4  4.6   Address other sector-specific health and safety risks: There are a number of sector specific occupational health and safety risks in connection with the installation of communications equipment, such as exposure to electrical fields, electromagnetic fields (EMF) and exposure to laser light during cable connection and inspection activities or working at elevations. 481 Address public concerns about health impacts of mobile phones: One of the most commonly cited public concerns is over the potential health effects associated with exposure to EMF (such as from mobile phone base stations). To date, there is no empirical data demonstrating adverse health effects from exposure to typical EMF levels from power transmissions lines and equipment 482 . However, the WHO will conduct a formal risk assessment of all studied health outcomes from radiofrequency field exposure by 2016. 483 Exposure to the radiofrequency fields emitted by mobile phones is generally more than a thousand times higher than from base stations, so the greater likelihood of any adverse effect from handsets means that research has almost exclusively been conducted on possible effects of mobile phone exposure. 484 However, two international bodies have developed exposure guidelines for workers (and the general public), based on a detailed assessment of the available scientific evidence, albeit they are now quite dated (2005 and 2009 respectively). 485 There is no data available on whether Myanmar has EMF standards for workers 486 which means that companies should use appropriate international or regional standards for appropriate safeguards for workers. Address other health risks: The rollout of telecommunications infrastructure across the country requires frequent use of motor transport. Give the poor state of Myanmar’s roads and the steadily increasing rate of motor accidents and fatalities, 487 companies should prepare and implement motor vehicle safety programs to protect the safety of their workers and the communities in which they operate. 488 In some countries long-haul truckers have significantly higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases than the host communities. A specific education and training program for transportation contractors may be necessary if there are a lot of trucking services to be used. 481 For a discussion and suggested safeguards, see IFC, “Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines – Telecommunications” (2007), section 1.2. 482 Ibid. 483 WHO, “Electromagnetic fields and public health: mobile phones” Fact sheet N°193 (October 2014). The fact sheet lists the “Key Facts” as follows: “Mobile phone use is ubiquitous with an estimated 6.9 billion subscriptions globally; The electromagnetic fields produced by mobile phones are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans; Studies are ongoing to more fully assess potential long-term effects of mobile phone use; WHO will conduct a formal risk assessment of all studied health outcomes from radiofrequency fields exposure by 2016.” 484 WHO “What are the health risks associated with mobile phones and their base stations?” (20 September 2013). An earlier WHO ‘Backgrounder’ on basestations and wireless technology from 2006 noted: “Recent surveys have indicated that RF exposures from base stations and wireless technologies in publicly accessible areas (including schools and hospitals) are normally thousands of times below international standards.” 485 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), “Standard for safety levels with respect to human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields, 3 kHz to 300 GHz, IEEE Std C95.1” (2005) and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), “Statement on the Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic and electromagetic fields (up to 300 GHz)" (2009). 486 WHO, Global Health Observatory, Legislation, “EMF Standards” (accessed 28 April 2015). 487 UNESCAP, “Present State of Road Safety in Myanmar” (2013). 488 See, IFC “General Enviornmental, Health and Safety Guidelines” (2007), section 3.4. 206 PAGE CHAPTER 4.6: LABOUR