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Measurements of Electromagnetic Fields From a Head-Worn Communications Systems

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Robert A. Facey · 1980

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Early utility company research measured RF exposure from head-worn communications, establishing baseline data for occupational safety standards.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1980 Ontario Hydro technical report documented electromagnetic field measurements from head-worn communications devices used by utility workers. The research represented early safety assessment work for wireless communication equipment worn close to the head. This type of measurement data helped establish baseline exposure levels for occupational RF safety standards.

Why This Matters

This Ontario Hydro report represents a crucial piece of early EMF safety research, conducted at a time when head-worn communications were becoming common in utility work but safety standards were still evolving. The science demonstrates that utility companies were already concerned about worker exposure to RF fields in 1980, decades before widespread public awareness of EMF health effects. What this means for you is that occupational exposure concerns have deep historical roots. Workers wearing two-way radios, headsets, and early wireless communications faced concentrated RF exposure patterns similar to today's Bluetooth headphones and wireless earbuds, but often at higher power levels and for extended work shifts. The reality is that this foundational measurement work helped shape the exposure limits we rely on today, though many researchers now question whether those limits adequately protect against long-term biological effects.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 49.86 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 49.86 MHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

To evaluate the potential hazard from radiofrequency radiation to the wearer of a head-worn communications system (Hat-Com) by measuring electromagnetic field strengths and determining the physical aspects of the problem before any biological hazard assessment could be made.

Measurements were made on three Hat-Coms loaned by Remic Corporation. A fiberglass and polyester pha...

H-Field measurements showed strong asymmetry with highest fields over the left frontal area outside ...

The magnetic field is the primary mechanism for energy transfer to the human head in the Hat-Com situation. The human head interacts with the field through magnetic inductive coupling at least to a depth of several cm. The presence of aluminum foil layers significantly reduces internal magnetic field exposure. The system's design results in substantial field exposure, particularly on the left side of the head, but the actual biological effects remain undetermined. The study demonstrates that the physical interaction of the Hat-Com with its wearer can be understood through electromagnetic field measurements, which can then be used to set limits to risk.

Cite This Study
Robert A. Facey (1980). Measurements of Electromagnetic Fields From a Head-Worn Communications Systems.
Show BibTeX
@article{measurements_of_electromagnetic_fields_from_a_head_worn_communications_systems_g7357,
  author = {Robert A. Facey},
  title = {Measurements of Electromagnetic Fields From a Head-Worn Communications Systems},
  year = {1980},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

The study examined electromagnetic fields from communications equipment worn by utility workers, likely including two-way radios, headsets, and early wireless communication devices used in electrical utility operations during that era.
As a major electrical utility, Ontario Hydro was conducting safety assessments of RF-emitting communications equipment worn by workers, establishing exposure baselines before widespread EMF health concerns emerged in later decades.
Early utility communications likely operated at higher power levels than today's consumer devices but used similar near-head positioning, creating concentrated RF exposure patterns comparable to modern Bluetooth headphones and wireless earbuds.
EMF safety standards were still developing in 1980, making measurement studies like this crucial for establishing exposure baselines that would inform the occupational RF limits adopted in subsequent decades.
This type of early occupational measurement work contributed to the scientific database used to develop RF exposure limits, though many researchers now question whether those standards adequately address long-term health effects.