Mobile Carriers ForumMobile Carriers Forum

Mauritius Information & Communication Technologies Authority Workshop

Session 8 – Translating the Standard into Procedures at the Operator’s level

July 2011

RF Safety Compliance

MCF RF Safety Compliance Program:The purpose of the MCF RF Safety Compliance Program is to provide a coordinated structure, systems and processes for carrier compliance with the mandatory EME safety standards and regulations.

MCF EME Steering Committee:The purpose of the MCF EME Steering Committee is to provide governance of the MCF RF Safety Compliance Program for the MCF National Council.

Compliance with RF safety standards requires cumulative

EME assessments

Each carrier could develop their own processes and systems but would still require other carrier operator data, therefore a shared approach was developed…

Australian Regulatory Overview for RF SafetyAustralian Regulatory Overview for RF Safety

2001 – 2003•

Established EME Management Committee•

Developed standardised EME management practices through a trial know as the “EME rooftop trail”

2004 – 2006•

Developed the base level EME systems on the internet database called the National Site Archive •

Commenced the MCF EME Regulatory Compliance Strategy (MERCS). MERCS took the processes developed during the rooftop trail and turned them into an operational EME compliance system

•

A MERCS Coordinator was appointed to assist the MCF manage this

program development

2007 – 2010•

Complete NSA update with all carrier sites, data, EME compliance

docs –

(MCF Commitment to ACMA)•

Complete the EME compliance & audit processes, and documentation•

Complete the EME systems development including the National Antenna Database•

Program name change to RF Safety Compliance Program (RFSCP) –

reflects key purpose•

External review by Price Waterhouse Coopers –

program achieves high level of compliance •

Develop a model for sharing the program with other Radio Service

Operators•

Transfer the RFSCP into AMTA to facilitate sharing & broader use

for wireless operators 2011•

Annual audit program, operational stability, updates for technology expansions, new reporting tools•

Planned updates to the RFNSA for ACIF Code changes

OVERVIEW OF THE AMTA RF SAFETY COMPLIANCE OVERVIEW OF THE AMTA RF SAFETY COMPLIANCE PROGRAMPROGRAM

Shared Radio Site

Site RF Assessor

Site Control & Access Details

Site RadHaz Drawings

Site Book

Shared User Area“Carriers & Radio Licensees”

Secure User Area

Public Access Area

National Site Archive

www.rfnsa.com.au

Internet Database

User Doc’s

ACIF Code Process Docs

Tx & Antenna Data

Compliance CertificateEnvironmental Report

Elements of the RF Safety Compliance ProgramElements of the RF Safety Compliance Program

-

National Site Archive (NSA) (industry database all carrier sites & other radio services)

-

Site RF Assessors (Accredited EME specialists)

-

Standard site EME / EMI assessment processes-

Standard Site Documentation (Radio Communications Site Management Book

(RCSMB), Site Assessment Report, Site Compliance Certificate)

-

Standard RF signs & access control procedures-

Standard cost structure (site assessments, documentation, and updates)

-

National Antenna database (consistent & standard antenna data for EME software)

-

ACIF Code Management System (automated system linked to NSA)

RF Safety Compliance & Design EME Standards & Regulations in Australia

What are the EME Standards & Regulations?

EME Human Exposure Standard is ARPANSA RPS3- based on national & international research & WHO guidelines

Regulations are imposed by the ACMA, and OH&S Legislation- Radio Communications carrier licence- ACIF Code- State & Commonwealth OH&S ACT’s

RF Safety Compliance & Design EME Standards & Regulations Explained

EME Exposure Standard−

ARPANSA RPS3

identify & manage RF hazard zones around antennas

OH&S Legislation-

ARPANSA RPS3

ACIF Code-

ARPANSA RPS3 -

ARPANSA Environmental EME Report

EME levels calculated 1.5m above ground

0-500m + other points of interest

ACMA Carrier Licence-

ARPANSA RPS3 limits

RF Safety Compliance & Design –

Case Study example site

Base Station pole

WARRADALE SA 5046NSA No 504600135m poleOptus, Vodafone, OV JV, Telstra

RF Safety Compliance & Design –

ARPANSA EME Safety Standard

EME Safety Standard = ARPANSA RPS3Basic Requirements:

Identify radhaz zones (Occupational & Public)Restrict & control access to radhaz zonesHave safe work procedures

RF Safety Compliance & Design –

ARPANSA EME Safety Standard

EME Safety Standard = ARPANSA RPS3Basic Requirements:

Identify radhaz zones (Occupational & Public)Red & Yellow zones in site drawings

Restrict & control access to radhaz zonesLocked compound fence & inherent height restriction

Have safe work proceduresDetailed in RCSMB

RF Safety Compliance & Design –

ARPANSA EME Safety Standard

EME Safety Standard = ARPANSA RPS3Basic Requirements:

Identify radhaz zones (Occupational & Public)Red & Yellow zones in site drawingsRadio Communications Site Management Book (RCSMB)

Restrict & control access to radhaz zonesLocked compound fence & inherent height restriction

Have safe work proceduresDetailed in RCSMB

When a site meets these requirementsRadio Communications Site Management Book (RCSMB) - publishedSite Assessment Report – documents how site meets complianceCompliance Certificate – issued

These documents are stored on the National Site Archive

RF Safety Compliance & Design –

Environmental EME Reports

Base Station pole

Environmental EME Report – ACIF CodeBasic Requirements:

Calculation of maximum EME levels in local environment0 - 500m from base station @ 1.5m above ground levelCalculation of maximum EME levels at points of interestUses ARPANSA prediction methodologyOften called the “ARPANSA Report”

~500m

ARPANSA EME Report

RF Safety Compliance & Design –

Compliance Summary

Compliance Report SummaryRCSMB, Site Assessment Report, Compliance Certificateshow compliance with ARPANSA EME Standard RPS3

Environmental EME Report “ARPANSA Report”show compliance with ACIF Code

Compliance certificate

RF Safety Compliance & Design –

Compliance Summary

Radio Communication Site Management Book•

Proposed•

Provisional•

Limited•

Full•

In Building Coverage

Site Assessment Report

Standard Access Control & RF SignStandard Access Control & RF Sign Importance of cumulative complianceImportance of cumulative compliance

RF Hazard AreaBeyond this PointConsult S ite Management Book

Contact Build ing Manager

Case StudyCase Study --

RMIT Building 108RMIT Building 108

•

11 May 2006 media reports of a ‘cancer cluster’

on the top two floors of RMIT University’s building in the centre of Melbourne caused widespread concern

•

RMIT closed the top two floors to investigate

•

RMIT focused on managing investigation

and staff concerns

•

A media frenzy occurred on alleged cancer and mobile phone towers

•

2 –

3 weeks intense national

media

•

Media and public focus

on mobile phone towers

Case StudyCase Study --

RMIT Building 108RMIT Building 108

Case Study contCase Study cont’’dd --

RMIT Building 108RMIT Building 108

Case Study contCase Study cont’’dd --

RMIT Building 108RMIT Building 108

Case Study contCase Study cont’’dd --

RMIT Building 108RMIT Building 108

After an extensive medical investigation, Dr John Gall of Southern Medical Services declared neither a cluster nor any link to mobile phone

base stations was identified for the cancers found on the two floors of the building.

Given the size and age of the workforce on those two floors, Dr Gall expected to find 6.75 staff members with malignant tumours of all kinds. The actual number recorded was seven.

There was no predominant tumour type, with 10 different tumour types identified among 12 current or past staff who worked on the floors since 1995.

Reference: Southern Medical Services extensive medical investigation:

Medical investigation of tumours detected in building 108, 1 August 2006

Case Study contCase Study cont’’dd --

RMIT Building 108RMIT Building 108

•

Australian Carriers had little control of public issue

(as it was an RMIT building)

•

The media & public concern triggered -

many building managers request EME compliance audits for base stations

-

local councils delayed new site approvals

-

significant increase in public inquiries (approx 300 in 3 weeks)

-

specialist staff were engaged to assist with community inquiries

-

Australian EME web site hits increased 200% -

800%

•

RMIT was managing building crisis

•

Australian carriers were managing significant public inquiries as a result using

-

Extensive carrier briefing material

-

EME Site compliance documentation

-

National internet site database

-

ARPANSA & WHO Fact sheets

Case Study contCase Study cont’’dd --

RMIT Building 108RMIT Building 108

•

Phone towers were cleared of a link to the cancers following detailed environmental test by RMIT

•

Independent 3rd

Parties –

provided trusted information to the media

and public•

Immediate access to up-to-date

information was critical

(fact sheets, web sites, site databases)

•

Open & transparent communications were critical to public trust

•

Public concern remains – RMIT is still raised at consultations for new

base station site proposals

Final Conclusion – nine months later (February 2007)

After an extensive scientific and medical investigation, it was found that there was no cluster and that no common cause

could be identified for the cancers found on the two floors

AMTA 2011 RF Safety Compliance Program UpdateAMTA 2011 RF Safety Compliance Program Update --

SummarySummary

The MCF & AMTA continues to be proactive in key areas:

•

Site audit and compliance programs•

Compliance and Reporting tools•

Simplifying the NSA systems (front page, guest access, mobile access)•

NSA updates for the ACIF Code changes•

Sharing NSA systems with other wireless operators•

Process documentation & training•

Data Integrity & improving business rules

CARS

Access to Site Safety DocumentationAccess to Site Safety Documentation

To ensure that site safety documentation is available to those requiring the information:

•Carriers provide individual building managers with access to additional information via the Rf NSA

•This access is a level above what the general public can see and

ensures that building mangers have the most up to date information on RF Site

Safety

•Provide the building managers with contact details for the carriers

Independent RF AssessorsIndependent RF Assessors

Australia has 5 independent Accredited RF Assessors

Carriers engage these assessors to undertake:

• Site Compliance reviews

• Production of the Radio Communication Site Management book

•Field measurements

ARPANSA Field measurements auditARPANSA Field measurements audit

ARPANSA has coordinated a survey of environmental radio frequency electromagnetic energy (RF EME) levels arising from mobile phone

base station antennas.

ARPANSA chose the sites based on a number of criteria including:• Ability to cover all network operators and technologies• A range of geographical locations• A range of installation types. • Sites with a high level of public concern, • Sites where there is a concentration of base stations in close proximity,

ARPANSA Field measurements auditARPANSA Field measurements audit

Suburb/Town Address State Date

Measured

RF Level

(% of exposure

limits)Heidelberg Heights 23, 27 & 33-35 Southern Road VIC Dec 2010 0.265%Roxburgh Park 180 Somerton Road VIC Dec 2010 0.315%Bulleen East 123A Thompsons Road VIC Jun 2010 1.334%Calamvale Corner of Beaudesert & Compton Roads QLD Oct 2009 0.051%Palmerston 65 Chung Wah Terrace NT Oct 2009 0.890%Wynnum North 14 Mungala Street QLD Oct 2009 0.065%Holt Playing Fields, Ormsby Place ACT Aug 2009 0.127%Lalor 320 Station Street VIC May 2009 0.194%Lower Sandy Bay Sandown Park, Long Point Road TAS May 2009 0.277%Pascoe Vale Rayner Reserve, Devon Road VIC Apr 2009 0.316%City Beach Lot 245 Kilpa Court WA Dec 2007 0.303%Oaklands Park Warradale Barracks SA Dec 2007 0.579%Beaconsfield 20 Moran Street WA Nov 2007 0.009%Bli Bli Whitecross Road QLD Nov 2007 0.026%Bathurst 230 Howick Street NSW Oct 2007 <0.001%Rosemeadow Lot 1 Appin Road NSW Oct 2007 0.109%South Coogee 175 Malabar Road NSW Sep 2007 1.163%Goodwood 147 Goodwood Road SA Aug 2007 0.132%Sandringham 48 Bay Road VIC Apr 2007 0.505%

Summary Results

ARPANSA Field measurements auditARPANSA Field measurements audit

All measurements collected in this survey are well below the limits defined by the current ARPANSA Standard RPS3.

The largest extrapolated RF EME level was found at Bulleen East where 1.33% of the general public exposure limit defined by RPS3 was recorded. This

value is approximately 75 times less than the permitted exposure level under the current standard.

The largest measured levels of RF EME were found for the South Coogee site where a value of 0.27% of the general public exposure limit defined by RPS3 was measured (around 370 times below the limit defined by the standard). This

site also had the largest predicted RF level from the environmental EME report (at

2% of RPS3).

ARPANSA Field measurements auditARPANSA Field measurements audit

This graph compares the observed and predicted RF EME levels as a percentage of the general public limit of the ARPANSA Standard RPS3.

MMF & GSMA Paper on ICNIRP levelsMMF & GSMA Paper on ICNIRP levels

The MMF and GSMA published a paper on adopting non-science based exposure limits instead of the science based limits recommended by the WHO.

Such measures provide no additional health protection for the community but they do have a real impact on efficient network deployment and operation.

•Adoption of lower limits lack any scientific justification;

•Reducing limits is interpreted by the public as evidence that there is something to be concerned about;

•Lower limits create perception that base station emissions are now much higher when viewed as a % of the limit compared with international limit;

•Lower limits will result in larger compliance\exclusion zones which will have ramification on existing sites and may mean that these zones may reach publically

accessible areas

•Lower limits will make co-location difficult

•To ensure compliance with the lower limits, the carriers may be required to reduce the operating powers of their sites which will result in reduced network coverage.

MMF GSMA ICNIRP paper

Useful Web LinksUseful Web Links

MCF www.mcf.amta.org.au

AMTA www.amta.org.au

RF NSA www.rfnsa.com.au

ARPANSA www.arpansa.gov.au

ACMA www.acma.gov.au

EMF Explained www.emfexplained.info

GSMA www.gsm.org

ConclusionConclusion

The Australian Industry has been proactive in key areas:

•Industry co-ordination and co-operation

•Government relations, interaction and education

•Industry compliance strategies and systems

•Pro-active policies –

precautionary and visual

•Web systems to facilitate inter carrier co-operation

•Incorporating non carrier’s to participate in the RF Safety Compliance program such as State Governments and Australia's NBN Co.

Thank you.Thank you.

Questions?