any harmful effects of microwaves "will only be proven maybe in 10 years' time". And it's too late then for people who ignored the advice, he says.
Where evidence is available, it is "statistical evidence rather than medical evidence". Some statistical evidence suggests that people who have been exposed to non-ionising radiation have suffered from brain tumours, he says.
And there are concerns that frequent flyers such as business travellers could be exposed to particularly high levels of non-ionising radiation. Moreover, "now there's a worry that pilots and air crews are being exposed to this and that maybe in a few years time it will tell", he says.
Employers could consider allowing the use of mobile phones where users can plug in a microphone and earpiece or systems where the aerial is separate from the mobile phone itself. "In a car kit, say, the aerial is separated to outside the vehicle. Therefore you're not exposed to non-ionising radiation."
In industry, employers should record and limit exposure times due to use of equipment. "It may emerge that a worker is exposed to this for two hours a day and it could be decided to limit it to one hour or a half an hour a day."
Non-ionising radiation is an issue for the ESB "to some extent", he says. The high-tension cables that carry electricity within a short radius will have measurable non-ionising radiation. It's also an issue for Esat, Eircell and RTE.
Mr Howe says: "We're just trying to help out people who work because that's our job, because we look after people in employment - and their safety, health and welfare."
A conference on non-ionising radiation, exploring occupational exposure, assessments and protection, will take place on Thursday, November 11th, at Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork.
The conference will be introduced by The Irish Times columnist Prof William Reville of UCC. Mr John McAuley of Compliance Engineering Ireland will consider legislative aspects of non-ionising radiation, while Prof Philip Walton, of the Applied Physics department at NUI Galway, will address biological criteria for exposure limits to non-ionising radiation.
Mr John Gartland, ESB Electrical Distribution Network manager, will talk about ESB occupational exposures, policies and procedures in protecting its employees from static electric fields and very low frequency radiation from the electrical distribution network.
Ms Emer Sheahan, RTE's compliance officer of non-ionising radiation, will explore the broadcaster's safety control methods for employees exposed to emissions from masts and transmitters.
The health and safety manager of Esat Digifone, Mr Declan Roe, will speak about radio frequency equipment and exposure to Digifone staff, contractors and the public. Mr Matthias Meier, secretary of the Mobile Manufacturers Forum will discuss non-ionising radiation from mobile phones.
The conference fee is £120 per person or £100 where more than one person attends from the same organisation. Applications must be received by November 1st. For further details, contact Mr Fabian Murphy, conference secretary, Nycomed Amersham, IDA industrial estate, Carrigtohill, Co. Cork. Telephone: 021 853 296.
Fax: 021 883 325. E-mail: fmur@nycomed.com.
Joe Armstrong is at jmarms@irish-times.ie.
