Litchfield Ian, van Tongeren Martie, Sorahan Tom
Institute of Applied Health Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Institute of Occupational Medicine, Research Avenue North, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4 AP, UK.
Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2017 Jun 15;175(2):178-185. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncw283.
Little is known about personal exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields amongst employees in the telecommunications industry responsible for installing and maintaining transmitters. IARC classified RF exposure as a possible carcinogen, although evidence from occupational studies was judged to be inadequate. Hence, there is a need for improved evidence of any potentially adverse health effects amongst the workforce occupationally exposed to RF radiation. In this study, results are presented from an exposure survey using data from personal monitors used by employees in the broadcasting and telecommunication industries of the UK. These data were supplemented by spot measurements using broadband survey metres and information on daily work activities provided by employee questionnaires. The sets of real-time personal data were categorised by four types of site determined by the highest powered antenna present (high, medium or low power and ground-level sites). For measurements gathered at each type of site, the root mean square and a series of box plots were produced. Results from the daily activities diaries suggested that riggers working for radio and television broadcasters were exposed to much longer periods as compared to colleagues working for mobile operators. Combining the results from the measurements and daily activity diaries clearly demonstrate that exposures were highest for riggers working for broadcasting sites. This study demonstrates that it is feasible to carry out exposure surveys within these populations that will provide reliable estimates of exposure that can be used for epidemiological studies of occupational groups exposed to RF fields.
对于负责安装和维护发射机的电信行业员工的个人射频（RF）场暴露情况，我们了解甚少。国际癌症研究机构（IARC）将射频暴露归类为可能的致癌物，尽管职业研究的证据被认为不充分。因此，有必要获取更多证据，以了解职业性接触射频辐射的员工中是否存在任何潜在的不良健康影响。在本研究中，我们展示了一项暴露调查的结果，该调查使用了英国广播和电信行业员工个人监测器的数据。这些数据通过使用宽带测量仪进行的现场测量以及员工问卷提供的日常工作活动信息得到补充。实时个人数据集根据存在的最大功率天线确定的四种类型的场所进行分类（高功率、中功率或低功率以及地面场所）。对于在每种类型场所收集的测量数据，生成了均方根和一系列箱线图。日常活动日记的结果表明，与为移动运营商工作的同事相比，为广播电视广播公司工作的装配工暴露时间要长得多。将测量结果和日常活动日记的结果结合起来清楚地表明，为广播场所工作的装配工的暴露量最高。这项研究表明，在这些人群中进行暴露调查是可行的，这将为暴露提供可靠的估计，可用于对接触射频场的职业群体进行流行病学研究。
