Abstract

Background: Most epidemiological studies on adverse health effects among women in relation to occupational magnetic field exposure have been based on information about men’s exposure.

Aims: To create a job-exposure matrix for occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields among women.

Methods and Results: Measurements were performed using personal magnetic field meters (Emdex Lite) carried by the subjects for 24 hours on a normal workday. Subjects were volunteer women working in the occupations identified as common among women in Stockholm County based on the 1980 census. A total of 471 measurements were made in 49 different occupations, with a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 24 measurements in each occupation. The included occupations cover about 85% of the female population gainfully employed in 1980. Parameters representing average and peak magnetic field exposures, temporal change in the exposure, and proportion of time spent above certain exposure levels were calculated both for the workday and for the total 24 hour period grouped by occupational titles. The occupations with higher than average exposure were cashiers, working proprietors in retail trade, air stewardesses, dental nurses, cooks, post-office clerks and kitchen maids.

Conclusions: This new job-exposure matrix substantially increases the knowledge about magnetic field exposure among women and can be used for exposure assessment in future studies.