Applying for approval to measure electromagnetic radiation

Summary

Are you asked to measure the electromagnetic radiation produced by stationary transmitting antennas? You must be approved by the SPW ARNE (Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment) so that your results are officially recognised. You must apply for or renew an approval in writing.  It is free of charge! 

 

NON-IONIZING RADIATION LIMITS: A PRECAUTION FOR THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION  

Telecommunication relay antennas have become a vital part of our daily lives. In order to provide a quality service throughout the country, operators have set up relay stations all over Wallonia. The probability of the population being exposed to waves emitted by stationary transmitting stations is therefore constantly increasing. 

These antennas must comply with transmitter power standards to limit the harmful effects of the non-ionizing radiation they generate in their environment and protect the neighbouring population. A telecommunications antenna operator must use a laboratory or organisation approved by the SPW ARNE to verify their installation's compliance with these standards. 

 

APPROVAL TO INSPECT TRANSMITTING ANTENNAS AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 

In order to inspect the relay stations as a laboratory or independent body, you must be approved by the SPW ARNE to: 

  • test or inspect equipment and facilities that may produce non-ionizing radiation 

  • test or inspect equipment designed to attenuate or absorb non-ionizing radiation 

The approval is issued for one or more of the aforementioned categories and is valid for 5 years. It is renewed at your request (maximum 6 months before the end of your current approval). 

Once approved, you are included on the list of laboratories and organisations approved in Wallonia for the inspection of stationary transmitting antennas and protective equipment. 

To apply for approval or to renew an existing approval, follow the procedure set out above. 

In detail

Target audience – details

Any person, measurement laboratory or public body required to carry out non-ionizing radiation measurements in accordance with the Decree of 3 April 2009 (see "Legal references"). 

Conditions

EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES 

As a person, laboratory or organisation approved to measure electromagnetic waves, you must have at least the following equipment: 

  • selective measuring equipment that complies with the latest version of the EN50492 standard and covers the frequency band in which the stationary transmitting antennas to be inspected are transmitting 

  • a computer 

  • software that allows iso-value curves to be drawn according to the technical characteristics of the stationary transmitting antenna studied. 

 

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS 

The person applying for approval, or a member of their technical staff, must have the following skills: 

  • a Master's degree in civil engineering or a Master's degree in industrial engineering with a focus on electricity, electronics, physics, telecommunications or polytechnics 

  • at least 3 years experience in an office, organisation or department conducting on-site measurement campaigns or studying the effects of non-ionizing radiation 

 

GUARANTEE OF IMPARTIALITY 

The approved person, laboratory or organisation and its staff shall have no direct interest in: 

  • a company that manufactures or sells equipment for the attenuation or absorption of non-ionizing radiation 

  • the operation of stationary transmitting antennas 

Procedure

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL (or renewal)  

*) WHAT INFORMATION TO PROVIDE? 

Your application for approval or its renewal must include the different categories of information identified in the appendix to the Walloon Government Decree currently in force (see "Legal references"), namely: 

  • the contact details of the applicant laboratory or organisation 

  • the contact details of the person actually managing the laboratory or organisation 

  • the measurement category or categories for which approval is sought 

  • the list of available premises (offices, laboratories, specific rooms) 

  • a list of available equipment and devices, including selective measurement and computer equipment 

  • specific simulation software 

  • the credentials, qualifications and references of the applicant, contracted technical personnel and subcontractors involved in the measurement work 

  • an activity report covering the last 3 years and mentioning the list of studies and works carried out in the various fields of electromagnetism 

  • if the applicant has obtained a qualification in Belgium or in another Member State which subjects them to comparable inspection requirements, supporting documents showing the equivalence of this qualification to the approval applied for 

  • a sworn declaration that the information provided is accurate and that neither the applicant nor their staff have any direct interest in the manufacture or sale of equipment for the attenuation or absorption of non-ionizing radiation, nor in operating transmitting antennas 

 

*) WHERE AND HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION 

The application for approval (or renewal) must be made in writing and sent to: 

                                      SPW ARNE - For the attention of the Director General 

                                      Avenue Prince de Liège, 15 

                                      B-5100 Jambes 

Attention: to renew your approval, your application must be sent to the SPW ARNE at least 6 months before the end of the current approval. 

 

PROCESSING YOUR APPLICATION 

*) RECEIPT OF THE APPLICATION 

The SPW ARNE sends an acknowledgement of receipt within 10 days of receiving your application. 

The acknowledgement of receipt states: 

  • the date the application was received 

  • the period within which the decision must be made 

  • the ways and means of appeal 

  • a statement that if no reply is received within the time limit, approval will be refused 

 

*) ANALYSIS (COMPLETENESS and ADMISSIBILITY) 

The SPW ARNE checks whether the application received is complete and admissible. It will inform you of its decision within 20 days of sending the acknowledgement of receipt. 

If the application is incomplete, you must provide the missing information within 20 days of receiving the administration's decision. 

Once it has received your additional information, the SPW ARNE has 20 days to re-analyse your application and inform you of its decision. 

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The application for approval is declared inadmissible if: 

  • the application is declared incomplete on two occasions 

  • the applicant does not respond within the time limit  

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GRANTING or REFUSING APPROVAL 

The SPW ARNE will inform you of its decision to grant or refuse approval within 60 days of the notification of the admissibility of your application, at the latest. 

Approval is considered to be refused if the SPW ARNE's decision is not sent within the aforementioned period. 

 

SUBMITTING AN APPEAL 

If you are not satisfied with the SPW ARNE's decision, you can submit an appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court of Belgium. 

Forms

The written application must include the information appearing in the appendix to the Walloon Government decree in force (see "Legal references") 

Contacts

Services

If you have any questions, contact the Directorate of Pollution Prevention
Updated on
Process n° : 144855
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