Estimating worker exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields

Miscellaneous · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6080341

Wenzl, T B

For a case-control study of brain cancer at a large automobile transmission plant, a strategy was developed to use two types of instruments to measure personal exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields. A representative group of 81 workers were asked to wear a data-logging dosimeter for one-half shift apiece. This instrument recorded 3-axis magnetic field values every 4 seconds. With little clarity about the biologic process which might connect these magnetic fields to cancer promotion, several indices summarizing exposure variability over time were computed. A new index of [open quotes]jaggedness[close quotes] was also computed, since some human studies suggest very uneven exposure profiles are the most biologically active, possibly via interference with melatonin synthesis in the pineal gland. Comparisons between the several exposure indices showed moderately high correlations between indices which were sensitive to peak exposures, but other indices were less well correlated. To test a simpler measurement strategy, a hand-held direct reading instrument was also used, with multiple measurements taken at the head and waist for most workstations. These were averaged and combined with time estimates to give[open quote] built-up[close quote] average exposures. Correlations were high (r = 0.8) between these built-up averages and averages derived from the datalogger records. It was possible to assign job titles to three distinct exposure categories based on measures of the central tendency of the distributions of measured exposures. By ranking job groups by their average exposures, electricians and non-production grinders were placed in a high exposure category, assemblers and material handlers were placed in a low category, and all other jobs were placed in a medium exposure category. Analysis of variance, with influence analysis, was used to determine that these categories had significant exposure differences from one another.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Univ., Lowell, MA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6080341
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BRAIN
NEOPLASMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
BODY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DISEASES
MATHEMATICS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANS
STATISTICS
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects