13/09/2015 RESOLUTION GSC-8/4: Facilitating Liaison in Relation to Measurement Methodologies for Assessing Human Exposure to RF Energy ETSI TC Safety Working with CENELEC TC 106X 1GSC-9, Seoul SOURCE:ETSI (TC safety) TITLE:GRSC 8 / 4 AGENDA ITEM:GRSC CONTACT: Ian Marshall, Chairman TC Safety GSC9/GRSC_011

GSC-9, Seoul Implementation of GRSC-8/4 – a current assessment ETSI TC Safety has successfully represented the particular requirements of the telecommunications sector in joint working groups with CENELEC TC 106X, producing European Standards under the current European Commission Mandates, which to date have concentrated on the assessment of “equipment”. However, cooperation between stakeholders on the production of assessment standards concentrating on “putting equipment into service” has been conducted in a less formal fashion. There are unresolved industry stakeholder concerns over the standards and the likely cost of assessment.

GSC-9, Seoul New requirements The European Commission is now in the process of extending exposure requirements via a new “Physical Agents Directive” to the cover the environment of the workplace. The result of this will be new work for the stakeholders within the STO’s The next slide shows the Commission’s press release.

GSC-9, Seoul Directive on physical agents (EMF) “The Council adopted (7 April 2004) a European Parliament and Council Directive on minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to electromagnetic fields, accepting the amendments adopted by the European Parliament in second reading. The Directive will complement Directive 89/391/EEC on the safety and health of workers, laying down minimum requirements and allowing the Member States to adopt more protective provisions. It gives priority to reducing risks at source, through preventive measures related to workstation design, work equipment design, procedures and methods. The Directive establishes exposure limit–values and action–values based on recommendations drawn up by the International Commission on Non­Ionising Radiation Protection. It attributes responsibility to employers for assessing exposure levels, adopting preventive measures and arranging for information and training for their workers. As, for the moment, there is insufficient scientific evidence of possible long-term effects, the Directive is limited to the short-term effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.”

GSC-9, Seoul Where Now ? Methods of measurement will need to be developed and formalised to allow broad band measurement at the workplace, with an appropriate level of measurement uncertainty and repeatability. ETSI proposes to cooperate within formally convened joint working parties and proposes to maximise the use of existing assessment information to meet the Directive’s requirements while minimising financial burden on the industry stakeholders it represents.

GSC-9, Seoul Mechanisms Given the legal framework surrounding the issue it is important that all parties involved with the workplace: Employers, Regulatory Authorities, and Employees are fully and formally involved so that they can be satisfied that the new methods of measurement achieve their objectives and are fair, reasonable and repeatable.

GSC-9, Seoul Action Required In line with GRSC 8/4 we should aim for: “global harmonisation of measurement methodologies” We suggest a resolution establishing a GRSC Task Group working electronically between interested parties to share information supporting the cooperative effort to create the necessary standards.

GSC-9, Seoul ETSI’s Contribution ETSI has considerable experience and expertise in the field of radiated and site measurements. ETSI has also been addressing the issues of measurement uncertainty via a Special Task Force which has produced an ETSI Technical Report on the subject. Existing ETSI Technical Bodies are working on various “environments” and would welcome the interaction a GRSC Task group would bring.