Effect of adverse environmental conditions and protective clothing on temperature rise in a human body exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.
This study considers the computationally determined thermal profile of a finely discretized, heterogeneous human body model, simulating a radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) worker wearing protective clothing subject to RF-EMF exposure, and subject to various environmental conditions including high ambient temperature and high humidity, with full thermoregulatory mechanisms in place. How the human body responds in various scenarios was investigated, and the information was used to consider safety limits in current international RF-EMF safety guidelines and standards. It was found that different environmental conditions had minimal impact on the magnitude of the thermal response due to RF-EMF exposure, and that the current safety factor of 10 applied in international RF-EMF safety guidelines and standards for RF-EMF workers is generally conservative, though it is only narrowly so when workers are subjected to the most adverse environmental conditions. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:356-363, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
IBM Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research (ACEBR), Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
Stephen M
SM
Moore
Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research (ACEBR), Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.|Telstra, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Robert L
RL
McIntosh
Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research (ACEBR), Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.|Telstra, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Steve
S
Iskra
Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research (ACEBR), Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
Alireza
A
Lajevardipour
Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research (ACEBR), Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
Andrew W
AW
Wood
D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D011481:Protective Clothing; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013696:Temperature
RF-EMF worker; occupational safety; protective clothing; radiofrequency safety standards; temperature rise