The action values referred in the table below are obtained from the exposure limit values

according to the rationale used by the International Commission on Non-ionising Radiation

Protection (ICNIRP) in its guidelines on limiting exposure to non-ionising radiation (ICNIRP
7/99).Those limits are mentioned in the DIRECTIVE 2004/40/EC OF THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL.
Frequency range

0,025 0,82 kHz

Electric
field
strength, E
(V/m)
500/f(Hz)

Magnetic
field
strength, H
(A/m)
20/f(Hz)

Magnetic flux
density, B
(T)

Contact
current,
IC(mA)

25/f(Hz)

1,0

Exposure limit for

current density for head
and trunk J (mA/m2)
(rms) for f=4-1000 Hz
10

The exposure limit values (ELV) and action levels (AL) from THE DIRECTIVE
2013/35/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL are presented in the
table below:
Health effects ELVs for internal electric field strength from 1 Hz to 10 MHz
Frequency range
1 Hz f < 3 kHz

1,1

Health effects ELVs

Vm 1 (peak)

Sensory effects ELVs for internal electric field strength from 1 to 400 Hz
Frequency range
25 f 400 Hz

Sensory effects ELVs

0,0028 f(Hz)
Vm 1 (peak)

ALs for exposure to electric fields from 1 Hz to 10 MHz

Frequency range
25 f < 50 Hz
50 Hz f < 1,64 kHz

Electric field strength Low ALs (E)

[Vm 1 ] (RMS)
5,0 10 5 /f (Hz)
5,0 10 5 /f (Hz)

Electric field strength High ALs (E)

[Vm 1 ] (RMS)
2,0 10 4
1,0 10 6 /f (Hz)

ALs for exposure to magnetic fields from 1 Hz to 10 MHz

Frequency range

25 f < 300 Hz

Magnetic flux
density Low ALs(B)
[T] (RMS)
1,0 10 3

Magnetic flux density

High ALs(B) [T]
(RMS)
3,0 10 5 /f (Hz)

Magnetic flux density ALs for

exposure of limbs to a localised
magnetic field [T] (RMS)
9,0 10 5 /f (Hz)

ALs for contact current I C

Frequency
up to 2,5 kHz

ALs (I C ) steady state contact current [mA] (RMS)

1,0

ALs for magnetic flux density of static magnetic fields

Hazards
Interference with active implanted devices, e.g.
cardiac pacemakers
Attraction and projectile risk in the fringe field
of high field strength sources (> 100 mT)

ALs(B 0 )
0,5 mT
3 mT

ICNIRP static magnetic field limits:

Exposure characteristics
Occupational

Magnetic flux density

Exposure of head and of trunk

Exposure of limbs

2T
8T

General Public
Exposure of any part of the body

400 mT

ICNIRP limits for time-varying electric and magnetic fields

Exposure characteristic
Occupational exposure

Frequency range

Internal electric field (V m -1)

CNS tissue of the head

All tissues of head and body

25 Hz - 400 Hz
1 Hz - 3 kHz

2x10-3 f (Hz)
0.8

25 Hz - 1000 Hz
1 Hz 3 kHz

4x 10-4 f (Hz)
0.4

General Public exposure

CNS tissue of the head
All tissues of head and body

ICNIRP limits for time-varying electric and magnetic fields (unperturbed rms values).
Exposure type
Occupational
exposure
General Public

Frequency range
25 Hz - 300 Hz

E-field strength
E(kV m-1)
5x102/f (Hz)

25 Hz - 50 Hz
50 Hz - 400 Hz

5
2,5x102/f (Hz)

Magnetic field
Magnetic flux
strength H (A m-1) density B (T)
8x102
1x10-3
1,6x102
1,6x102

2x10-4
2x10-4

ICNIRP reference levels for time- varying contact currents from conductive objects
Exposure characteristics
Occupational exposure
General public exposure

Frequency range
Up to 2,5 kHz
Up to 2,5 kHz

Maximum contact current (mA)

1
0,5

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) - The Interstate Natural Gas
Association of America (INGAA)

Illustration of HVAC Fault Condition

Inductive and Conductive Interference
(Resistive coupling)

Illustration of an induced current in a fence

The four coupling mechanisms are:

Resistive (or galvanic) coupling: The noise signal is transferred via electrical connections. This
works at all frequencies, and is usually fixed by good layout (particularly the ground layout) and
filtering with capacitors and inductors or lower signal levels with RC elements. Common
impedance coupling can be classified as galvanic coupling.
Capacitive coupling: Electrical fields are the main transmission path. Capacitance levels are mostly
small so this affects small signals and/or high frequencies. Shielding the source using thin
conductive layers is most effective.
Inductive coupling: This transmission path is quite common in switched-mode power supplies since
high frequency currents in the inductors can cause strong magnetic fields at higher frequencies,
where the coupling factors can be higher. Magnetic shielding is less effective than electric shielding
since the absorption depth is smaller, requiring thicker materials. Inductive coupling is best
addressed at the source.
Wave coupling: Here, the noise typically has a high frequency, and is transmitted via an
electromagnetic wave. It does not play a major role in power supplies, since frequencies are not
high enough, and can be damped very effectively with shielding.

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA)

Touch and Step Potential Limits:

Both NACE and CSA standards recommend reducing the steady state touch and step
potential below 15 V at any location where a person could contact the pipeline or any electrically
continuous appurtenance. The 15 V threshold is designed to limit the available maximum current
through a typical human body to less than 10 mA. An 8 to 15 mA current results in a painful shock
but is still in the maximum let go current range, for which a person can release an object or
withdraw from contact.

Mitigation Techniques:

Supplemental grounding of the pipeline with sacrificial anodes or other grounding means;
Bonding the pipeline to individual power line pole grounds or towers through the use of
polarization cells;
Installation of parallel mitigation wires bonded to the pipeline at regular intervals;
In the case of wire fences insulated from ground on wooden posts a common mitigation
measure for eliminating the potential for shock is to install grounding wires;
Bonding the pipeline to purposefully designed made grounds;
Changing phase relationships between multiple power line circuit conductors;
Use of Faraday cages with sacrificial anodes;
Relocation of the pipeline or power line to provide greater separation from the influencing
power system.
Installation of a non-metallic pipeline such as high-density polyethylene pipe, if design
pressures permit.
Installation of gradient control electrodes or mats at all aboveground appurtenances;
Security fencing around above-ground appurtenances do not mitigate induced voltages but
they do limit access to the structure.

The http://www.emfs.info/ mention the following values for the magnetic fields from UK rail
systems: