ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

This standard specifies limits of human exposure to radiofrequency fields in the range 3kHz to 300GHz to prevent adverse effects. It specifies basic restrictions for occupational exposure, general public exposure, and equipment and usage parameters.

Download the Standard

RPS No. 3 - Radiation Protection Standard for Maximum Exposure Levels to Radiofrequency Fields - 3 kHz to 300 GHz (2002) (PDF 2147k)
(Updated to include errata 8 May 2003 (PDF 30 kb))

Printed Copies

Printed copies of RPS No. 3 are available for purchase directly from ARPANSA at a cost of AUD$22.00 per copy (incl. GST and postage).

Download an ORDER FORM to purchase publications in the Radiation Protection Series.

Supporting Documents

• An explanatory Question & Answer Guide to the ARPANSA Radiation Protection Standard for Maximum Exposure Levels to Radiofrequency Fields - 3kHz to 300Ghz (PDF 411 kb)
  (Note: this document contains hypertext navigation links and is best viewed in the Adobe Acrobat Reader. A text only version without links is also available for printing - Download text only version (PDF 245 kb)
• Fact Sheet: The ARPANSA radiofrequency Radiation Exposure Standard
• Human Auditory Perception Resulting From Exposure To High Power Pulsed Or Modulated Microwave Radiation - Specification Of Appropriate Safety Limits
• The following paper describes the management of overexposures to electromagnetic fields, specifically the flowchart on page 192 shows the steps in the management of the patient.
  (PAPER: Hocking B and Gobbo F. Medical aspects of overexposures to electromagnetic fields (PDF 401 kb). J Health Saf Environ 2011, 27(3): 185-195)
  First published by CCH Australia in the 2011 Journal of OHS – www.cch.com.au
• Measurement Averaging Considerations On Appropriate Specification Of Exposure Limits For Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields
• Abstracts on research into bio-effects of RF at low levels of exposure (PDF 161 kb)
• Neurological case studies (PDF 22 kb)
• Research into bio-effects at low levels of exposure (PDF 109 kb)
• Case reports: Neurological effects of RFR in humans (PDF 19 kb)

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Relevant Links

• Durney, C.H., Massoudi, H. & Iskander, M.F. 1986, Radiofrequency Radiation Dosimetry Handbook, 4th edn, United States Air Force Research Laboratory Technical Report USAFSAM-TR-85-73, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas USA.
• The RF Radiation Safety Handbook (Ronald Kitchen, Pub. Butterworth-Hienemann Ltd. 1993) provides a practical description when performing RF surveys for a variety of applications. The same book also describes the various commercial instruments and personal RF dosimeters. Further information on this handbook may be found by searching the publisher's website.
• Queensland Division of Workplace Health and Safety. Managing Risk
• Queensland Division of Workplace Health and Safety 2000, ‘Safe use in industry of radiofrequency generating plant’
• Stewart W. 2000, ‘Mobile phones and health’, Independent expert group on mobile phones, NRPB, Didcot, UK.
• WHO 2000, ‘Electromagnetic fields and public health cautionary policies’, March 2000.
• Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF), 2004,  ‘Industry Code C564:2002 Deployment of Mobile Phone Network Infrastructure (PDF 664 kb)’, [ISBN 1 74000 1850].

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Public Consultation Documents

• March 2001, public comment draft of the ARPANSA Standard (PDF 796k)
• Summary of general comment on public comment draft ARPANSA Standard including ARPANSA response (PDF 152k)
• Summary of specific comment on draft ARPANSA Standard including ARPANSA response (PDF 223k)
• November 2001, public comment draft Regulatory Impact Statement(RIS) (PDF 60k)
• Summary of comment on draft RIS including ARPANSA response (PDF 206k)
• Final RIS document on the ARPANSA Standard (PDF 206k)

Further Information

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR). Medical aspects of radiofrequency radiation overexposure. Health Physics 2002;82(3):387-39.
• Mobile Telephones and Health Effects
• Levels of Radiofrequency Radiation from GSM Mobile Phone Base Stations
• Prediction Methodologies for Radiated Electromagnetic Energy (EME) Exposure Levels from Mobile Phone Base Station Antennas Exposure Levels from Mobile Phone Base Station Antennas
• Data on human tissue properties (xls 130k). This is a Tissue Dielectric Properties Calculator, developed by Dr Vitas Anderson and Dr Jack Rowley for Telstra Research Laboratories, presented as a spreadsheet. The permission of the authors and Telstra Research Laboratories to make the calculator spreadsheet available from this site is gratefully acknowledged.

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Committee on Electromagnetic Energy Public Health Issues (CEMEPHI)

Commencing in 1996, the Government provides $1 million dollars per annum for the Electromagnetic Energy (EME) Program. This program supports research into and provides information to the public about health issues associated with mobile phones, mobile phone base stations and other communications devices and equipment. The program recognises public concern, and the need to ensure standards and public health policies continue to be based on the best available scientific information.

The EME program is coordinated by the Committee on Electromagnetic Energy Public Health Issues (CEMEPHI), which includes representatives from the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, the Department of Health and Ageing, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the Australian Communications and Media Authority, and the National Health and Medical Research Council. The program has three elements:

• an Australian research program (managed by the NHMRC) to conduct research into EME issues of relevance to Australia and to complement overseas research activities;
• continuing Australian participation in the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Project which assesses the health and environmental effects of EME exposure; and
• a public information program (managed by ARPANSA) to provide information to the public and the media.

An EME Reference Group has been established to provide community input to CEMEPHI. This group includes representatives from consumer organisations, the telecommunications industry, the health sector, academic organisations, local government and community groups.

The Committee has produced a series of fact sheets. The information in the EME series fact sheets has been prepared to help explain the current thinking on mobile phone communications and health, and is based on substantiated scientific research.

ARPANSA also provides radiation and health fact sheets which provide further information.

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