Subject:  - Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Dear Colleague,

Over the last 1- 2 year(s), CWA-represented telecommunications

employers have begun to install and use mobile Global

Positioning Systems (GPS) equipment in company vehicles.

Telecommunications employers have installed the GPS

equipment to monitor the location, speed, direction

of travel, and employee productivity. Since this equipment

operates via the use of non-ionizing, low level electromagnetic

energy or radiation, CWA craft members who have GPS

units in their company vehicles have raised concerns

regarding the potential for harmful exposure to electromagnetic

energy or radiation emitted by the GPS equipment. This

memo addresses the occupational safety and health issues

related to the safe installation and use of GPS equipment.

How GPS Works

The satellite-based Global Positioning System equipment

operates by means of a satellite sending electromagnetic

non-ionizing, low level energy via an antenna located

on the roof of the vehicle to GPS receiver equipment

located within the vehicle. In turn, after the GPS

equipment receives the location specific information

from the satellite, the GPS equipment or engine translates

the receiving signal into data information and passes

it along to a computer (CPU). Based on the received

information, the CPU determines the vehicle location.

Then the location data is sent to a Rover/Server Database.

This information, retrieved by means of the internet,

can be updated at time intervals as determined by the

employer.

Safe Installation and Use

According to available scientific and technical information,

as long as the GPS equipment is installed and operated

in conformance with the Federal Communications Commission

(FCC) and manufacturer's recommendations, the non-ionizing

emissions do not have the strength

or ability to cause biological or health effects. This

would be true regardless of the frequency or number

of times, as well as the duration or amount of time

spent working near the GPS equipment. The FCC recommends

that the base of the GPS antenna equipment (positioned

on the outside roof of the vehicle) not be located

within 20 centimeters (cm) or 7.87 inches of the worker's

head. Also, the vehicle roof will provide ample shielding

from VLF emissions from GPS antenna equipment. Adherence

to these recommendations will prevent potentially harmful

exposures from the GPS equipment.

Educating Members

CWA locals should request that the employer(s) provide

all affected workers with instructional/educational

materials (including manufacturer's specification/compliance

data, as well as information on health effects) regarding

the operation and use of the GPS equipment. In addition,

the employer should ensure that the FCC/unique identifier

is located on the GPS equipment and a label containing

compliance information is placed upon the container

in which the GPS equipment is contained/sold.

For additional information about this important safety

and health issue, please review the FCC document entitled

"Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human

Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields"

at the FCC Web Page http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety

and the CWA Fact Sheet # 16, "Microwave and Radiofrequency

Radiation and the Workplace," available on the CWA

Web Page at http://www.cwa-union.org/osh .

If you have any question regarding this matter, please

contact me at:

E-mail: legrande@cwa-union.org

In Unity,

David E. LeGrande

Director, Occupational Safety and Health, CWA