[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]

Abstract

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.