Validation of Expert Judgment in Assessing Occupational Exposure to Magnetic Fields in the Utility Industry

Abstract

Personal samples from electric utility personnel engaged in routine daily activities are used to validate an exposure ranking scheme developed from experiential judgment. Supervisors within the utility industry were asked to rank job titles into three categories in order of their presumed exposure to magnetic fields. Statistical analysis of personal monitoring data collected using an electric and magnetic digital exposure meter establishes that the categorization based on supervisor's judgement is valid, and that a reasonable basis for historical classification of exposure exists.