Extremely Low Frequency-Magnetic Field (ELF-MF) Exposure Characteristics among Semiconductor Workers

Sangjun Choi, Wonseok Cha, Jihoon Park, Seungwon Kim, Won Kim, Chungsik Yoon, Ju-Hyun Park, Kwonchul Ha and Donguk Park
Additional contact information
Sangjun Choi: Department of Occupational Health, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan 38430, Korea
Wonseok Cha: Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University, Seoul 03087, Korea
Jihoon Park: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Institute of Health and Environment, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Seungwon Kim: Department of Public Health, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea
Won Kim: Wonjin Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, Seoul 02221, Korea
Chungsik Yoon: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Institute of Health and Environment, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Ju-Hyun Park: Department of Statistics, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, Korea
Kwonchul Ha: Department of Biochemistry and Health Science, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Korea
Donguk Park: Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University, Seoul 03087, Korea

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: We assessed the exposure of semiconductor workers to extremely low frequency-magnetic fields (ELF-MF) and identified job characteristics affecting ELF-MF exposure. These were demonstrated by assessing the exposure of 117 workers involved in wafer fabrication (fab) and chip packaging wearing personal dosimeters for a full shift. A portable device was used to monitor ELF-MF in high temporal resolution. All measurements were categorized by operation, job and working activity during working time. ELF-MF exposure of workers were classified based on the quartiles of ELF-MF distribution. The average levels of ELF-MF exposure were 0.56 µT for fab workers, 0.59 µT for chip packaging workers and 0.89 µT for electrical engineers, respectively. Exposure to ELF-MF differed among types of factory, operation, job and activity. Workers engaged in the diffusion and chip testing activities showed the highest ELF-MF exposure. The ELF-MF exposures of process operators were found to be higher than those of maintenance engineers, although peak exposure and/or patterns varied. The groups with the highest quartile ELF-MF exposure level are operators in diffusion, ion implantation, module and testing operations, and maintenance engineers in diffusion, module and testing operations. In conclusion, ELF-MF exposure among workers can be substantially affected by the type of operation and job, and the activity or location.

Keywords: extremely low frequency-magnetic fields (ELF-MF); fabrication (fab) and chip packaging assembly; semiconductors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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