EMF COMP
Pacemaker & ICD Interference Assessments
Pacemakers, ICDs and other active or passive implanted medical devices are highly susceptible to electromagnetic fields.
Because of EMF hazards and dangers of pacemakers and ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators) in the workplace, legislation was introduced in the form of the Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations (CEMFAW) 2016. Companies with more than five employees are required to carry out an EMF risk assessment. Commonly found equipment, such as magnets and electrical supplies, interfere with pacemakers and ICDs. Interference effects can be extremely hazardous. CEMFAW regulations and associated guidance place more restrictive limits on the amount of EMF an employee with a pacemaker, ICD or other implant can be exposed to. Our chartered experts successfully deliver quality ‘back to work’ EMF pacemaker or ICD surveys for workers recently fitted with implanted medical devices. We assess EMF levels if you have an existing employee, contractor, or visitor on site with a medical implant. These EMF assessments guard against implanted device interference. Contact us for more details.
EMF Guidance for Pacemaker Wearers and Defibrillators (ICDs)
All employers in all sectors are required to comply with EMF legislation, the Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations, or CEMFAW. Electromagnetic fields and pacemakers, ICDs or other implants present an exposure risk. Industrial environments contain numerous risks from EMF exposure, ranging from adverse health effects to standard workers, to interference hazards to workers with medical devices such as pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), grouped as ‘workers at particular risk’.
We are leaders in examining compliance with EMF legislation, guidance, and limits. Our Director, Dr Richard Findlay, is an active member of the Society for Radiological Protection and the EMF safety sector. Dr Findlay is the Chair of the SRP EMF and Optical Radiation Safety Committee, a Fellow of the SRP and a Chartered Radiation Protection Professional. Hence, among other EMF safety activities, we can accurately assess the potential for electromagnetic interference with an employee’s cardiac device in their workplace. These pacemaker and ICD precautions protect against ICD interference.
Help is at Hand
Problems with pacemakers, ICDs and other implants exist in the workplace. Pacemaker precautions and ICD restrictions are often necessary. For workers at particular risk, EMF assessments can be particularly complicated. Workers with medical implants or body-worn medical devices may have been given specific information on safe field strengths. If so, this information will provide assessment criteria and can take precedence over more general information in the public domain.
Examples of interference risks include ICDs/ pacemakers and welding, magnets affecting pacemakers, pacemakers and electric motors, and exposure to cables carrying significant electrical currents. Hence, ICD and pacemaker warning signage is often required to be displayed. EMFcomp’s specialists will happily guide an employer through the risks related to electromagnetic fields and cardiac devices in their workplace, producing solutions, action plans and mitigation measures.
Medical Devices Prone to Electromagnetic Interference
Electromagnetic fields can interfere with the following equipment:
- Cardiac pacemakers
- Cardiac defibrillators
- Implanted drug infusion pumps
- Insulin pumps
- Hormone infusion pumps
- Brainstem and cochlear implants
- Artificial joints, pins, plates and screws
- Neurostimulators and brain shunts
Independent Advice
Our specialists act as an independent third party using the scientific facts related to EMF interference with medical devices, and we will always remain impartial in both our EMF assessments and recommendations, for electromagnetic fields and pacemakers. We work closely with industrial clients so they obtain an in-depth understanding of EMF regulations, such as the Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations 2016 or CEMFAW. This allows clients to implement the correct mitigation measures to protect ‘at risk’ employees.
Affiliated Organisation
EMFcomp is SafeContractor accredited and an Affiliate of the Society for Radiological Protection. We are an Alumnus of the European Space Agency BIC. EMFcomp provide a wide range of leading electromagnetic assessments from human EMF pacemaker exposure modelling to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) measurements. Get in touch today for a no obligation, free consultation.
