PREDICTION SURVEY

Radiation Risk Assessment: What Is It?

A Radiation Risk Assessment is a process designed to evaluate the potential radiation risks associated with a project.

Why Is a Radiation Risk Assessment Required?

A radiation survey is typically conducted to ensure that radiation levels do not exceed regulatory limits. It is often required to comply with radiation protection laws or to meet green building standard 5281, where radiation compliance is a prerequisite.

This assessment can be conducted for companies, educational institutions, and various other entities. In most cases, a radiation risk survey is performed during the planning phase of a project, which may include:

Radiation risk assessment for an educational institution
Radiation risk assessment for a residential building
Radiation risk assessment for an office building or mixed-use structure
Radiation risk assessment for a hotel development
Radiation risk assessment for a public facility
Radiation risk assessment for power generation facilities, such as photovoltaic plants, wind turbines, and thermosolar installations
And many other cases...

Fields of Radiation Risk Assessment

Radiation risk assessments must be performed by a qualified radiation consultant with expertise in the relevant field.

In non-ionizing radiation assessments, evaluations are typically divided into two main categories:

RF Radiation (Radiofrequency) – from transmission and broadcasting facilities
ELF Radiation (Extremely Low Frequency) – from electrical infrastructure

For construction projects, the primary goal is to assess and predict the magnetic field levels generated by the project's electrical infrastructure.

To conduct this assessment, the consultant requires technical documentation from the project’s electrical engineer and architect.

Process of a Radiation Risk Assessment

A preliminary assessment is usually provided to evaluate the potential impact of electrical infrastructure on the project, with a specific focus on continuously occupied spaces, such as:

Apartments
Workstations
Classrooms
And other frequently occupied areas

Using professional expertise, mathematical models, and specialized software, the consultant estimates the expected magnetic field levels based on the project’s electrical infrastructure and predefined assumptions.

From these estimations, recommendations are provided, including:

Safety distance guidelines
Shielding solutions, if necessary

If radiation shielding is required, the consultant will develop a detailed shielding plan to ensure compliance with the Ministry of Environmental Protection’s exposure guidelines.

The Importance of Early-Stage Assessments

The earlier a radiation risk assessment is conducted in the design phase, the greater the ability to integrate radiation mitigation measures into the project’s layout—minimizing the impact of electrical infrastructure and reducing shielding costs.

The higher the resolution and scope of the assessment, the lower the likelihood of future radiation issues. A comprehensive assessment ensures that there are no regulatory violations with the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Conclusion

Proper planning prevents radiation exceedances and minimizes shielding costs. A well-executed assessment leads to a compliant, safe, and cost-effective project.

What is an active magnetic shielding system?

An active magnetic shielding system is an electronic system that includes sensors and current loops that can monitor the magnetic field levels in a specific area and produce an opposing magnetic field.
What is the purpose of an active magnetic shielding system?

The purpose of an active magnetic shielding system is to reduce magnetic field levels resulting from external electrical infrastructure (such as power lines) located in proximity to the area in interest, so that ultimately the equivalent magnetic field levels will meet the regulatory and/or the client's requirements.
In what situations does an active shielding system solve a radiation problem?

An active shielding system provides a solution to two main situations: Situations in which the desired areas have magnetic field levels that exceed the required exposure values, and situations in which due to the proximity of a project to external electrical infrastructures there is difficulty in obtaining construction permits and approval from the authorities because of a potential for exposure deviations. Given that there is feasibility for installing such a system, then it will provide a solution in terms of magnetic field levels from the electrical infrastructures.
What are the benefits of an active protection system?

The first benefit of an active system is the solution itself - there are many cases for which no alternative solution can be found. For example, in the case of an existing structure near an overhead power line that cannot be modified in any way. Another advantage is in terms of costs, the cost of an active system is significantly cheaper than the costs of burying an overhead high voltage power line. There is also the advantage of schedules, planning and building an active protection system will usually take a few months compared to the schedules for burying a high voltage power line, which can be in the order of years. An active system will also maximize the project area, with an emphasis on the areas intended for continuous occupancy and without expropriation due to radiation levels.
In what situations is an active protection system less appropriate?

The design of an active system will be adapted and designed in accordance with the characteristics of the overhead power lines and in accordance with the project outline. The more complex the interface between the power lines and the structure (different distances and angles), the more complex the system will be and may not provide a complete solution. An active shielding system may be less suitable in the case of a changing energy flow direction regime between the circuits, or it may be complex to implement, which can affect the cost of installation. However, it may still be a possible solution.
How is it determined if an active shielding system is required?

As stated, an active shielding system is a solution to a radiation problem. Usually because of at least one of two scenarios: First scenario - the problem already exists according to measured values in the project area. Second scenario - the problem can arise according to a magnetic field exposure survey, i.e. a survey of high voltage lines carried out towards the project. The survey examines the feasibility of the voltage lines to affect the project area at various electricity consumption scenarios and not only according to the current consumption status.