System and method for automated training and certification for radio frequency safety and regulatory compliance at wireless transmission sites

1. A method for managing safety training certification for radio transmission relating to radio transmission sites, comprising:

receiving data regarding the radio transmission sites from a plurality of sources;

maintaining a database with the received data;

one or more processor calculating power densities for radio frequency (RF) antennas at a transmission site in the database and generating a maximum permissible exposure map, the maximum permissible exposure map including graphic representations of the power densities at the transmission site;

identifying users in a database based upon their training certification status;

defining search parameters;

accepting search criteria selected by a user;

transmitting a search request based upon selected search criteria;

the one or more processor providing search results to the user;

providing with the search result a Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet pertaining to the transmission site generated from the data regarding the radio transmission sites to only users having a predetermined training certification status, the Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet including the maximum permissible exposure map; and

creating a record in the database that the Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet pertaining to the transmission site was provided to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data received from a plurality of sources is used to define spatial relationships between multiple antennas.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing access to the database to a user based upon a classification of the user.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the database includes a designation of representatives and properties of property owner and access data in the database by the representatives is limited to data associated with existing sites on the properties associated with the representatives.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein a representative of a network operator can view data associated with existing and proposed sites of that network operator.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein access to data in the database is limited such that a local regulator's access is limited to existing and proposed sites within the local regulator's jurisdiction, and wherein access to data in the database is limited such that a member of the public is limited to existing and proposed sites within a defined radius from a residence of the member of the public.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein, access to the data associated with an existing site can be granted to identified individuals assigned to perform work at that site.

8. A computerized safety system for managing safety training certification for radio transmission relating to transmission sites, comprising:

a database sever storing

transmitter information for radio frequency (RF) transmitters located at transmission sites obtained from a plurality of wireless telecommunication companies and indexed by site, and

records of users and their training certification status; and

an application sever comprising

a processor, and

a memory storing instructions for execution by the processor, the instructions comprising:

a site search module configured to define search parameters, accept search criteria selected by a user, transmit a search request based upon selected search criteria, and provide search results to the user;

a maximum permissible exposure module configured to calculate power densities for antennas in the database and create a maximum permissible exposure map for each transmission site, each maximum permissible exposure map including graphic representations of the power densities,

a certification module configured to

identify users in the database based upon their training certification status,

provide a Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet pertaining to a transmission site to only users having a predetermined training certification status, the Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet including the maximum permissible exposure map, and

create a record in the database that the Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet pertaining to the transmission site was provided to the user.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the certification module is further configured to provide tutorials to users and record in the database whether the training was completed.

10. A method for managing safety training certification for radio transmission relating to radio transmission sites and for maintaining data relating to those sites, the method comprising:

maintaining a database of information relating to transmission sites with antenna structures having one or more antennas;

calculating radiation pattern maps of the radio frequency (RF) densities of two or more antennas at transmission site and including that information in a Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet;

providing certification to users;

identifying users in the database based upon their training certification status;

defining search parameters;

accepting search criteria selected by the users;

transmitting a search request based upon the selected search criteria;

providing search results to the users;

one or more processors providing the Site Specific RF Summary Sheet pertaining to the transmission site to only users having a predetermined training certification status; and

creating a record in the database that the Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet pertaining to the transmission site was provided to the user.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising using the data from a plurality of sources to calculate the radiation pattern maps of the radio frequency densities of two or more antennas at the site and including that information in the Site Specific RF Safety Summary Sheet.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the radio frequency densities are used to create radiation pattern maps with projected gradation patterns of the radio frequency density.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the radiation pattern maps further comprise indications of areas where the radio frequency density exceeds maximum exposure limits for the general public but do not exceed occupational limits and therefore can be accessed by workers having the appropriate certification.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the radiation pattern maps further comprise indications of areas where the radio frequency density exceeds occupational limits and must not be accessed by any worker.

15. A method for managing safety training certification for radio transmission relating to radio transmission sites and for maintaining data relating to those sites using a computer network system, the method comprising:

maintaining an RF site database on a server comprising the location of sites, camera images of sites, information regarding the physical layouts of sites, antenna system (AS) information for antenna systems located at sites including broadcast frequencies and power, and data for site specific RF Safety Summary Sheets for the sites, the data for site specific RF Safety Summary Sheets including graphic representations of calculated power densities for antennas in the database at the sites;

one or more processors determining the calculated power densities for antennas in the database and generating the graphical representations of the calculated power densities when a change is made to the sites and updating the RF site database with the determined values and graphical representations;

maintaining a database of user certification information and receipt by users of RF Safety Summary Sheets by tracking certifications completed and acknowledged by users and RF Safety Summary Sheets acknowledged as received by users;

providing training and testing via the computer network system to users to establish certification of the users and updating the database of user certification information to indicate the results of the training and testing;

providing search results to users including defining search parameters, accepting search criteria selected by users, transmitting search request based upon selected search criteria, and transmitting search results to users; and

controlling access by users to site specific RF Safety Summary Sheets based upon the certification of users indicated in the database of user certification information.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing access to the RF site database to a user based upon a classification of the user stored in the database of user certification information.