RADIATION IN THE OFFICE
The environment of a workspace can bring vitality or discouragement. There are many interfering factors, and radiation is perhaps one of the most overlooked. In an office we can basically find three types: electric fields, magnetic fields and electromagnetic waves.
ELECTRIC FIELDS
Alternating electric fields are part of the office. They originate from lamps, computers or electrical wiring, among others, and must be dealt with.
The electric field works just as predictably as the water cycle, which drives the liquid downward from the clouds to the sea. Similarly, the electric field is directed towards ground and chooses the path that offers the least electrical resistance from its source of emission. The human being is a better electrical conductor than air, and if we contact a field we attract it on its way to ground.
Royal Decree 299/2016: risks related to exposure to electromagnetic fields, includes limit values from 10,000 to 20,000 V/m. However, these values are considerably higher than those established by other European and international organizations and public administrations. The Swedish TCO standard sets the limits for low-frequency alternating fields at 10 V/m for the frequency range of 50Hz at 30 cm from the plane of the screen.
Far below the limits established in Royal Decree 299/2016, science has found effects on the hormonal system or increased rates of disease, including cancer. Among the studies, the one led by Dr. Anthony Miller stands out because it studied the alternating electric fields present in the workplaces of electric utilities.
A healthy office should be linked to low electric fields and this is relatively easy to achieve. Remediation requires acting especially in the immediate surroundings of the worker and conducting all electrical fields to a good ground.
A simple method of testing for this radiation in the office is to bring a “non-contact voltage detector” close to the workers while they are sitting in their chair. If the “non-contact tool finder” does not turn on, the electric field will probably be negligible, congratulations!
MAGNETIC FIELDS
Electronics, electrical wiring and motors are important sources of magnetic fields in the vicinity of workers.
The magnetic field around a source resembles a Ferris wheel. It constitutes the movement of electrons in the form of rings around the emitter. These electrons have the ability to pass through people and most materials without difficulty.
It is known that magnetic fields are found underneath a high-voltage line. However, it is less well known that a worker with an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) next to him is likely to be subjected to higher absolute magnetic field values than placing his office below the power line.
The limit values included in Royal Decree 299/2016 are from 1,000,000 to 6,000,000,000 nanoTesla. In contrast, the WHO warns that magnetic fields of magnitudes greater than 300 or 400nT are potentially carcinogenic to humans. If we look again at the Swedish TCO standards, they set the value of 200nT at 30cm from the plane of the screen.
The main sanitation measures consist of disconnecting or separating from the main sources. Shielding with magnetic field conducting material is expensive and complex. Magnetic field measurements are recommended before applying such a measure.
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Sea waves move across the surface of seas or oceans. They are probably the best visible representation of the transmission of high-frequency electromagnetic waves through the air.
Waves are mainly used to transmit information. In an office we have those coming from outside (cell phones, digital TV, etc.) and those coming from inside (WiFi, cordless phones, bluetooth, etc.).
Unfortunately, labour protection legislation in Spain does not require any maximum value for the protection of workers, so it is understood that the current limits are those of Royal Decree 1066/2001: restrictions on radioelectric emissions.
The current wave diffusion systems, with a multitude of emitters, prevent the thermal effects that would occur in the vicinity of the emitters if there were few of them, since they would have to emit at higher power. However, the health effects have not disappeared. The U.S. Electromagnetic Pollution Observatory states that the percentage of the U.S. population suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity is 10%.
The Bioinitiative Report shows that the effects on people include difficulties in concentration, depression, lack of energy, fatigue, sleep problems, etc., which can have a negative influence on work performance. Thus, we are in a dilemma, as these waves also help to make the work easier. Is it possible to work today without waves?
The recommendations are aimed at moderating the radiation absorbed in the office, e.g. avoiding the use of mobile phones in areas with poor coverage (such as lifts), using hands-free calls in the car with the vehicle’s antenna located outside, replacing DECT cordless phones with ECO DECT cordless phones or avoiding the installation of WiFi routers right next to the workers.
RADIATION PREVENTION
Electromagnetic radiation has contributed to the social progress of our society. On the other hand, there is also evidence of health effects that can counteract its benefits and negatively affect the company’s productivity.
In conclusion, it is possible to take advantage of all the benefits of technology and, at the same time, apply preventive measures to ensure that workers absorb radiation doses in the office that are well below the legal limits. It is therefore possible to reduce the risk to their health and work performance.
