What is the maximum electromagnetic radiation to which you may expose your employees? And how can you check this?

Are you aware of the maximum permitted radiation on your work floor? Is the radiation level on the work floor not yet measured on a regular basis? Radiation occurs more often than you might think, and it entails significant risks. As an employer, you are also required (according to ​​Art. V.7-13. of Book V) to conduct measurements and to make EM radiation on the work floor, To be sure that your workplace is safe, you should use the correct measuring equipment. We will explain how Microtron can help you with that.

No radiation on your work floor… or is there? 

A great many companies are not aware of the fact that they come into contact with radiation or the intensity of this radiation. Exceeding the standard is not something that can be seen with the naked eye, but this makes it no less dangerous. Electromagnetic fields used for mobiles, broadcasting, satellite communication and in medical devices are usually monitored, but there are also many other sectors and processes that make use of radiation.

Powder coating, metal refining, galvanising – they all use, for example, static electrical fields. Static magnetic fields can also be found with trains and metros, and a great many industrial processes, such as melting and welding, cause radiation.

What risks does this entail?

The electromagnetic fields in our daily lives are fairly harmless. Even so, the effects and risks depend on the intensity, frequency and exposure to the radiation. The innocuous nature of electrical fields therefore does not always apply for cases on the work floor.

Years of exposure to a high does can result in, among other things, cataracts, muscle spasms, light flashes in the eye… and that is only the tip of the iceberg. The effects in the long term are (due to a lack of data) not yet known. There is thus a potential and unknown danger lurking around the corner. As an employer, you are liable, and it therefore pays to protect your employees, customers and visitors, and to actively monitor radiation.

How can you easily prevent this?

Measurement is the first step in effective protection against the risks of radiation. You thus know when you need to take action and when your work environment is perfectly safe. It is therefore essential to regularly conduct the necessary measurements and to ensure that the radiation level remains under the permitted standard.

This permitted standard varies by country, but in Belgium, it also varies by region. The standard in Brussels is thus different from the standard in Antwerp. If you want to avoid high fines, you should ensure that that the radiation level in your workplace remains under this permitted standard.

At Microtron, we have various qualitative measurement devices that can help you in measuring electrical, magnetic and electromagnetic radiation. Our devices always print out a legally valid report and are always set to the legal standards.

The most commonly used device is the NBM 520/520 or the new Fieldman for directive 2013/35/EU. This is a user-friendly starter model that anyone can use. Simply measure and receive the report. But Microtron always provides you with a total solution. We thus also provide training for your employees, introducing them to the different measuring devices and teaching them to work safely.

Want to be certain that your workplace is safe? Get guidance from one of our experienced experts. Contact Microtron for more information.