Clean, Green and Safe Management System

Transcription

1 Clean, Green and Safe Management System SP 24-38: Working with Radio Frequency Radiation - Minimum Requirements Author : Communications Network Operations Centre Manager A. Reece Checked by: Manager Communications/ SCADA R. Evans Approved by: Group Manager I. Cooke Maintained by: Communications Network Operations Centre Manager Issue Date: 1 March 2002 Revision : Page 1 of 3 1 Purpose: 1.1. To identify the Principles to be followed to ensure that the hazards of working on communication assets within, or near, known Radio Frequency [RF] Electro Magnetic Radiation [EMR] are correctly assessed and the appropriate risk minimization actions implemented The adoption and application of these principles will enable the development and maintenance of safe systems of working with RF EMR consistent with prevailing legislative and industry requirements This Support Procedure is to be used in the situation where, 2 Scope: an identified RF EMR hazard exists which has previously been assessed as a risk, and the appropriate control measures implemented, or; the hazard assessment has established that a previously unidentified RF EMR hazard and risk exists within the work area. and methods to eliminate or substitute the hazard, or change processes /procedures to remove the requirement for the work, cannot be implemented. 2.1 Compliance with the legislative requisites of THE NSW OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION 2001 Div 6 shall be a minimum requirement. 2.2 In addition this Support Procedure identifies the practice to be followed for entering, working within, or being near a RF EMR hazard by ensuring personnel have the appropriate knowledge or training to: be an aware user, and; recognise when a RF EMR hazard or hazards may exist but has not been identified, and; Page 1 of 8

2 understand the correct processes to minimise exposure to the RF EMR hazard, and; follow the correct procedure to access identified RF EMR hazard areas, and; apply the correct techniques for temporary RF EMR hazard exposure elimination or reduction when required, and; inspect, test and correctly use personal protective equipment when necessary, and; always work within their level of expertise and competency within or near any RF EMR hazard without undue risk to themselves or others. 2.3 This Support Procedure is to be used only in conjunction with the Snowy Hydro Safety Hazard assessment form. 2.4 This Support Procedure excludes rotary wing aircraft based work. 3 Definitions: 3.3 ACA Australian Communications Authority. 3.4 Aware user AS/NZS [Int]: 1998 defines an aware user as users whose involvement with RF EMR is coincidental to their work and who, by virtue of training, are aware of the potential risk of exposure to RF EMR. 3.5 no-go area in the case of communication sites, is an area identified in the site radiation folder as a red area. Personnel shall not enter this area unless the power output generating the hazard is isolated by a method approved by the Network Communications Team Leader Maintenance. These red areas also exist adjacent to RF transmitter antennas, such as those around mobile radio aerials. Red areas may or may-not be marked by red lines on the equipment/structure. 3.6 near there is a reasonable possibility that a person s body could enter either the red or yellow areas indicated in the Site Radiation Folder or an area the risk assessment has established as a hazard area. 3.7 RF EMR field strength The derived field strength for installations operating in the frequency range 10MHz 300 GHz, averaged over a 6 minute period are: Electric field strength [E] 27.5 V/m; Magnetic field strength [H] A/m; Power flux density [S] 2 W/m Exposure to Radio Frequency [RF] Radiation measured by a parameter called Specific Absorption Rate [SAR], expressed in watts per kilogram [W/kg]. SAR limits for the exposure of the general public averaged over any 6 minute period during the 24 hour day, are: Uniform exposure 0.08 W/kg whole body average Non-uniform exposure - as above, but with a spatial peak SAR Page 2 of 8

3 not exceeding 1.6W/kg averaged over any 1g of tissue except for the hands, wrists, feet and ankles where the spatial peak SAR must not exceed 4W/kg average over 10g of tissue. 3.9 The ACA Standard objective - is to address the possible adverse health effects from exposure to RF EMR without unnecessarily compromising the benefits of radio communication AS/NZS [Int]:1998 was withdrawn as a national standard by Standards Australia at the end of April However the SAR limits and field strength levels of that standard remain the basis of the ACA s regulatory arrangements for RF EMR. ACA will continue to base regulatory arrangements for RF EMR on these limits until a new national standard is available from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency [ARPANSA]. A code of practice for the installation and operation of radio communications infrastructure is being developed concurrently with the new standard by the Australian Communications Industry Forum [ACIF]. The latter will address non-technical issues of concern by outlining precautionary and consultative efforts to be made by telecommunications licensees to minimize exposure to RF EMR. 4 Process 3.11 Safety Hazard assessment form the hazard assessment form that must be completed prior to any work being undertaken by Snowy Hydro personnel Removing the RF EMR hazard The RF radiation hazard is removed or the exposure minimized to statutory levels both from the access corridor into the area of work and the area of work Identified RF EMR hazard An area of RF EMR hazard has been clearly identified to the acceptable Australian standard either in the site radiation folder, or with signs, or with marking tape NOC Controller is either the person whose position description is NOC controller, or the nominated standby or on-call person who is performing the function of NOC Controller at the time. 4.1 Mandatory Practices for Working with RF EMR at Snowy Hydro communication sites In addition to any requirements listed in The NSW Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 Div 6 the following practices shall apply: All persons wishing to gain access to communications structures, with an identified or assessed RF EMR hazard shall: be trained bi-annually in RF awareness and risk minimisation techniques, and; consult and understand the site radiation folder, including the red no-go and yellow conditional access zones, and; Page 3 of 8

4 ensure they sign the folder, in at the start and out at the end, of work for each day In addition, in accordance with the ACA standard, the area in front of parabolic dish antennas is potentially in excess of the SAR. Therefore the area for six metres immediately at the front of all parabolic dish antennas shall be a no-go area for all RF trained personnel. This area shall increase to 17 metres for untrained personnel. The red zone may or may-not be marked by red lines on the equipment/structure. Refer to the definition for no-go areas Also, access to the area identified in the site radiation folder as a red zone around a mobile radio antenna shall be prohibited at all times unless the mobile radio equipment is powered down. Where there is no site radiation folder the area for one metre radius around a mobile radio base antenna shall be considered a no-go area unless the mobile radio equipment is powered down. The red zone may, or may-not, be marked by red lines on the equipment/structure Yellow areas identified in the site radiation folder shall only be accessed by RF trained personnel who, in addition to the requirements for access into an area with an identified RF EMR hazard: shall not remain in the identified yellow area for more than eight hours in any twenty-four hour period, and; should wear appropriate personal protection equipment [PPE] to monitor the H and E field exposure Yellow areas may, or may-not, be marked by yellow lines on the equipment/ structure. 4.2 Practices to minimise exposure to RF EMR when using the mobile radio system It shall be the responsibility of the Snowy Hydro Network Team Leader Maintenance in consultation with the Snowy Hydro Human Resources[HR]Group to ensure all personnel who are users of mobile radio communications equipment are informed of hazard reduction techniques. These shall include but not be limited to: Prudent avoidance of the use of mobile radio communication equipment. That is limiting the use of this equipment and using the fixed phone system wherever possible especially for extended conversations. Seeking medical advice before extensively using this type of equipment if you: o o o have a medical implant such as a pacemaker, or; have a medical condition that could be exacerbated by exposure to RF EMI, or; suspect you may be pregnant. Page 4 of 8

5 Maintaining the appropriate space between the antenna of this type of equipment and a human body when transmitting. The current appropriate distances are ten cm for handheld portable equipment and one metre for the higher-powered vehicular mounted units. When using a mobile radio you must remain vigilant at all times to ensure nobody enters this exclusion zone while you are transmitting. Turning off a mobile radio prior to filling a vehicle with fuel as there is a chance, although exceedingly small, of a spark being generated. Not using a mobile radio whilst driving. 4.3 Practices to minimise exposure to RF EMR when using the mobile or cordless phone types The possible health effects of the long term use of these types of equipment are a contentious issue, Snowy Hydro has adopted a policy of prudent avoidance [refer to POL005]. Snowy Hydro considers the health and safety of its personnel of paramount importance and, until the RF exposure issues are clarified, has suggested the following practices for all uses of this type of equipment: It is illegal to use a mobile phone while operating a vehicle unless it is fitted with a hands free unit. Prudent avoidance of the use of mobile phone communication equipment. That is limiting the use of this type of equipment and using the fixed phone system wherever possible, especially for extended conversations. 5 Responsibilities 5.1 Responsibilities of the Network Communications Team Leader Maintenance: The Network Communications Team Leader Maintenance shall be responsible for ensuring: the site radiation folder information refers to the current equipment installed, and; the signature pages are forwarded at the prescribed interval, and filed onto the appropriate Cooma Registry file On an annual basis the Network Communications Team Leader Maintenance shall review workplace hazards management utilizing the hierarchy of hazard control to ensure a pro-active approach to safe working practices on network communication assets. This review shall include but not be limited to: Can the hazard itself be eliminated, substituted or reduced, or; Can the need to be exposed be eliminated or reduced. Page 5 of 8

6 5.1.3 Where the hazard management involves elimination, substitution, engineering or administrative solutions the Network Communications Team Leader Maintenance shall ensure these solutions are implemented into the appropriate Job Procedures with requisite urgency. 5.2 Responsibilities of the Work Group Leader: To ensure that conditions for access to both identified, and those assessed as potential, RF EMR hazard areas are strictly in compliance to both regulatory and Snowy Hydro Practices To ensure that all identified and potential RF EMR hazards are included in the site hazard assessment attached to the application for access To notify the Network Communications Team Leader Maintenance when a hazard assessment finds a previously unidentified potential RF EMR hazard To ensure that at identified RF EMR communication sites the RF Radiation Folder location is known and the information therein is understood, and strictly adhered to, by all members of the work party Ensure that any required RF EMR exposure-monitoring equipment is inspected, certified, and ready for use on the site for the duration of the work Ensure all members of the work party required to use RF EMR exposure-monitoring equipment understand the functions and displays of the equipment prior to undertaking any work requiring its use. 5.3 Responsibilities of Area Communications Team Leaders Notify the Network Communications Team Leader Maintenance of any: safety training, or; safety or monitoring equipment required by team members to enable them to provide maintenance on Network Communication assets in locations where there may be an RF EMR hazard. 5.4 Responsibilities of the Manager Communications / SCADA It shall be the responsibility of the Manager Communications / SCADA to provide personal protective equipment to personnel required to perform maintenance on the Communication Asset where there is a possibility of exposure to an RF EMR hazard and replace the equipment when it becomes unserviceable. Page 6 of 8

7 5.5 Responsibilities of the Work Team Member It shall be the responsibility of the individual to ensure correct storage and maintenance of their personal protection equipment and to arrange for replacement of items that are unserviceable It shall be the responsibility of the individual to ensure that under no circumstances is personal protection equipment to be used that is either damaged, out of date or has not been inspected prior to use. 5.6 Responsibilities of the Snowy Hydro Network Operations Centre [NOC] 6 References: It shall be the responsibility of the NOC Manager to ensure that this Support Procedure reflects Snowy Hydro practices. 6.1 All Statutory regulations and requirements including but not limited to: The NSW Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 Div 6. Australian Communications Authority [ACA] consultation draft Human exposure to radiofrequency fields electromagnetic energy information for licensees or operators of radio communications transmitters: evaluation of compliance with the ACA standard. AS/NZS [Int]: 1998 Radiofrequency fields: maximum exposure levels 300KHz to 300GHz. Radio communications [Electromagnetic Radiation Human Exposure] Standard 1999 [HES]. Portable ladders AS/NZS Selection, safe use and care. Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act. 6.2 All applicable Snowy Hydro Policies, Quality, Safe Access Practices, Quality and Support Procedures including but not limited to: Safety and Environmental Hazard Assessment - QP Climbing of Towers SP Electromagnetic Fields and Radiation POL-005. Working at Height SP Working Alone / Remote locations SP Lifting or lowering equipment and/or tools for use whilst working at height. END OF DOCUMENT Page 7 of 8

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