ITU-T activities in EMF safety

1
ITU-T activities inEMF safety

• Greg Jones
• ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
  greg.jones_at_itu.int

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Context

• 1996 ITU-T SG5 became involved in the subject
  of human exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)
• Increased use of radio systems has raised public
  awareness on EMF in the environment
• Operators are now looking to control, measure and
  calculate EMF radiated to comply with the limits
  proposed by international bodies (such as the
  International Conference on Non-Ionizing
  Radiation Protection, ICNIRP) or national
  authorities

3
ITU-T Study Group 5

• Study Group 5Protection against electromagnetic
  environment effects
• Q 3/5Radio-frequency environmental
  characterization and health effects related to
  mobile equipment and radio systems

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EMF exposure standards

• Basic restrictions
• The amount of electromagnetic energy absorbed by
  the human body
• Reference levels
• Specify the limits in terms EMF

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ITU-T Rec. K.52

• Guidance on complying with limits for human
  exposure to EMF
• Compliance with limits for mobile base stations
  and microwave links
• Based on simple prediction methods
• Includes mitigation techniques where limits are
  not met

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Ongoing work

• ITU-T SG5 is developing Recommendations for
  measurements and numerical prediction
• Other areas that may be considered
• Additional installation guidelines
• Handset compliance

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WHO EMF project

• Gaps in knowledge
• Pulsed and modulated radio frequency fields
• ITU-T SG5 collaboration
• May result in revision of national or
  international exposure limits
• If this occurs, SG5 will evaluate the impact of
  the changes and revise any Recommendation
  affected