EN 50500:2008/A1:2015

Overview

EN 50500:2008/A1:2015 is a CENELEC amendment that updates the European standard EN 50500:2008. It defines measurement procedures for magnetic field levels generated by electronic and electrical apparatus in the railway environment with respect to human exposure. The amendment (approved January 2015) primarily updates normative references and regulatory alignment to ensure consistency with current electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure assessment frameworks.

Key topics

• Scope: measurement of magnetic fields produced by railway electronic and electrical equipment and assessment relative to human exposure limits.
• Normative reference update: replacement of EN 50392 by EN 62311: Assessment of electronic and electrical equipment related to human exposure restrictions for electromagnetic fields (0 Hz – 300 GHz).
• Regulatory alignment: replaces references to Directive 2004/40/EC with Directive 2013/35/EU on minimum health and safety requirements regarding worker exposure to electromagnetic fields.
• Safety zones and accessible areas: updates include considerations for accessible areas for workers inside rolling stock and how worker exposure should be treated in compliance assessments.
• Administrative details: prepared by CLC/TC 9X; national implementation dates fixed (implementation by 2016-01-12; withdrawal of conflicting national standards by 2018-01-12).

Applications

• Compliance testing and certification of railway equipment for EMF safety.
• On-site magnetic field measurement campaigns in depots, stations and onboard rolling stock.
• Occupational health and safety assessments for railway workers exposed to magnetic fields.
• Design reviews for rolling stock and wayside devices to ensure equipment electromagnetic emissions remain within acceptable exposure limits.
• Reference for laboratories, test houses and rail engineering teams performing exposure assessments or documenting conformity with EU occupational exposure legislation.

Who uses this standard

• Railway OEMs and subsystem suppliers (traction, signaling, communications)
• Test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies
• Occupational safety and health professionals in rail operators and infrastructure managers
• Regulatory bodies and certification authorities assessing compliance with Directive 2013/35/EU
• Engineering consultancies performing EMF surveys and risk assessments

Related standards and regulations

• EN 62311 (normative reference) - assessment of electronic/electrical equipment related to human exposure (0 Hz – 300 GHz)
• Directive 2013/35/EU - minimum health and safety requirements for worker exposure to electromagnetic fields
• Other railway and EMF measurement standards referenced by EN 50500 (see national implementations for up-to-date bibliographies)

Keywords: EN 50500:2008/A1:2015, magnetic field measurement, railway environment, human exposure, EMF compliance, EN 62311, 2013/35/EU, occupational exposure, railway safety.