title: [Analysis of methods for measurement and assessment of occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in dielectric heating].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High-frequency (HF) welders are the most common devices that make use of dielectric heating. They are a source of high-intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Manual operation of those welders makes that the limbs are exposed to EMFs of extremely high intensity, far in excess of the currently admissible values. The aim of this study was to update knowledge of actual exposure of HF welder operators to EMF and to optimize the procedure of exposure assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements of the EMF intensity in the vicinity of 10 dielectric welders at work posts of 12 operators were performed. EMF measurements were made using the reference method, extended by auxiliary measurement points to measure induced currents I(L) in the limbs. Induced current measurements were performed in 20 operators tending the same HF welder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the highest values of the electric (E) and magnetic (H) fields measured at work posts were for whole body: E, up to 350 V/m, and H, up to 1.00 A/m; and for limbs: E, up to 600 V/m and H, up to 3.30 A/m. The W exposure indicator in the primary vertical measurement points was almost as high as 60. I(L) values measured at the wrist exceeded 64 mA and were individual-operator-dependent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EMF exposure of 25% of HF welder operators exceeded the national admissible values and after taking into account the operators' hands, this figure rose to 50%. The measured value of I(L), representing a measure of internal exposure to EMF, should serve as the main criterion in deciding whether working conditions are admissible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Protection, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lódź, Poland. h_aniol@imp.lodz.pl
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aniołczyk
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mamrot
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mariańska
mesh_terms: D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006225:Hand / Q000528:radiation effects; D006257:Head / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D020711:Threshold Limit Values; D060726:Torso / Q000528:radiation effects; D014896:Welding