RF RADIATION HAZARDS

4-22 SAFETY Many safety and health hazards are involved with operating and maintaining high-power radars. These hazards result from high levels of rf radiation, X-ray emissions, the necessity of working aloft, and the generation of extremely high voltages. Navy professionals are very safety conscious and, as a result, the number of accidents that occur on the job is small. Most of the safety precautions applicable to radar are published in radar technical manuals. Many of the safety regulations included in technical manuals are the result of actual experiences. Therefore, you should give them careful thought and strict observance. RF RADIATION HAZARDS Radar peak power may reach a million watts or more. Rf radiation hazards exist in the vicinity of radar transmitting antennas. These hazards are present not only in front of an antenna but also to the sides and sometimes even behind it because of spillover and reflection. At some frequencies, exposure to excessive levels of radiation will not produce a sufficient sensation of pain or discomfort to warn you of injury. If you suspect any injury, see your ship's doctor or corpsman. Be sure to acquaint yourself with the actual radiation hazard zones of the radars on your ship. Personnel should observe the following precautions to ensure that persons are not exposed to harmful rf radiation: · Visual inspection of feedhorns, open ends of waveguides, and any other opening that emits rf energy should not be made unless the equipment is properly secured and tagged for that purpose. · Operating and maintenance personnel should observe all rf radiation hazard signs posted in the operating area. · All personnel should observe rf radiation hazard (radhaz) warning signs (figure 4-17) that point out the existence of rf radiation hazards in a specific location or area. (You may encounter other types of rf radiation hazard signs, depending on the situation.) · Ensure that radiation hazard warning signs are available and posted. · Ensure that those radar antennas that normally rotate are rotated continuously while radiating or are trained to a known safe bearing. · Ensure that those antennas that do not normally rotate are pointed away from inhabited areas (ships, piers, and the like) while radiating. · Dummy loads should be employed where applicable in transmitting equipment during testing or checkout.