1. This Directive, which is the 18th individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC, lays down minimum requirements for the protection of workers from risks to their health and safety arising or likely to arise from exposure to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz) during their work.
2. This Directive refers to the risk to the health and safety of workers due to known short-term adverse effects in the human body caused by the circulation of induced currents and by energy absorption as well as by contact currents.
3. This Directive does not address suggested long-term effects.
4. This Directive does not address the risks resulting from contact with live conductors.
5. Directive 89/391/EEC shall apply fully to the whole area referred to in paragraph 1, without prejudice to more stringent and/or more specific provisions contained in this Directive.
For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions shall apply:
‘ electromagnetic fields ’ : static magnetic and time-varying electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields with frequencies up to 300 GHz;
‘ exposure limit values ’ : limits on exposure to electromagnetic fields which are based directly on established health effects and biological considerations. Compliance with these limits will ensure that workers exposed to electromagnetic fields are protected against all known adverse health effects;
‘ action values ’ : the magnitude of directly measurable parameters, provided in terms of electric field strength (E), magnetic field strength (H), magnetic flux density (B) and power density (S), at which one or more of the specified measures in this Directive must be undertaken. Compliance with these values will ensure compliance with the relevant exposure limit values.
1. The exposure limit values are as set out in the Annex, Table 1.
2. The action values are as set out in the Annex, Table 2.
3. For the assessment, measurement and/or calculation of workers' exposure to electromagnetic fields, until harmonised European standards from the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (Cenelec) cover all relevant assessment, measurement and calculation situations, Member States may employ other scientifically-based standards or guidelines.]
Editorial Information
X1 Substituted by Corrigendum to Directive 2004/40/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (electromagnetic fields) (18th individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) (Official Journal of the European Union L 159 of 30 April 2004).