Download Paper

Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric, Magnetic and Electromagnetic Fields (up to 300 GHz.)

International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)

Health Physics, 74, 494 (1998)

Summary

This publication establishes guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic radiation that will provide protection against known adverse health effects. An adverse health effect causes detectable impairment of the health of the exposed persons or their offspring; a biological effect, on the other hand, may or may not result in an adverse health effect. Studies on both direct and indirect effects of electromagnetic radiation are described. These include direct effects resulting from direct interaction of the body to electromagnetic and indirect effects involving interactions with an object at a different electric potential from the body. Results of laboratory and epidemiological studies, basic exposure criteria, and reference levels for practical hazard assessment are discussed, and the guidelines presented apply to occupational and public exposure.