Exposure to Optical Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields at the Workplace: Criteria for Occupational Health Surveillance According to Current European Legislation

Abstract

Article history: Received: 24 December, 2020 Accepted: 16 February, 2021 Online: 28 February, 2021 A very large number of workers is occupationally exposed to Optical Radiation (OR) worldwide, while indeed nowadays an exposure to Electromagnetic fields (EMF) can occur in almost all workplaces. OR origin can be natural, including the most relevant source, i.e. the sun, or artificial, that can be further classified in incoherent and coherent, i.e. the LASERs. Solar radiation (SR) exposure, and in particular its most harmful component, the ultraviolet radiation (UVR), is a significant occupational risk in outdoor workers , including e.g. farmers and construction workers. UVR is mainly absorbed in the eye and the skin, there inducing various short-term and chronic adverse health effects, as burns, cataract and skin cancers. At least in Europe, for SR exposed workers no specific obligations currently exist regarding the Health Surveillance (HS), that is instead required for occupational exposures to artificial OR according to the legislation of the European Union (EU, Directive 2006/25/EC). Considering now EMF, the EU Directive 2013/35/EU provides an obligation for the HS of exposed workers, aimed at the prevention of the possible direct short-term effects, as involuntary contractions or temperature increase of tissues, and indirect effects, as shocks and interference. Conversely, long-term effects are not considered in the Directive as data on causal relationship, including reliable mechanisms, are considered inadequate. Direct short-term and indirect effects can appear solely in case of high exposures, usually occuring only accidentally, but a specific group of workers, defined at particular risk , exists, and it includes e.g. persons with implanted active medical devices, as cardioverter defibrillators or pacemakers. In these workers, adverse effects can be induced at lower EMF levels. The identification and an adequate protection of the workers at particular risk is one of the main goals of the HS of occupational EMF exposure. The main HS criteria applicable for workers with exposure to OR and EMF are discussed in this article.