Location of telecommunications equipment at Monash
Where is telecommunications equipment location at Monash?
Campus | Building | Mounting | Description of location | Types of | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berwick | 901 | Roof | All antennas are mounted at least 10m above the building |
| Mobile telephone |
Caulfield | Building S | Roof | Located on rooftop of main building and roof of penthouse plantroom |
| Mobile telephone, police radio communications and communications link between sites for an external organisation |
Building B/C | Roof | Located on north west corner and southern end of roof of building B and the east end of bluiding C |
| Mobile telephone and intercampus communication links | |
Building A | Roof | Located at west end of roof |
| Mobile telephone | |
Building F | Roof | To be located on penthouse plantroom and on east rooftop of main building |
| Mobile telephone | |
City | 30 Collins Street | Roof | Located on penthouse plantroom roof and small number on roof of main building (Note: a large satellite receiver dish is located here also) |
| Mobile telephone and intercampus communication links |
Clayton | Menzies | Roof | Majority are on roof on penthouse plantroom. The remainder are on the roof of the south wing at the southern end |
| Mobile telephone, emergency services communications, taxi communications, intercampus communication links and communications link between sites for external organisations |
Howitt Hall | Roof | On rooftop of building |
| Mobile telephone and an intercampus communication link | |
Campus Centre | Roof | On roof of penthouse plantroom which is located at the east end of the main building roof (Note: a large satellite receiver dish is located here also) |
| Mobile telephone | |
Building 36 | Roof | On roof of penthouse plantroom |
| Owned by Monash University engineering department | |
Building 28 | Roof | On roof of penthouse plantroom |
| Mobile telephone | |
Gippsland | 1E | Roof | On roof of 1E south (Note: a large satellite receiver dish is located here also) |
| Intercampus communication links |
2E | Roof | On north corner of building roof |
| Intercampus communication links | |
1W | Roof | On west corner of building roof |
| Intercampus communication links | |
Parkville | Manning building | Roof | On roof of lift motor rooms at east and west ends of building (Note: these are above the roof line of the adjacent animal house roof) |
| Mobile telephone |
Peninsula | Building A | Roof | On north corner of roof |
| Intercampus communication link |
Building G | Roof | On penthouse plant room |
| Mobile telephone and intercampus communication links |
Note: There is a listing of all of the locations across Australia that have telecommunications antenna that are operated by mobile carriers available at the Radiofrequency National Site Archive (http://www.rfnsa.com.au logging in as a guest requires no password).
Monash University's telecommunications management program
As part of the management program of telecommunications equipment, Monash has been proactive and had a range of radiation monitoring performed in Monash buildings. The radiofrequency monitoring has been done by independent radiation safety experts from RadHaz Consulting utilising NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) accredited assessment methods.
All buildings have a Radio Communications Site Management Book (RCSMB) with calculations based on the maximum possible power outputs from an aggregation of all the installed equipment. The RCSMB is consulted as part of the rooftop access process.
Rooftop radiation levels at Monash
The highest radiofrequency result obtained on a rooftop was less than one third of the most stringent exposure standard for a member of the public exposed in the radiofrequency range. Measurements were not done directly in front of the antenna as this cannot be done without special effort (e.g. abseiling or climbing ladders).
Radiofrequency measurements inside buildings
In addition to the rooftop monitoring radiofrequency monitoring was performed within the upper floors of the buildings within the two buildings with the highest density of telecommunications equipment, i.e. the Menzies building and Howitt Hall.
Current results
The highest radiofrequency level obtained within the Menzies building was 0.0006 mW/cm2. This should be compared with the most stringent exposure standard (see above) of 0.2 mW/cm2 for a member of the public exposed in the radiofrequency range. Measured levels in office levels in buildings with rooftop installations at Monash have not been detected higher than 1/250 of this most stringent standard.
Future monitoring
To assist in the allaying of concern for Monash staff and students, OHS is organising as an urgent priority to have further testing done in the top floors of all buildings that have telecommunications antennas on the roofs.