Racing Boat and RF Safety Compliance

We received a call from a racing boat manufacturer with concerns that the new state-of-the-art telemetry equipment being installed on their boat might affect the racing crew. EMF/RF conducted a RF safety compliance survey, and were able to assure the manufacturer and the crew that RF radiation levels from the newly installed communications equipment were below the permissible exposure limits of RF radiation so would not adversely affect the team.

EMF Management Plans for School Districts

The California Department of Education is requiring specific distance setbacks from high-tension power transmission lines for new construction of school campuses. If the setback distances cannot be met, an EMF Management Plan must be established. This plan consists of EMF site surveys, projection of future EMF levels and implementation of EMF reduction techniques during construction. It also contains guidance in where electronic equipment should be placed within the school buildings. To date, we have conducted EMF Management Plans and/or EMF site surveys for the following school districts.

• Pomona Unified School District
• Redlands Unified School District
• Rialto Unified School District
• Colton Joint Unified School District
• Fontana Unified School District
• Murrieta Valley Unified School District

Wiring Error Identified in New School Construction

A new school campus was being built in Phoenix, Arizona. Parents of future students were very concerned about the two transmission lines running through the school’s parking lot and how that would affect their children both inside and outside the classrooms and buildings. To ease their concerns, EMF/RF performed on-site measurements, contacted the utility provider about future line load conditions and were able to provide the school district with projected average and maximum EMF levels which the different school buildings would be exposed to.

A follow-up EMF survey after the construction was completed showed significantly higher EMF levels in areas than predicted under maximum power line load conditions, indicating electrical wiring problems in the new buildings. Our investigation quickly identified the source of the problem and provided valuable information for the school district and the general contractor to address the wiring issues. Thus reducing the EMF exposure to students and staff members.

RF Safety Compliance Survey

A construction company involved in the construction of a new water tower contacted EMF/RF. This new tower was going to be built next to an existing water tower, which had a large number of cellular transmission antennas mounted to the structure. The contractor was concerned about the workers possible exposure to high levels of RF radiation during construction.

We conducted an RF safety compliance survey by utilizing a bucket lift to reach the areas where workers would potentially be working. The measurement data was compared to state and federal occupational safety and health regulations. We were able to assure the contractor that workers would be below State and Federal occupation permissible exposure limits from RF radiation during the construction process.

Mitigation to Create a Low EMF/RF Home

Our client purchased a large home in Rancho Santa Fe, California and was planning an extensive remodeling project. One of their goals was to create a low EMF and RF radiation home without sacrificing major comforts. We conducted an initial EMF and RF survey and detected some significantly elevated magnetic field levels. Further source investigations by our EMF trouble shooting electrical contractor identified electrical wiring and bonding problems causing stray currents on steel in the concrete slab. Communication and interaction with the utility company was necessary to eliminate these stray currents. An EMF and RF management plan for the remodeling process was designed. The project monitored and successfully accomplished the homeowner’s goals to have a low electromagnetic radiation home environment.

Computer Interference in a Commercial Bank Building

Upon moving into the entire first floor of a high-rise building in Phoenix, Arizona a bank experienced computer interference problems in a section of the floor area. Our EMF measurements identified the secondary electrical feeds located in a transformer vault under the building as the source for the elevated magnetic field levels and subsequent computer interference. The bank management decided that mitigation was needed to eliminate the computer inference. Our team evaluated how much field reduction was necessary, developed a mitigation plan with changes to the wiring configuration and increases in the distance between the electrical raceways and the bank floor.

The client consulted with the utility provider, which verified the achievability of our design goal and technical specifications. The utility provider in the vault installed the new raceways during normal business hours. The switch over from the original wiring system to the new system was performed overnight on a weekend, allowing the building electrical system to be shut down without disrupting normal business operations. Upon connecting the building back to the electric grid, a 96% magnetic field reduction was achieved and the computer interference was eliminated.