ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

There have been few studies measuring magnetic field levels in Australian homes. ARPANSA has conducted a survey of power frequency magnetic fields in approximately 300 randomly selected homes in metropolitan Melbourne. Analysis is underway and a report should be available in late 2008.

In 2004 ARPANSA conducted a pilot study of 26 homes in order to investigate different methods of carrying out a survey. The results of this are now available as Technical Report TR142 (PDF 585kb). The aim of the full survey is to identify the distribution of residential magnetic field levels and determine the average magnetic field in Victorian homes. It is expected that a study in Melbourne will provide data that is much more representative of Australia generally than the currently available results from overseas.

Magnetic fields within homes vary with location in the home and over time. The actual strength of the field at a given location depends upon the type of electrical sources and their distance from the location of measurement. It is expected that magnetic fields measured in areas away from electrical appliances in most homes will be within the normal low range (0.2-2 mG).

For further information on magnetic field measurements refer to the ARPANSA fact sheet titled _Measuring Magnetic Fields (PDF 91kb)

Currently there is no evidence that exposure to electric fields is a health hazard (excluding electric shock). Whether exposure to magnetic fields is equally harmless remains a more open question. A large number of scientific studies performed on animals and cells have not found a health risk. Some studies of exposed populations, however, have suggested there might be a weak association between prolonged exposure to higher than normal level of magnetic fields and an increased risk of childhood leukaemia.

For further information on electric and magnetic fields and the possibility of adverse health effects refer to the ARPANSA fact sheet titled "Electricity and Health".

For further information regarding the survey you can call ARPANSA’s toll-free number 1800 022 333 during business hours and ask to speak to Ken Karipidis.

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