NON IONIZING RADIATION

DEFINITION

ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION

INTERACTION BETWEEN ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS

PHOTON OF ENERGY

BIOLOGICAL EFFECT

INTENSITY OF THE FIELD

ENERGY OF EACH PHOTON

DIFFERENCE FROM IONIZING RADIATION

LONGER WAVELENGTH

INSUFFICIENT ENERGY TO CAUSE IONIZATION OF TISSUES

DOESNT PENETRATE TISSUES EXCEPT FOR MAGNETIC FIELDS

IONIZING RADIATION

HIGH ENERGY, HIGH PENETRATION, SHORT WAVELENGTH

HEALTH EFFECTS OF NON-IONIZING RADIATION

HEATING EFFECTS

BURNS, RETINAL DAMAGE, CATARACTS

PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

OUTDOOR WORKERS

UV - A - LONGEST WAVELENGTH

PENETRATES DEEPLY THEREFORE: , SKIN CA AND EYE EFFECTS ON VARIOUS STRUICTURES E.G. CORNEA, LENS

COMPARE UV A AND B

BOTH A AND B CAUE SKIN CA AND THEIR SOURCES ARE THE SAME

UV B DOES NOT PENETRATE TO THE LENS/ ABSOBED BY THE CORNEA AND STIMULATES NEW MELANIN PIGMENT, UNLIKE A

UV C

ABSORBED BY EARTH ATMOSPHERE

ARC EYES

BACTERICIDAL LAMPS

SOURCES OF UV RADIATION

SUN

WELDING

MEDICAL TREATMENTS

COMPARE PHOTOTOXIC AND PHOTOALLERGIC

PHOTOTOXIC - SIMILIAR TO SUNBURN

RADIATION + CHEMICAL

DOXYCYCLINE, ANTIHISTAMINES, LIMES

PHOTOALLERGIC- TYPE 1V ALLERGIC REACTION, FILTERED LIGHT, LIGHT EXPOSED AREAS. REQUIRES SENSITISATION E.G. TETRACYCLINES, PHENOTHIAZINES, THIAZIDES “ DRUG INDUCED PHOTOSENTIVITY”

SOURCES OF IR RADIATION

SOLAR, MOLTEN METALS, WELDING

TARGET ORGANS FOR IR RADIATION

SKIN AND EYE - HEATING EFFECTS

IR A

RETINAL DAMAGE - MOST PENETRATING

IR B

LENS OPACITIES

IR C

CORNEA

IR HAS LESS ENERGY THAN UV

TRUE

IR AVERSION RSPONSE

0.25 SEC

OCCUPATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR IR RADIATION

TYPE OF IR RADIATION

KNOW THE HEALTH EFFECTS

BASE PPE ON THIS

PREPLACEMENT ND PERIODIC VISION SCREENING

OPTHALMOLOGIST ONLY IF ACUTE INJURY

PRE PLACEMENT AND PERIODIC VISION SCREENING SHOULD BE DONE FOR IR

YES

CLASS 3 AND CLASS 4 LASERS ARE HAZARDIOUS TO RETINA

YES

MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE FOR CLASS 3B AND 4

BASELINE/PRE PLACEMENT VISION SCREENING

EXIT- EMPLOYER DISCRETION

OPTHALMOLOGIST - ACUTE INJURY

LASERS CAN CAUSE PLUMES FROM WELDING

YES

SURGICAL LASERS, WELDING ARE CLASS 4

TRUE

RESEARCH LASERS AND RANGE FINDERS ARE CLASS 3

TRUE

Laser protective eye wear essential when

working with Class 3 and 4 lasers

TRUE

RADIOFREQUENCY RADIATIION

RADAR INSTALLATIONS, MICROWAVES, MOBILE PHONES, VDTS

HEATING BETWEEN 1 MHZ AND 10 GHZ

CATARACTS, MALE INFERTILITY, FETAL DEVELOPMENT EFFECTS, IARC 2B

UNDER 1 MHZ ELECTRICAL FIELD CAN PENETRATE TISSUE BUT NO HEATING

IARC CLASSIFICATION FOR RF FIELDS

IARC 2B - POSSIBILY CARCINOGENIC TO HUMANS

EXPOSURE GUIDELINES FOR NON-IONISING RADIATION

developed by International Commission on

Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)

EXTREMELY LOW FREQUENCY FIELDS

50- 60 HZ

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIIONS

NOT CLASSIFIBAILE AS CARCINOGENIC

IARC 2B FOR ELF MAGNETIC FIELDS

COIDSA SCHEDULE 3 COVERS IONIZING AND NON- IONIZING RADIATION

YES

COIDA SCHEDULE 3

UNDER PHYSICAL AGENTS

Non-ionising radiation including optical, radiofrequency and elf)

optical radiation = uv , visible, ir esp laser (part of the spectrum of ionising radiation)

non ionising radiation

energy waves

wavesoscilliating electromagentic waves

speed of light

UVC HAS AN OEL OF 0.1 AND FOCUS EYES,SKIN

IR HAS OEL OF 10 AND CORNEA AND LENS

TRUE

EMPLOYERS RESPONIBILITIES

1. ELIMINATE AT SOURCE OR ALARP IF NOT POSSIBLE

2. DONT EXCEED OEL

3. BRING BELOW OEL, IDENTIFY SOURCE AND TYPES OF RADIATION E.G. OPTICAL OR EM

4. SIGNAGE - SOURCE AND EFFECT ON HEART PACE MAKERS AND LABELS

5. USE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNISED METHOD FOR RISK ASSESSMENT