May 2008
Assessment summary details / Reference: / RA54
Division / Journalism / Departments / Newsgathering, TV and Radio Programmes, Online, Nations & Regions news programmes, Global News Division.
Series / Production / Unit / Journalism Safety Series for gathering news and news programme work on location / Programme / Area / All news gathering work on location for BBC News programmes including multimedia productions e.g. TV, Radio and Online.
Responsible Manager
Address / tel. / BBC Journalism Board
BBC Safety Journalism Team / Contact office
Address / tel. / BBC Safety. Internal: 0464
External: +44(0) 370 411 0464
Date assessment created / Series created June 2008 / Sign-off status / Corporate Generic Risk Assessments
Risk assessment title
Simple name for reference purposes / Non ionising radiation
Outline of risk assessment
Summary of what is proposed / Equipment in use that emits non ionising radiation such as mobile phones, wireless cameras, satellite dishes etc.
Low P / Medium / High
Assessment start date / June 2009 / Review / End date / June 2010
Country location / UK and International / Hostile / travel advisory? / If location at which the activity takes place is in a HE or travel advisory area, further risk assessment and consultation with BBC Safety must take place.
Location details / Variable
Key crew / team
Roles, responsibilities, competencies / Individuals working at News locations are responsible for acting safely at all times in regard to their own safety, that of their colleagues and the general public. Including Producers, Directors, Broadcast Journalists, Camera Journalists, Researchers, Correspondents, Presenters, Technical support staff and other staff.
Attachments
Upload supporting documents / http://explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/myrisks/myrisks_home/hazardous_activities/radiation.aspx_
http://explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/myrisks/myrisks_home/hazardous_activities/driving_and_vehicle_management/
Assessor
Person drafting risk assessment / Newsgathering and Safety JSG Team / Assessor safety competence / Chartered Safety Practitioners (CIOSH) and experienced News location managers.
Authoriser / Job role
Person responsible for sign-off / Stephen Gregory
Head of BBC Production Safety / Date signed-off / June 2009
Distribution
Who gets a copy of the assessment / Assessment is communicated through Journalism Safety Guide [JSG] and is available on BBC Gateway site.
Comments log
Who by / Date / time received / Comments / Assessor response / Date/ time responded
Louise Bisdee / June 09 / Risk rating added and light revision in line with 2nd Ed of JSG / Incorporated into risk assessment / June 2009
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/ Risk Assessment Form – Part B / Version 7May 2008
What are you doing? / Who is involved? / How could people get ill / injured? / How are you going to prevent this happening?
Activity title:
Non ionising radiation / Journalists, programme makers, staff and freelancers.
General public. / Non-ionising radiation can cause partial or whole body heating / § Dishes on vehicles. The height and direction of the dishes normally precludes the likelihood of anyone being exposed to harmful levels of radiation. This should be considered before operating any dishes.
§ Display warning signs in line with training received in safe use.
§ Use sat phones in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions e.g. set up so that people are not in the direct path of the waves which are transmitted in a cone shaped path from the equipment – see details * below.
§ Make sure you have been trained on their use before deployment. Technical training and information available through local line management and Newsgathering.
§ Report any defect or damage to line management
Description:
Work using broadcast equipment to capture and transmit radio signals. / *Nera / M4 / Bgan / § Keep area clear 2 metres in front of the device – to avoid non ionising radiation field emitted in a tight cone in front of the kit.
Limitations / restrictions:
A pre activity recce is not always practical; so teams must make additional ‘on the spot’ decisions on location of satellite equipment when on location and tell the RO or deployer of increased risks and any new controls.
This assessment does not cover specialist lights and optical radiation. / *Immarsat B Terminal / § Safety zone required - 6 metres.
§ Used for special deployments only where safety zone can be maintained e.g. Arctic.
*Thuraya / Iridium phones / § Open antenna and use with antenna pointing to sky.
§ Phone has message display that communicates this information.
Mobile phones**
Mostly expose the tissues of the head nearest to the phone's antenna to non ionising radiation.
**Information from Health protection Agency (HPA) / § Hold with antenna around 2 cm from the head.
§ Localised exposure is measured as the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of energy in the head.
§ European guidelines advise localised SAR should not exceed 2 watts per kilogram.
§ All phones sold in the UK have to be tested to ensure they produce SARs below the above figure.
§ SAR values for specific phone models can be found through the Mobile Manufacturers Forum (MMF) website and range up to around 1.5 watts per kilogram.
§ If sourcing phones outside reputable suppliers / non European brands – check SARs values are below UK recommended levels:
http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/sar.htm
§ Never use hand held mobile phones when driving.
§ Keep any calls using hands free to essential calls only, for a minimum amount of time.
Action Plan:
Communicate results of risk assessment through Journalism Safety Guide.
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