Exposure assessment to electromagnetic fields in welding processes

Abstract

Welding is used in a wide range of heavy and light industry, construction and maintenance, including vehicle construction. Workers using welding processes are exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF). The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has published guidelines on limits of the expo-sure to static magnetic fields and on guidelines limiting the exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields. Moreover, the European legislation is based on these guidelines being the most recent and updated limits published in the Directive 2013/35/EU. The ICNIRP reference levels for magnetic fields may be exceeded in both arc and resistance welding. This study aims to assess the workers exposure to (EMF) in arc and resistance welding and compare the results with legal limits. Several measurements of EMF were carried out in different industries at workplaces using welding processes. The maximum measured field was near the cables with 1065 µT for single sided spot welding; 761,7 µT for arc welding (MIG) and 646,7 µT with resistance welding using a pneumatic C clamp. In some cases, the results were above the action levels (ALs) of the Directive 2013/35/EU.