National Register of RF Workers

To be eligible to join the Register individuals must have the potential to be exposed to radiofrequency (including microwave) radiation above ICNIRP’s public guidelines. In this instance we are defining radiofrequency as between 100 kHz at the lower end and 300 GHz at the upper end.

The limits to public exposure to EMF are based on guidelines set by the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

These exposure standards for RF are based on the assumption that the primary route for potential harm is via heat deposition, with the additional potential for nerve stimulation at lower frequencies. All current occupational guidelines are devised on this basis.

RF is an example of a ‘non-ionising’ radiation, which means that on a cellular level there is not enough energy to create ion pairs. Instead the RF radiation excites the cells which causes them to vibrate generating heat. The level of heat generated is affected by the frequency of the EMF, body position relative to the wave direction, distance between body and source, and length of exposure.

In 1999, the Minister of Public Health asked the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) to set up an independent expert group to examine the possible effects on health from the use of mobile phone telecommunication technologies.

The group, under the chairmanship of Sir William Stewart, published its report in May 2000 (Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones [IEGMP], 2000). One of the main conclusions was that there was no evidence to suggest that exposures to radiofrequency (RF) radiation below the guidelines of the NRPB and the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) cause adverse health effects.

Nevertheless, one of the recommendations was that a register of occupationally exposed workers be established to facilitate studies into cancer incidence, mortality or other potentially harmful effects. Specifically they concluded that:

”A register of occupationally exposed workers be established and that cancer risks and mortality be examined to determine whether there are any harmful effects. If any adverse effects of exposure to RF radiation are identified then the Health and Safety Executive should establish a system of health surveillance”

The Register is intended to be used as a resource to explore any potential health effects experienced as a result of being occupationally exposed to RF radiation. The National Register of RF Workers will also seek to collaborate with international bodies undertaking similar research with the aim of contributing data and expertise and increasing understanding of the issue for the benefit of all those occupationally exposed to RF radiation.

To date, the Register contains data on over 2000 workers from a range of companies. The number of individuals enlisted continues to grow, as does the number of companies involved. It is expected that by the end of the recruitment period over 2,500 workers will have joined, which is sufficient for any findings of follow-up studies to be statistically significant. ‘Statistical significance’ in this case means that enough data have been collected to provide reliable results.

Medicine - IOEM was contracted to administer the database.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) responded to this recommendation by holding a consultation meeting in January 2001 to which independent experts and those who in industries where RF was experienced were invited. At this meeting, a decision was made to establish a Working Group to discuss how the recommendation should be implemented.

In an attempt to ensure involvement across the whole industrial sector, representatives from broadcast companies, mobile phone operators, contractors, the Ministry of Defence, National Grid, Trade Unions and HSE were included. Ultimately the Working Group agreed to set up a register of exposed workers with a potential for exposure to radio-frequency radiation with seed money for the establishment of the Register provided by the HSE.

Those eligible to enrol on the Register would all be workers with a potential for exposure to radio-frequency radiation above the levels deemed safe for public exposure. Information about the workers would be retained and maintained in a centralised database or register and the Department of Applied Health Sciences (formerly the Institute of Applied Health Research).  

The first study to use the Register to look at potential health effects in those with long-term occupational exposure is underway and is investigating cancer incidence and mortality studies within the study group (cohort). Preliminary results are expected to emerge in 2020.

The current sponsors are Arqiva, EE, Link Microtek and Leonardo MW. 

Further details on our sponsors are available via our Useful Links page.

If you are interested in joining the register or if you have any queries, then please contact us via e-mail: RFRegister@bham.ac.uk.

Alternatively, you can reach out to us via our address and telephone number:

Address

The National Register of RF Workers
Department of Applied Health Sciences
The University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
B15 2TT

Phone Number

0121 414 6006