Radiofrequency radiation and safety program

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Introduction to RF sources and RF safety. RF generators, transmission lines, wave propagation. Instrumentation, personal protective equipment PPE. Procedures to be observed for suspected overexposures. RF signs, alarms, barricades. Medical implant concerns. Electro-explosive devices. Risk communication, risk management. Then click on "Start Search. This section should contain the value s for typical or maximum SAR for your phone. For portable phones and devices authorized since June 2, , maximum SAR levels should be noted on the grant of equipment authorization.

For phones and devices authorized between about mid and June , detailed information on SAR levels is typically found in the "exhibits" associated with the grant of equipment authorization. Therefore, once a grant is accessed these exhibits can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate entry labeled "View Exhibit. Electronic records for FCC equipment authorization grants were initiated in Therefore, prior to this date FCC records for grants are in the form of paper records that are not part of our electronic database.

At this time, due to staff limitations, we are unable to routinely search through FCC paper records to extract SAR information for grants filed prior to mid- to late OET Bulletin No. This technical bulletin was issued to provide guidance in the implementation of the Commission's new exposure limits and policies. The bulletin provides acceptable methods of determining compliance to Commission limits through the use of mathematical and empirical models. The LSGAC and the FCC have developed this guide to aid local governmental officials and citizens in understanding safety issues related to radio frequency emissions from telecommunications towers.

Furthermore, since much of the research is not done on whole bodies in vivo , there has been no determination that such effects constitute a human health hazard.

It is generally agreed that further research is needed to determine the generality of such effects and their possible relevance, if any, to human health. In the meantime, standards-setting organizations and government agencies continue to monitor the latest experimental findings to confirm their validity and determine whether changes in safety limits are needed to protect human health.

Studies have shown that environmental levels of RF energy routinely encountered by the general public are typically far below levels necessary to produce significant heating and increased body temperature. However, there may be situations, particularly in workplace environments near high-powered RF sources, where the recommended limits for safe exposure of human beings to RF energy could be exceeded.

In such cases, restrictive measures or mitigation actions may be necessary to ensure the safe use of RF energy. Some studies have also examined the possibility of a link between RF exposure and cancer. Results to date have been inconclusive. While some experimental data have suggested a possible link between exposure and tumor formation in animals exposed under certain specific conditions, the results have not been independently replicated. Many other studies have failed to find evidence for a link to cancer or any related condition.

For many years, research into the possible biological effects of RF energy has been carried out in laboratories around the world, and such research is continuing. Past research has resulted in a large number of peer-reviewed scientific publications on this topic. For many years the U. Government has sponsored research into the biological effects of RF energy.

The majority of this work was initiated by the Department of Defense, due in part, to the extensive military interest in using RF equipment such as radar and other relatively high-powered radio transmitters for routine military operations.

In addition, some U. At the present time, other U. In , the World Health Organization WHO established a program called the International EMF Project, which is designed to review the scientific literature concerning biological effects of electromagnetic fields, identify gaps in knowledge about such effects, recommend research needs, and work towards international resolution of health concerns over the use of RF technology.

The WHO maintains a Web site that provides extensive information on this project and about RF biological effects and research www. The FDA, the EPA and other federal agencies responsible for public health and safety have worked together and in connection with the WHO to monitor developments and identify research needs related to RF biological effects. Exposure standards for radiofrequency energy have been developed by various organizations and governments.

Most modern standards recommend safe levels of exposure separately for the general public and for workers. Both the NCRP exposure criteria and the IEEE standard were developed by expert scientists and engineers after extensive reviews of the scientific literature related to RF biological effects.

The exposure guidelines are based on thresholds for known adverse effects, and they incorporate prudent margins of safety. For example, ICNIRP recommends somewhat different exposure levels in the lower and upper frequency ranges and for localized exposure due to such devices as hand-held cellular telephones. This is due to the finding discussed above that whole-body human absorption of RF energy varies with the frequency of the RF signal.

The most restrictive limits on whole-body exposure are in the frequency range of MHz where the human body absorbs RF energy most efficiently when the whole body is exposed. For devices that expose only part of the body, such as mobile phones, different exposure limits are specified see below , but these limits are based on the same underlying threshold level.

The exposure limits used by the FCC are expressed in terms of SAR, electric and magnetic field strength and power density for transmitters operating at frequencies from kHz to GHz. The applicable limits depend upon the type of sources e. The actual values can be found in our informational bulletin available in OET Bulletin It has jurisdiction over all transmitting services in the U.

However, the FCC's primary jurisdiction does not lie in the health and safety area, and it must rely on other agencies and organizations for guidance in these matters. Under the National Environmental Policy Act of NEPA , all Federal agencies are required to implement procedures to make environmental consideration a necessary part of an agency's decision-making process. Therefore, FCC approval and licensing of transmitters and facilities must be evaluated for significant impact on the environment.

Human exposure to RF radiation emitted by FCC-regulated transmitters is one of several factors that must be considered in such environmental evaluations. In , the FCC revised its guidelines for RF exposure as a result of a multi-year proceeding and as required by the Telecommunications Act of Facilities under the jurisdiction of the FCC having a high potential for creating significant RF exposure to humans, such as radio and television broadcast stations, satellite-earth stations, experimental radio stations and certain cellular, PCS and paging facilities are required to undergo routine evaluation for compliance with RF exposure guidelines whenever an application is submitted to the FCC for construction or modification of a transmitting facility or renewal of a license.

Failure to show compliance with the FCC's RF exposure guidelines in the application process could lead to the preparation of a formal Environmental Assessment, possible Environmental Impact Statement and eventual rejection of an application. Low-powered, intermittent, or inaccessible RF antennas and facilities including many cell sites are normally "categorically excluded" from the requirement of routine evaluation for RF exposure.

These exclusions are based on calculations and measurement data indicating that such transmitting stations or devices are unlikely to cause exposures in excess of the guidelines under normal conditions of use.

It should be emphasized, however, that these exclusions are not exclusions from compliance, but, rather, only exclusions from routine evaluation. Transmitters or facilities that are otherwise categorically excluded from evaluation may be required, on a case-by-case basis, to demonstrate compliance when evidence of potential non-compliance of the transmitter or facility is brought to the Commission's attention [see 47 CFR 1.

In recent years, publicity, speculation, and concern over claims of possible health effects due to RF emissions from hand-held wireless telephones prompted various research programs to investigate whether there is any risk to users of these devices There is no scientific evidence to date that proves that wireless phone usage can lead to cancer or a variety of other health effects, including headaches, dizziness or memory loss. However, studies are ongoing and key government agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration FDA continue to monitor the results of the latest scientific research on these topics.

Also, as noted above, the World Health Organization has established an ongoing program to monitor research in this area and make recommendations related to the safety of mobile phones. The FDA, which has primary jurisdiction for investigating mobile phone safety, has stated that it cannot rule out the possibility of risk, but if such a risk exists, "it is probably small.

The Government Accountability Office GAO prepared a report of its investigation into safety concerns related to mobile phones. The report concluded that further research is needed to confirm whether mobile phones are completely safe for the user, and the report recommended that the FDA take the lead in monitoring the latest research results. The safe limit for a mobile phone user is an SAR of 1. Somewhat less restrictive limits, e. Measurements and analysis of SAR in models of the human head have shown that the 1.

The same can be said for cordless telephones used in the home. Testing of hand-held phones is normally done under conditions of maximum power usage, thus providing an additional margin of safety, since most phone usage is not at maximum power.

The SAR is a value that corresponds to the rate at which RF energy absorbed in the head of a user of a wireless handset. Information on SAR for a specific cell phone model can be obtained for almost all cellular telephones by using the FCC identification ID number for that model. In many cases, you will have to remove the battery pack to find the number. Once you have the number proceed as follows. Go to the following website: Equipment Authorization.

Then click on "Start Search. Click on a check under "Display Grant" and the grant should appear. This section should contain the value s for typical or maximum SAR for your phone. For portable phones and devices authorized since June 2, , maximum SAR levels should be noted on the grant of equipment authorization.

For phones and devices authorized between about mid and June , detailed information on SAR levels is typically found in one of the "exhibits" associated with the grant. Therefore, once the grant is accessed in the FCC database, the exhibits can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate entry labeled "View Exhibit.

Although the FCC database does not list phones by model number, there are certain non-government Web sites such as www. However, the FCC has not reviewed these sites for accuracy and makes no guarantees with respect to them. In addition to these sites, some mobile phone manufacturers make this information available at their own Web sites. Also, phones certified by the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association CTIA are now required to provide this information to consumers in the instructional materials that come with the phones.

If you want additional consumer information on safety of cell phones and other transmitting devices please consult the information available below.

If you have any problems or additional questions you may contact us at: rfsafety fcc. You may also wish to consult a consumer update on mobile phone safety published by the U.

In addition, because the phone, which is the source of the RF emissions, will not be placed against the head, absorption of RF energy in the head will be reduced. Therefore, it is true that use of an ear piece connected to a mobile phone will significantly reduce the rate of energy absorption or "SAR" in the user's head.

On the other hand, if the phone is mounted against the waist or other part of the body during use, then that part of the body will absorb RF energy. Even so, mobile phones marketed in the U. So either configuration should result in compliance with the safety limit. Note that hands-free devices using Bluetooth technology also include a wireless transmitter; however, the Bluetooth transmitter operates at a much lower power than the cell phone.

A number of devices have been marketed that claim to "shield" or otherwise reduce RF absorption in the body of the user. Some of these devices incorporate shielded phone cases, while others involve nothing more than a metallic accessory attached to the phone. Studies have shown that these devices generally do not work as advertised.

In fact, they may actually increase RF absorption in the head due to their potential to interfere with proper operation of the phone, thus forcing it to increase power to compensate. The FCC does not normally investigate problems of electromagnetic interference from RF transmitters to medical devices.

Some hospitals have policies, which limit the use of cell phones, due to concerns that sensitive medical equipment could be affected.

Cellular wireless radio services transmit using frequencies between and megahertz MHz. More recently, advanced wireless services have been or are being introduced that transmit at frequencies in the , , , , , , MHz spectrum ranges. Antennas used for cellular and PCS transmissions are typically located on towers, water tanks or other elevated structures including rooftops and the sides of buildings.

The combination of antennas and associated electronic equipment is referred to as a cellular or PCS "base station" or "cell site. A cellular base station may utilize several "omni-directional" antennas that look like poles, 10 to 15 feet in length, although these types of antennas are less common in urbanized areas.

In urban and suburban areas, cellular and PCS service providers commonly use "sector" antennas for their base stations. These antennas are rectangular panels, e. Panel antennas are usually arranged in three groups of three each. It is common that not all antennas are used for the transmission of RF energy; some antennas may be receive-only. At a given cell site, the total RF power that could be radiated by the antennas depends on the number of radio channels transmitters installed, the power of each transmitter, and the type of antenna.

While it is theoretically possible for cell sites to radiate at very high power levels, the maximum power radiated in any direction usually does not exceed watts. The RF emissions from cellular or PCS base station antennas are generally directed toward the horizon in a relatively narrow pattern in the vertical plane. In the case of sector panel antennas, the pattern is fan-shaped, like a wedge cut from a pie.

As with all forms of electromagnetic energy, the power density from the antenna decreases rapidly as one moves away from the antenna. Consequently, ground-level exposures are much less than exposures if one were at the same height and directly in front of the antenna. Measurements made near typical cellular and PCS installations, especially those with tower-mounted antennas, have shown that ground-level power densities are hundreds to thousands of times less than the FCC's limits for safe exposure.

This makes it extremely unlikely that a member of the general public could be exposed to RF levels in excess of FCC guidelines due solely to cellular or PCS base station antennas located on towers or monopoles. When cellular and PCS antennas are mounted at rooftop locations it is possible that a person could encounter RF levels greater than those typically encountered on the ground.

However, once again, exposures approaching or exceeding the safety guidelines are only likely to be encountered very close to and directly in front of the antennas. For sector-type antennas, RF levels to rear are usually very low.