Raising the profile of Electromagnetic Fields Safety and providing suitable training

- A presentation at the National Register of RF Workers AGM

Presenter: Julian Kelsall-Joel BEng (Hons) CEng MIET Role: QinetiQ Electromagnetic Fields and Laser Adviser June 2019, Publication number: QINETIQ/19/02422

Agenda

1 Introduction

2 Understanding the legislative requirements

3 Training employees

4 Protecting people at risk

5 Further Information

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Section 1 –Introduction

Introduction

QinetiQ are involved in test,

evaluation and research at sites

across England, Wales and

Scotland in support of the UK

MoD.

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We operate many facilities with different types of EMF

sources

• Magnetic Field Facility – Magnetic Field Survey (of equipment)

– Treating, Measuring and Reducing Magnetic Fields

– Simulating Magnetic Fields

Introduction

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We operate many facilities with different types of EMF

sources

• Reverberation chamber – EM susceptibility

– Screened chamber

• Open site RF Environment Generator – Very high power capability from 5 MHz to 35 GHz

– EM susceptibility

Introduction

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We operate many facilities with different types of EMF

sources

• Test and Evaluation Ranges – Tracking radars

– Surveillance radars

– Flight termination systems

– Communications

Introduction

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We operate sites that have other hazards where

we need to carefully manage EMF

• Ordnance, Munitions and Explosive

• Fuel storage

Also there are a lot of employees that work in a

normal office environment

Introduction

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Our approach to training has to cater for all these

different scenarios.

• Text

Section 2 –

Understanding the

legislative requirement

Understanding the legislative requirement

Why do we need to consider EMF safety?

• We have a responsibility to protect the Health and Safety of employees that

work with sources of EMF;

• We have a responsibility to protect the Health and Safety of the General

Public with regards EMF sources that we manage;

• We have a legal requirement to comply with the Control of EMF At Work

Regulations (CEMFAWR)

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Understanding the legislative requirement - training

If your assessment identifies risks that need to be

managed then you must provide relevant information

and training for workers who are likely to be subject to

those risks (and/or their representatives)

HSE Guide to EMF at Work Regulations (HSG 281)

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• Text

Section 3 – Training

How do we determine who needs training when there are so many sources of EMF?

• For some people it is obvious they need training – They work with high power sources (tracking radars, open air degaussing machine)

• For some people training is not required – They work in an office environment and site with no sources of EMF

Training

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• For other people it is not as clear cut as they are going outside of our work

(controlled) environment and working on military assets.

Training

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Tailoring the training based on likely

exposure levels:

• For employees working with sources of

EMF where exposure is below General

Public Reference levels basic awareness

e-training is available.

• For employees working with sources of

EMF where exposure is above GP

Reference level there is classroom

training.

Policy

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• Control measures in place to ensure exposure is

below General Public Reference levels for all

employees.

• However some employees need to go above the

General Public Reference levels so we need to

increase their understanding and awareness of the

hazards. These employees are EMF workers.

• Basic Awareness

–developed in house

–accessed via Web Browser

– takes approx 20 minutes

–six interactive questions

–over 650 people have completed it across 30+

sites

Training

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• EMF Worker

–developed with Link Microtek

–classroom based

– takes approx 3 hours

–over 200 people have completed it across 18

sites

–mainly attended by employees that may be

exposed to EMF off site

Training

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• Text

Section 4 – Protecting

people at risk

Protecting people at risk

• Control of EMF Instruction – Provides a framework for employees so that they know

the effects of EMF, the hazards they need to consider,

their responsibilities, training requirements and where to

find out more.

• Training

• EMF Worker Declaration – Self declaring if you are a person at risk

– Over 85 completed

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• Text

Section 5 – Further Information

Further Information

Contact: https://www.qinetiq.com/contact

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/QinetiQGroup

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QinetiQ

QinetiQ EMF and Laser Adviser: Julian Kelsall-Joel

jkjoel@qinetiq.com

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QUESTIONS

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