EMFBase
Glossary

Precautionary principle (as applied to EMF)

The basis for values set below the level justified by established effects, such as the Swiss installation limits and building-biology bands.

regulation

Last verified 12 August 2026.

Category
regulation

Definition

Applied to EMF, the precautionary principle supports reducing exposure where it can be done at reasonable cost, even without established harm at the levels concerned. It explains why Switzerland's legally binding installation values, Building Biology's evaluation bands and EUROPAEM's targets sit far below ICNIRP reference levels. Precautionary values are policy or professional judgements, not findings of harm, and this site labels them as such throughout.

Sources

  1. ch-onir Ordinance relating to Protection from Non-Ionising Radiation (ONIR / NISV, SR 814.710) — Swiss Confederation, 2000. regulation, link checked 2026-08-12.
  2. sbm-2024 Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024) — Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN), 2024. ngo, link checked 2026-08-12.
  3. europaem-2016 EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems — European Academy for Environmental Medicine, 2016. ngo, link checked 2026-08-12.

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