Vessels must safeguard against threat of radar radiation

It’s a fact that radars emit enough RF, or radio frequency electromagnetic field radiation, to produce serious biological damage risk to people. Therefore, it is important that each vessel, whether a sport fishing boat or a vlcc tanker, has a system in place to protect personnel from RF exposure. Here are some important procedures:

1) Do not go work on the unit alone. Always have another person standing by in case of emergency.

2) When going aloft in the vicinity of the radar, shut it off or put it in standby mode. This is the most failsafe method to protect a crewmember from exposure.

3) Tag-out the radar console. Place a standard tag-out across the on/off or standby switch to prevent accidental engagement of the unit while someone is in the area of the scanner above. If a conventional tag is not handy, write “Man Aloft-Radar Off” on a sheet of paper and tape it on the screen to cover the switch.

4) Set the cut-off switch before going aloft to approach the scanner. This switch prevents someone from turning on the unit from a remote location. If there is no cut-off switch on the vessel, strongly consider installing one or make a formal request to do so through the vessel’s chain of command. If the request is ignored, contact the company designated person.

Note the potential risk of RF exposure to the upper console in the photo below.

(Cruiser Log)