Ministry of the Environment

Noise Abatement and Radiation Safety Department

02-6495839 Kanfey Nesharim St. 5, P.O.B 34033 Jerusalem, 95464

WWW.ENVIRONMENT.GOV.IL

Guidelines for Measurements of ELF Electromagnetic Fields

I. General.

The guidelines define ELF time varying electric and magnetic fields measurement
instructions based on international guidelines (see bibliography).

II. Goal.

The goal of the guidelines is to characterize measurement methods in order to

estimate exposure levels from different ELF time varying electric and magnetic
fields sources.

III. Definitions.

ELF – Non Ionizing Radiation (NIR) time varying electric and magnetic fields in
the frequency band of 0.1Hz to 300Hz.
Electric source – Stationary ELF NIR source (excluding home appliances and
other ELF sources for personal use).
General public – People exposed to NIR for non-occupational reasons.
Continuously populated area – A location populated by humans on a regular basis
(e.g. residential building, classroom, office, etc.).
Typical current – the maximum current under which the ELF source operates
under normal operating conditions.
Extra high power line – Transmission power line of 400KV.
High power line – Transmission power line above 50KV.
Medium power line – Distribution power line between 1000V – 50KV.
Low power line – Distribution power line of 230V – 380V.
Switching station - Transmission station for 400KV power lines.
Sub station – Transmission station from 400KV to 161KV.
Transformer station – Distribution station from 161KV to 22KV.
Compact transformer station - Distribution station from 22KV to 380V.
Distribution cabinet – Street power distribution cabinet for 380V.

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IV. Measurement equipment.

- Magnetic field measurement device including probes adjusted to 50Hz and

60Hz, calibrated according to IEEE std 644-1994 and approved by the
Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
- Electric field measurement device including probes adjusted to 50Hz and
60Hz, calibrated according to IEEE std 644-1994 and approved by the
Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
- GPS.
- Tripod.
- Distance meter.

V. Measurement methods.

i. Measurement locations criteria:

- In open fields:

Choose measurement locations wherever the highest magnetic field

was found (according to a short term magnetic field measurement
scan).
For power lines of all kinds choose measurement locations at the
power line ground axis and at the nearest populated area to the power
line including the nearest entrance to a populated building.
Choose other measurement locations as follows:
- For low power lines, choose locations following a grid of 1m from
the power line ground axis on both sides.
- For medium power lines, choose locations following a grid of 2m
from the power line ground axis on both sides.
- For high and extra high power lines, choose locations following a
grid of 5 m from the power line ground axis on both sides.
- For sub stations and switching stations, choose locations following
a grid of 1 m from the fence around the station and at the exit and
entrance of the power lines’ cable.
- For compact transformer stations, distribution cabinets and other
electricity cabinets, choose locations following a grid of 0.5 m
around the power source.

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 - Inside buildings:

Choose measurement locations wherever the highest magnetic field is

found (according to a short magnetic field measurement scan).
In populated rooms, choose locations at room center and at any
continuously populated areas (e.g., work desks, beds).
To characterize magnetic fields from external ELF sources, choose
locations where the influence from other indoor ELF source (such as
home appliances) will be minimal.
For power lines of all kinds, choose measurement locations closest to
the power line direction in the building/room.
For indoor transformers rooms, distribution cabinets and other
electricity cabinets in buildings, choose locations following a grid of
0.5 m around the power source including above and under transformer
rooms if possible.

ii. Radiation safety:

The measurement should begin far from the source (according to

magnetic field estimation) and proceed towards the ELF source.

iii. Measurement procedure:

Make sure that all electric home appliances near the measurement
locations (up to 1 m distance) are not operating.

1. Describe the measurement point in the report (see appendix B) in as

much detail as possible.
2. Measure the distance between the ELF source and the measurement
point.
3. Measurement height:
Outdoors: Set the tripod height at 1 m above the surface level.
Indoors: Set the tripod height between 0.3 m and 1 m above the surface
level according to the following:
- Measurement in a bedroom should be taken at bed height.
- Measurement in an office should be taken at table height.
4. At each measurement point, measure the magnetic field [mG] or [µT]
(see appendix B).
5. (*) Only outdoors, at each measurement point, measure the electric
field [V/m] (see appendix B).
6. Measurement time is 30 seconds at each measurement point.

(*) Keep at least 1 m away from stationary metallic bodies (e.g.,

fence, car, etc.).

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VI. Report.

1. Check the ELF source technical details including maximum power, maximum
current, typical current, reserve phase configuration, conductors structure, etc.
2. Prepare a measurement report as described in appendix B.
3. Normalize the measurement results in the report to the typical current in appendix
B.

VII. Sources.

1. World Health Organization, “Electromagnetic Fields and Public Health: Extremely

Low Frequency (ELF)”, Fact Sheet WHO/205, November 1998.

2. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) “IEEE Standard

Procedures of Measurement of Power Frequency Electronic and Magnetic Fields
from AC Power Lines”, IEEE Std. 644-1994.

3. ARPANSA (2002), “Measurements of Residential Power Frequency Magnetic

Fields”, Technical Report 134, ISSN 0157-1400.

4. EN 50366 Household and similar electrical appliances – Electromagnetic fields –

Methods for evaluation and measurement, March 2005.

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 Appendix B
The Israeli Electric Company Devices Characteristics

Device type Number Thermal Reserve phase Typical

of current (A) configuration current (A)
circuits
Extra high power line 2 3200 No 800
Extra high power line 2 3200 Yes 800
High power line 2 1400 No 350
High power line 2 1400 Yes 350
Underground high
power line 2 1000 No 250
Under ground high
power line 2 1000 Yes 250
Medium power line 2 400 No 00
Medium power line 2 400 Yes 00
Underground
medium power line 2 400 No 00
Underground
medium power line 2 400 Yes 00
Distribution cabinet Irrelevant 910 Irrelevant
Old electric cabinet Irrelevant 315 Irrelevant
New electric cabinet Irrelevant 500 Irrelevant
Irrelevant 25 Irrelevant 25
Irrelevant 25 Irrelevant 25
Irrelevant 25 Irrelevant
Irrelevant 200 Irrelevant 200

Device type Thermal current Maximum power Typical current

(A) (KVA) (A)
Transformer with
power feed from 910 630
top
Transformer with
power feed from 1445 1000
top
Transformer with
power feed from 910 630
bottom
Compact
910 630
transformer station

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 Contact details including: telephone\ fax\ address\ e-mail\ website

To:

Dear Sir, Madam

Subject: Non Ionizing Radiation Measurements - ELF Band

1. Attached is the ELF magnetic field measurements protocol:

Name (of the applicant):

Request Date:
Address:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Fax:
Date of measurements:
Address of measurements:
Witness at time of measurements:
Type of measurements: ELF magnetic field

Name of the surveyor

License number
License expiry date

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 Measurement characteristics and location

Measurement conditions: The measurement was taken between the

hours_______, at height ____(m) above ground or
surface area. Weather conditions.
ELF sources: 161KV/ 400KV/22KV/ 380V power lines, transformer
room/ pillar/ distribution box/ electric floor heating system/
etc.
Site characteristics: Rural/ urban/ suburban, etc.
Residential area (apartment / Floor number/ building
height/school/ etc.).

Magnetic field measurement results

Height of H-field
Distance to
measurement result
No. Measurement point details ELF source
point
[m] [mG]
[m]

Results are valid for time and place of measurement.

Pictures from measurement site

Pictures of the ELF source.
For underfloor heating systems, please add the manufacturer name and the system
model

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 Explanation of measurement results

o The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that the maximum short-term
exposure for humans to varying magnetic fields at 50 Hz should not exceed
1000 milliGauss (mG).

o The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that
human exposure of 24 hours average, to varying electro-magnetic fields from
power lines and transformers exceeding 2 mG, are possibly carcinogenic.

o Research studies of time varying magnetic fields field and experience based on
hundred of hours of measurements show that electromagnetic fields in sites
permitted for residential building in the environs of high voltage transmission
lines are significantly lower than these guidelines and do not exceed 0.4 mG.

o Based on the precautionary principle, the Ministry of the Environment

recommends to planning agencies and to the Israel Electric Corporation to
undertake risk assessment and calculate the anticipated magnetic fields from
transformers and to undertake magnetic field measurements prior to the time
in which buildings are populated.

For further explanations and details see the Ministry of the

Environment’s website:
www.environment.gov.il

Measurement device characteristics

Measurement device (company \ Electromagnetic Field Strength Meter, Model,

model\ serial number): S/n
Probe model and technical Electric field probe model
specification: S/n
Frequency range
Level range
Sensitivity
Temperature error
Calibration date:

For further details please contact (contact details)

Sincerely,

Copy:

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