Biomedical subjects

Jolanta Karpowicz

Publications and source records attributed to Jolanta Karpowicz.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

EU Directive, ICNIRP guidelines and Polish legislation on electromagnetic fields.

This review describes the general provisions of and the philosophy behind European Directive 2004/40/EC and ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) guidelines. As an example of national legislation on the protection of workers against excessive electromagnetic field exposure, regulations established in Poland are summarized. The problems of a practical implementation of the Directive's provisions are discussed.

Electromagnetic Fields↗

PubMed2006

Health risk assessment of occupational exposure to a magnetic field from magnetic resonance imaging devices.

Health care staff who operate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices are exposed to a static magnetic field of significant spatial heterogenity always produced by MRI magnets during the whole shift. They can also be exposed to pulses of a time-varying magnetic field (gradient field) present only during patients' examinations. The level of the workers' exposure depends both on the type of the magnet and on the ergonomic design of each MRI device. The paper presents methods used for measuring and assessing workers' exposure. It also discusses the results of inspection measurements carried out next to approximately 20 MRI devices of approximately 0.2-2.0 T. The presented characteristic and overview of the variability of workers' exposure to a variety of MRI devices supports the need for data on monitoring occupational exposure to MRI. International exposure assessment standards and guidelines (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection [ICNIRP], Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers [IEEE], American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists [ACGIH], European Commission directive), and those established in Poland are also compared.

Electromagnetic Fields↗

PubMed2006

[Electromagnetic hazards from electrosurgery--assessment of occupational exposure to electromagnetic field and currents induceed in the body].

The investigation of the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields from electrosurgery devices were done (according to the requirements of Polish Standard PN-T-06580:2002). The exposure was evaluated following the criteria established by occupational safety and health regulations. The measurements and evaluation of the currents flowing through the exposed workers body were also conducted following the method and criteria published by IEEE standard and European Directive 2004/40/EC. It was found that in the vicinity of electrosurgical devices, the area of electromagnetic fields to which only workers operating the source of field should be exposed can exist up to the distance of 70 cm from the active electrode and supplying cables. In the case when the cables are placed directly on the surgeon body or long duration of the daily exposure the overexposure of workers can appear (referring to Polish regulations). The current flowing through the arm of surgeon keeping the electrode with electric field of the maximum strength (app. 1000 V/m or higher) can exceed permissible value of 40 mA established by the Directive 2004/40/EC for contact current. The reduction of the surgeon exposure can be reached by the proper positioning of the cables supplying monopolar electrode or by the use of bipolar electrode.

Electric Conductivity↗

PubMed2003

[Limitations of occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields adopted by Polish law from the perspectives of international documents with particular reference to fields of low and medium frequencies].

Following the provisions of the decree on maximum admissible strength (MAS) values, issued by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy, comprehensive and homogeneous principles of workers' protection against excessive exposure to 0-300 GHz electromagnetic fields have been in force since 2001. Different mechanisms responsible for interactions between electromagnetic field and human body, as well as the need to limit their harmful effects were taken into account while setting permissible exposure conditions. Owing to the fact that both the strength of electric and magnetic fields and exposure duration have been considered, Polish regulations facilitate a parallel harmonisation of the prohibited exposure levels with so-called "basic restriction" values adopted as a minimum protection level in many international guidelines and to implement a significantly higher level of workers' protection in case of long-duration per shift exposure (equivalent of "precautionary principle" applied in the evaluation of general public exposure). The approaches adopted in Polish regulations coincide in many points with a drafted EU directive. Amendments being introduced into Polish legal regulations on the environmental protection should maintain cohesion principle with legal regulations on occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields, and should take into account additional restrictions concerning the protection of residential areas, as practiced in many European countries.

Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation↗

PubMed2003

[Measurements of electromagnetic fields and evaluation of occupational exposure: PN-T-06580:2002 requirements and principles adopted in the European Union].

Under the process of developing a uniform system of protection against excessive exposure to electromagnetic fields, Polish metrological standards have been amended as an inherent complement of the modified decree on maximum admissible strength (MAS) values, issued by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. Two parts of standard PN-T-06580:2002 were established by the Chairman of the Polish Committee for Standardisation in 2002. Of the whole range of frequencies covered by legal regulations, it laid down the principles of evaluation of occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and radiation, providing precise definitions and rules for estimation actual dose and exposure factor in each case of exposure in real conditions. The standards also precise conditions, in which simplified principles of occupational exposure measurement and evaluation can be applied. Currently in the European countries, there are no general standards concerning methods of measuring and evaluating occupational exposure to 0-300 GHz electromagnetic fields. The provisions of numerous European (EN) and international (IEC) standards of a much narrower scope of application are similar to those formulated in standard PN-T-06580:2002.

Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation↗