An assessment according to Directive 2013/35/EU of exposure in a 400 kV switchyard has been performed. Part of the body was exposed to electric field strength above the high action level. We therefore performed simulations of the electric fields induced in the body to assess these accoding to the exposure limit values (ELVs). The simulations show that as long as the body is not grounded nor touching any grounded metallic objects, worker exposure is compliant with the directive. When grounded metallic objects are touched with hand or foot the ELV are exceeded. The ELV is exceeded already at very low contact currents (2–3 μA) in the finger. If not appropriate measures are taken, this would lead to a severe limitation of the work tasks that can be performed in switchyards.

Wireless charging of electric vehicles is convenient but in order to make it safe the exposure of humans to electromagnetic fields must be below acceptable limits. We have designed a prototype system that transmits 3 kW with an efficiency of 85% where the magnetic fields around and inside the vehicle are below the EU council recommendation of $6.25\mu\text{T}$ at 85 kHz.

Exposure to extremely low‐frequency magnetic fields (ELF‐MF) was evaluated in an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” in 2001, based on increased childhood leukemia risk observed in epidemiological studies. We conducted a hazard assessment using available scientific evidence published before March 2015, with inclusion of new research findings from the Advanced Research on Interaction Mechanisms of electroMagnetic exposures with Organisms for Risk Assessment (ARIMMORA) project. The IARC Monograph evaluation scheme was applied to hazard identification. In ARIMMORA for the first time, a transgenic mouse model was used to mimic the most common childhood leukemia: new pathogenic mechanisms were indicated, but more data are needed to draw definitive conclusions. Although experiments in different animal strains showed exposure‐related decreases of CD8+ T‐cells, a role in carcinogenesis must be further established. No direct damage of DNA by exposure was observed. Overall in the literature, there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals, with only weak supporting evidence from mechanistic studies. New exposure data from ARIMMORA confirmed that if the association is nevertheless causal, up to 2% of childhood leukemias in Europe, as previously estimated, may be attributable to ELF‐MF. In summary, ARIMMORA concludes that the relationship between ELF‐MF and childhood leukemia remains consistent with possible carcinogenicity in humans. While this scientific uncertainty is dissatisfactory for science and public health, new mechanistic insight from ARIMMORA experiments points to future research that could provide a step‐change in future assessments. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:183–189, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A pilot- scale process for continuous in-flow microwave processing of foods, designed and implemented at SP Food and Bioscience, was evaluated for heat treatment of a homogeneous model food for high-temperature short-time (HTST) conditions, at constant total input microwave power, at 2450 MHz. The microwave system has three consecutive cavities, one excited by the TM020 microwave mode that heats primarily in the tube centre, and two TM120 mode cavities that heat primarily in the tube periphery. The temperature uniformity of the homogeneous model food after microwave heating is here evaluated in terms of spatial distribution, for different set-ups of input microwave power in each cavity and for different order of the placement of the cavities, while maintaining the total input microwave power. The microwave heating uniformity is evaluated, based on measured and calculated radial temperature profiles. Combined TM020 and TM120 heating was found to result in more uniform heating by means of spatial temperature uniformity over the tube cross section. Furthermore, appropriately selected microwave power distribution between the centre and periphery heating cavities results in a stable heating profile in the studied food, that differs only about 10 degrees C or less between highest and lowest average values directly after microwave heating.

The EU Directive 2013/35/EU requires that employers perform risk assessments for workers exposure to Electromagnetic fields. The exposure limit values are expressed as the induced electric field strength in the human body. The induced electric field cannot be measured, only calculated in computer simulations. In order to facilitate assessments, the directive also gives action levels expressed in electric and magnetic field strength. The action levels have been set so that the exposure limits shall not be exceeded.

Nerve stimulation by rapidly switching gradient coils is a safety concern in MR. An EM and thermal simulation platform has been coupled with a neuronal dynamics modeling code, to investigate such interactions in realistic anatomical models. A locally temperature dependent variant of the SENN model, commonly employed for safety threshold assessment, has been developed. Modeling of sciatic nerve stimulation by gradient coil switching, considering the impact of RF birdcage coil induced heating, showed that the model anisotropy, the field variation along the nerve and local temperature have a relevant impact that can be studied using the coupled EM-neuron simulation platform.

The EU Directive 2013/35/EU requires that companies carry out a risk assessment for workers exposure to Electromagnetic fields (EMF). This paper describes how low frequency magnetic fields can be assessed against the directive. The exposure limit values are expressed as the induced electric field strength in the human body. The induced electric field cannot be measured, only calculated in computer simulations. Therefore the directive also gives action levels expressed in the magnetic field strength The magnetic fields in work places, such as welding, are often not sinusoidal. Complex signals can be assessed using weighting filters. If the action levels are exceeded, an assessment against the exposure limit values has to be done. This can be done by using computer simulations of the induced electric field strength in the body, which can be used to define a coupling factor between the source current and the induced electric field in the body. By using weighting filters and coupling factors the time and geometrical dependences can be treated separately, which considerably simplifies the assessment and makes it cost effective.

The EU Directive 2013/35/EU, which will be enforced in all member states July 1st 2016, requires that companies carry out a risk assessment for workers exposure to Electromagnetic fields (EMF). EMF:s are created by electric voltages and currents. Large current are used in welding, which gives rise to high magnetic fields, this means that the worker exposure has to be assessed against the limits. The exposure limit values are expressed as the induced electric field strength in the human body. The induced electric field cannot be measured, only calculated in computer simulations. Therefore the directive also gives action levels expressed in the magnetic field strength, which can be measured. The magnetic fields in welding are often not sinusoidal and for that reason, the waveform of the welding current has to be assessed; this can be done using a technique called weighting filters. If the action levels are exceeded, an assessment against the exposure limit values has to be done. An assessment of welding exposure to EMF can be quite complex and costly. To facilitate this assessment, software has been developed in the EU EMFWELD project.

The paper describes action to protect the general public and workers. Swedish authorities launched a precautionary principle to protect the general public against EMF in 1995, due to the research on childhood cancer and magnetic field exposure. This has led to actions to mitigate magnetic fields from new power lines and new train tracks. In 2016 all EU countries will have implemented the EU directive on minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (electromagnetic fields). Only activities using very high currents will be affected by the low frequency magnetic field limits, such as welding. In a research project EMFWELD we have developed a method to assess the limits for magnetic fields in the directive. Complex magnetic field can be assessed against the EU directive limits using weighting filters. The evaluation is performed in the time domain, which allows for arbitrary signal waveforms and can be applied for both action levels and exposure limit values. The strength of the induced electric field strength in the body induced by the source current can be described as a coupling factor. By using weighting filters and coupling factors the time and geometrical dependences can be treated separately, which considerably simplifies the assessment and makes it cost effective.

The focus of this report is electromagnetic fields of the type that occur in connection with mobile telephony, so called radio frequency (RF) fields and the possibility that exposure to such fields poses a risk of disease or ill health. The purpose is to describe what was known ten years ago, what we have learned during the past decade, and where we stand today. TEN YEARS AGO The mechanism of interaction between RF fields and the human body was established long ago and is increased temperature of exposed tissue (compare microwave ovens). Methods for measurements of the fields in the air were developed early but the data on distribution of the absorbed energy in the human body was still restricted. Data regarding sources and levels of exposure to the population was limited because systematic measurements had not been conducted. A considerable number of provocation studies on exposure to fields of lower frequencies (related to electric power and computer screens) had already been conducted and had not found any evidence of an association to symptoms (headache, vertigo, dizziness, concentration difficulties, insomnia) but the corresponding information about RF fields and occurrence of symptoms was scarce. Few and methodologically limited epidemiological studies had been conducted on RF field exposure and cancer. WHAT WAS LEARNED DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS Extensive research on various aspects of RF fields has been conducted during the last ten years and the knowledge database has increased considerably. Simulation models have improved our knowledge about how the fields and the energy are distributed in the body. Mobile, so called, exposimeters have been developed for use in epidemiological studies. Many more measurements have been conducted to increase our knowledge about sources and level of exposure to the population. More than 15 provocation studies (single or double blind) have been conducted on symptoms attributed to exposure to RF fields. These studies have not been able to demonstrate that people experience symptoms or sensations more often when the fields are turned on than when they are turned off. One longitudinal study has looked at frequency of symptoms in relation to environmental exposure and this study found no association between exposure and symptoms. A considerable number of studies on cancer, and in particular brain tumor, were presented. As a consequence there exist now very useful data including methodological results that can be used in the interpretation of this research. With a small number of exceptions the available results are all negative and taken together with new methodological understandings the overall interpretation is that these do not provide support for an association between mobile telephony and brain tumor risk. In addition, national cancer statistics are very useful sources of information because mobile phone usage has increased so quickly. Had mobile phone use and brain cancer risk been associated it would have been visible as an increasing trend in national cancer statistics. But brain cancer rates are not increasing. WHERE WE STAND TODAY We now know much more about measurements and absorption of RF fields and also about sources of exposure to the population and levels of exposure. A considerable number of provocation studies on RF exposure and symptoms have been unable to show any association. Overall, the data on brain tumor and mobile telephony do not support an effect of mobile phone use on tumor risk, in particular when taken together with national cancer trend statistics throughout the world. Research on mobile telephony and health started without a biologically or epidemiologically based hypothesis about possible health risks. Instead the inducement was an unspecific concern related to a new and rapidly spreading technology. Extensive research for more than a decade has not detected anything new regarding interaction mechanisms between radiofrequency fields and the human body and has found no evidence for health risks below current exposure guidelines. While absolute certainty can never be achieved, nothing has appeared to suggest that the since long established interaction mechanism of heating would not suffice as basis for health protection.

The purpose of this study is to assess the distribution of magnetic fields in the frequency range 10 Hz-2000 Hz in randomly selected Swedish dwellings. The fields were measured in up to 3 rooms in each residence. In the master bedroom a 24 h logging of the fields was performed. The results show that 89 % of the measured houses have average magnetic fields below 0.2 μT with mean value of 0.11 μT and median value 0.05 μT. The comparison of magnetic fields in urban and rural area show that the lowest fields were found in rural areas with 97% of the residences have average magnetic fields below 0.2 μT with median value 0.04 μT. Comparing villas and apartments show that the median magnetic fields value for apartments is 0.07 μT compared to 0.04 μT for villas. The dominating frequency of the magnetic field was 50 Hz. The total harmonic distortion (THD) of the magnetic field was measured; the median value of THD was 10.3 %.

The rapid development of wireless technologies leads to increased human exposure to electromagnetic fields from new devices. Most of these technologies communicate in short to medium range. Communication devices, such as mobile phones (GSM, UMTS, LTE) and wireless computer networks (WLAN, HSDPA, WIMAX) usually work at distances up to some 10 km. Other techniques like Bluetooth, RFID, and wireless USB work at distances up to a few meters. RFID systems can use several frequency bands from low frequencies up to microwaves. The other technologies are mainly using microwave frequencies. Most of these technologies have a rather low-output power, typically <1 W average power, except for fixed transmitters like base stations. This means that the exposure from distant sources is low. If the devices are kept close to the body, the local exposure can be in the range of the levels in the ICNIRP recommendation; this is the case, for example, for mobile phones and WLAN transmitters in laptops. For distant sources, there exist several measurement techniques such as spectrum analysers, measurement receivers, and broadband meters. For sources used close to the body, the local SAR levels have to be determined. For this purpose, instruments measuring the local electric field inside body phantoms have been developed. An alternative to measurements is numerical simulations. If one has knowledge of the signal characteristics of the different technologies then it is possible to find a suitable measurement technique to assess the human exposure.

In order to investigate whether safety guidelines for workers exposure to electromagnetic fields are complied with, it is important to be able to model the field distribution. A method of determining the phase of the field, when only field amplitudes have been measured on a set of planes in the near field of an electromagnetic source, have been tested with good result, for a test case with measured magnetic flux density in front of a transformer. When the magnetic fields are known in the body of the worker the induced current density can be calculated. Induced body current calculated with an impedance method, is also presented.