RF Safety for the Wireless Industry (including Real-Estate) Professionals

Course ID

P-RFSAFE1

Course Duration

3.5 hours

Aimed At

Engineers, technicians, real-estate professionals and others who work near, visit, or climb rooftop antenna sites and cell towers. Also, executives and managers responsible for the health and safety of their employees, including managers in engineering, site development, operations, human resources, and occupational health and safety.

Course in a Nutshell

If you are a wireless industry professional, including many in real-estate, who works at or near antenna installations, visits rooftop with antennas, or climbs cell towers, you may be aware that you are at risk of exposure to significant levels of RF radiation but may be unaware of the magnitude of the problem and how to mitigate your RF exposure risk. For example, those who just visit rooftops may not realize that they often risk exposure to higher levels of RF energy than may be encountered when actually climbing a tower.

In this course, we will help you understand what RF radiation is, the two types of radiation as related to its biological effects, and how to protect yourself from those effects. You will begin by learning the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, how the human body is affected by them, and the basics of the FCC regulations. You will then learn, using a combination of graphics and photographs, about the level of RF energy that may be presented by a variety of antennas, especially the types of antennas used for wireless services. You will learn safe distances for these antennas under worst-case conditions, guidelines designed to minimize your exposure, and how to use RF personal monitors when you must get closer to the antennas than the prescribed worst-case safe distances.

Participants will receive a PDF of the course presentation which will help them remember and retain what they learned in class and apply it on their job. You will also receive a certificate of completion. If you pass an optional examination, which is given at no added cost, your certificate will carry the notation that you possess competency in RF safety issues in accordance with the Unites States ANSI/ASSE Z490.1-2001 guidelines for Accepted Practices for Safety, Health, and Environmental and the pertinent FCC regulations and OSHA requirements.

Course Outline

  • Overview of the RF Safety Issue for the Wireless Industry
  • Biology of RF Exposure
    • Ionizing radiation versus non-ionizing radiation
    • How your body functions as an antenna
    • What parameters are important in determining your exposure
    • Biological effects of excessive exposure to RF energy
  • US RF Safety Regulations and Standards
    • FCC regulations
    • OSHA
  • Sources of RF Energy
  • Propagation Characteristics of Antennas
    • Omni-directional wireless antennas
    • Directional or sector wireless antennas
    • Point-to-point microwave antennas
    • FM and TV antennas (some wireless sites are co-located with radio and television broadcast antennas)
  • Safe Work Practices
    • Using distance and time averaging while tower climbing and working on rooftops
    • Avoiding eye damage from waveguide leaks
  • Using RF Personal Monitors Effectively
  • RF Personal Monitors: Options, Features, Use, and Limitations
  • Course Recap and Q/A