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A. In the United States, there are no federal health standards specifically for 60-Hz EMFs.
At least six states have set standards for transmission line electric fields; two of these also have standards for magnetic fields (see below). The two state magnetic field standards (New York and Florida) are basically the maximum fields that existing lines in those states produce under maximum load-carrying conditions. In other words, their purpose is to ensure that future power lines do not exceed current EMF levels.
The right-of-way is a strip of land for which a utility acquires permanent rights that allow the utility to build, operate, and maintain its transmission lines. These rights enable the utility to keep the right-of-way clear of trees, structures, and fire hazards that could compromise the reliability of the line and the safety of employees and the public.
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| . | Electric Field | Magnetic Field | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | On R.O.W. | Edge R.O.W. | On R.O.W. | Edge R.O.W. |
| Florida | 8 kV/m* | 2 kV/m | -- | 150 mG* (max. load) |
| . | 10 kV/m** | . | . | 200 mG** (max. load) |
| . | . | . | . | 250 mG*** (max. load) |
| Minnesota | 8 kV/m | -- | -- | -- |
| Montana | 7 kV/m+ | 1 kV/m | -- | -- |
| New Jersey | -- | 3 kV/m | -- | -- |
| New York | 11.8 kV/m | 1.6 kV/m | -- | 200 mG (max. load) |
| . | 11 kV/m++ | -- | -- | -- |
| . | 7 kV/m+ | -- | -- | -- |
| Oregon | 9 kV/m | -- | -- | -- |
* For lines of 69-230 kV.
** For 500-kV lines.
*** For 500-kV lines on certain existing R.O.W.
+ Maximum for highway crossings.
++ Maximum for private road crossings.
R.O.W. = right-of-way.
| Exposure (50/60 Hz) | Electric Field | Magnetic Field |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational: | . | . |
| Whole working day | 10 kV/m | 5 G (5,000 mG) |
| Short term * | 30 kV/m | 50 G (50,000 mG) |
| For limbs | -- | 250 G (250,000 mG) |
| General Public: | . | . |
| Up to 24 hours per day | 5 kV/m | 1 G (1,000 mG) |
| Few hours per day | 10 kV/m | 10 G (10,000 mG) |
| * For electric fields of 10-30 kV/m, field strength (kV/m) x hours of exposure should not exceed 80 for the
whole working day. Whole-body exposure to magnetic fields up to 2 hours per day should not exceed 50 G. Source: IRPA/INIRC 1990. | ||
Two organizations have developed guidelines for 60-Hz EMF exposure, as shown in the tables above and below. Note that both these sets of guidelines are based on established effects of EMFs, such as nerve stimulation, and are much higher than EMF levels found typically in occupational and residential environments. They are not meant to correspond to the low-level field strengths associated with elevated cancer incidence reported in recent epidemiological studies and should not be interpreted as distinguishing "safe" from "unsafe" EMF levels. We do not know at this point whether EMF exposure from power frequency sources constitutes a health hazard. Therefore, we cannot determine levels of exposure which are "safe" or "unsafe".
| Electric Field | Magnetic Field |
|---|---|
| Occupational exposures should not exceed 25 kV/m (from 0 Hz to 100 Hz). | Occupational exposure should not exceed 10 G (10,000 mG). |
| Prudence dictates the use of protective devices (e.g. suits, gloves, insulation) in fields above 15 k/Vm. | For workers with cardiac pacemakers, the field should not exceed 1 G (1,000 mG). |
| For workers with cardiac pacemakers maintain exposure at or below 1 kV/m. | |
| Source: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) 1994. | |