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Objectives: Standard devices used by military personnel that may pose electromagnetic hazard include: radars, missile systems, radio navigation systems and radio transceivers. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the exposure of military personnel to electromagnetic fields.Material and Methods: Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields was analyzed in the work environment of personnel of 204 devices divided into 5 groups (surface-to-air missile system radars, aircraft and helicopters, communication devices, surveillance and height finder radars, airport radars and radio navigation systems). Measurements were carried out at indicators, device terminals, radio panels, above vehicle seats, in vehicle hatches, by cabinets containing high power vacuum tubes and other transmitter components, by transmission lines, connectors, etc.Results: Portable radios emit the electric field strength between 20-80 V/m close to a human head. The manpack radio operator's exposure is 60-120 V/m. Inside vehicles with high frequency/very high frequency (HF/VHF) band radios, the electric field strength is between 7-30 V/m and inside the radar cabin it ranges between 9-20 V/m. Most of the personnel on ships are not exposed to the electromagnetic field from their own radar systems but rather by accidental exposure from the radar systems of other ships. Operators of surface-to-air missile systems are exposed to the electric field strength between 7-15 V/m and the personnel of non-directional radio beacons - 100-150 V/m.Conclusions: In 57% of military devices Polish soldiers work in the occupational protection zones. In 35% of cases, soldiers work in intermediate and hazardous zones and in 22% - only in the intermediate zone. In 43% of devices, military personnel are not exposed to electromagnetic field. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(4):565-577. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In 2017, preparations were made in Poland to provide all citizens with access to the Internet at a speed of at least 30 Mb/s, and at a speed of at least 100 Mb/s for 50% of households. This goal is to be realized, among others, by means of the fifth generation (5G) radio-communication networks. This work presents the assumptions of the 5G network structure and estimates of the level of population exposure toelectromagnetic fields related to their rational use. It was also analyzed whether, from the technical point of view, 5G networks could be implemented while respecting the currently acceptable level of electromagnetic field intensity in Poland (7 V/m), taking into account the current environmental exposure caused by antennas of cellular base stations. This is a contribution to the ongoing discussion on the need to change the requirements in Poland in order to limit the level of population exposure to electromagnetic fields. Based on the available documentation of the proposed technical standards, the theoretical analysis of environmental exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by 5G systems shows that, with rational power management, obtaining the expected (compatible with 5G standards) quality of connections via base stations installed outside of buildings and using intelligent antenna systems with controlled beams, it will be possible to maintain the electric field strength and power density below the current limit values in places accessible to the public (<7 V/m, <0.1 W/m 2 ). Med Pr. 2020;71(2):245-53., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

There is an ongoing discussion about electromagnetic hazards in the context of the new wireless communication technology - the fifth generation (5G) standard. Concerns about safety and health hazards resulting from the influence of the electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by the designed 5G antennas have been raised. In Poland, the level of the population's exposure to EMF is limited to 7 V/m for frequencies above 300 MHz. This limitation results from taking into account the protective measures related not only to direct thermal hazards, but also to diversified indirect and long-term threats. Many countries have not established legal requirements in this frequency range, or they have introduced regulations based on recommendations regarding protection against direct thermal risks only (Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC). For such protection, the permissible levels of electric field intensity are 20-60 V/m (depending on the frequency). This work has been created through an interdisciplinary collaboration of engineers, biologists and doctors, who have been for many years professionally dealing with the protection of the biosphere against the negative effects of EMF. It presents the state of knowledge on the biological and health effects of the EMF emitted by mobile phone devices (including millimeter waves which are planned to be used in the 5G network). A comparison of the EU recommendations and the provisions on public protection being in force in Poland was made against this background. The results of research conducted to date on the biological effects of the EMF radiofrequency emitted by mobile telecommunication devices, operating with the frequencies up to 6 GHz, do not allow drawing any firm conclusions; however, the research evidence is strong enough for the World Health Organization to classify EMF as an environmental factor potentially carcinogenic to humans. At the moment, there is a shortage of adequate scientific data to assess the health effects of exposure to electromagnetic millimeter waves, which are planned to be used in the designed 5G devices. Nevertheless, due to the fact that there are data indicating the existence of biophysical mechanisms of the EMF influence that may lead to adverse health effects, it seems necessary to use the precautionary principle and the ALARA principle when creating environmental requirements for the construction and exploitation of the infrastructure of the planned 5G system. Med Pr. 2020;71(1):105-13., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Electromagnetic field meters used for occupational and general public health protection are commonly calibrated in the continuous wave conditions, but a large number of medical devices, mobile base station antennas and radars generate pulse modulated fields. The results of an analysis of additional errors of pulse fields measurements by diode-type meters (EMR 200/300, PMM and MEH) are presented in this paper.

Numerous investigations have confirmed the occurrence of various biological effects evoked in humans by pulse microwave radiation emitted from radars or cellular phones. In such exposures, the electromagnetic energy may reach very high values of power density in peak at relatively low time-averaged levels of power density. Up till now, no one has evidenced that the relationship between radiation dose and biological effects has the same correlation function for weak field as well as for a very strong field in peak. The proposed exposure levels of pulse-modulated electromagnetic fields (Smax pulse) for the general and occupational populations are described.