Protection from radiation exposure.

(1) Employees must not enter areas where radio frequency radiation (RFR) exposure levels are above the general population/uncontrolled MPEs described in 47 C.F.R. 1.1310 unless they understand the potential for exposure and can exercise control over the exposure.

(2) Hazardous area. Accessible areas associated with communication systems where the electromagnetic radiation level exceeds the maximum permissible exposure limits (PELs) given in WAC 296-62-09005 must be posted as described in that section.

(3) Protective measures. When an employee works in an area where the electromagnetic radiation exceeds the radiation protection guide, the employer must institute measures that ensure that the employee's exposure is not greater than that permitted by the radiation guide. Such measures must include, but not be limited to, those of an administrative or engineering nature or those involving personal protective equipment. Employers must have monitoring devices on each site while work is being performed.

(4) Radiofrequency radiation exposure limits. The criteria listed in Table 4 must be used to evaluate the environmental impact of human exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation as specified in 47 C.F.R. Sec. 1.1307(b), except in the case of portable devices which must be evaluated according to the provisions of 47 C.F.R. Sec. 2.1093. Further information on evaluating compliance with these limits can be found in the FCC's OST/OET Bulletin Number 65, "Evaluating Compliance with FCC-Specified Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation." Note to Introductory Paragraph: These limits are generally based on recommended exposure guidelines published by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) in "Biological Effects and Exposure Criteria for Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields," NCRP Report No. 86, sections 17.4.1, 17.4.1.1, 17.4.2 and 17.4.3. Copyright NCRP, 1986, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. In the frequency range from 100 MHz to 1500 MHz, exposure limits for field strength and power density are also generally based on guidelines recommended by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in section 4.1 of "IEEE Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, 3 kHz to 300 GHz," ANSI/IEEE C95.1-1992, Copyright 1992 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., New York, New York 10017.