OCCUPATIONAL RADIO FREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD (RF-EMF) EXPOSURE AND IT ASSOCIATION WITH PHYSIOLOGY PARAMETERS OF OUTDOOR MALE AIRPORT WORKERS IN SEPANG, MALAYSIA

This cross-sectional study conducted to determine the associations between exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) at workplace on physiological parameters of male airport workers. Forty-seven respondents exposed to RF-EMF during working hours (exposed) and 47 administration workers (comparative). RF-EMF exposure describe by electric field (V/m), magnetic field (A/m) and power density (W/m2) at three specific heights (0.5m, 1.0m and 1.6m). Body core temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate representing physiological parameters. Results showed there was significant differentiation for all types of current exposure of RF-EMF and no significant different of physiology parameters between exposed and comparative group. There was significant relationship between the RF-EMF parameters with systolic blood pressure before working and diastolic blood pressure before and after working; there was significant relationship between the magnetic field and pulse rate after working; there was significant relationship between the power density and pulse rate after working. The regression test showed working location and working duration also influence the physiology parameters. In conclusions, this study suggests that changes in physiology parameters among airport male workers were not only due to exposure of RF-EMF but also influenced by working duration, working location, fasting, smoking, drinking coffee and stress.