The owner of MRI equipment has to ensure that the equipment does fulfill the local requirements.
In some countries, the requirements are more stringent than in others; in other countries, they are nonexistent.
The user in general is unable to check power output, gradient strength, or even field strength. The manufacturer has to cover authorized hardware and software updates after the initial installation and has to give guarantee for the requirements. Specially designed computer programs usually supervise the power output of MRI devices and will not allow or will interrupt any imaging or spectroscopy procedure exceeding those limits considered safe.

See also European Medicines Agency, FDA information:
www.fda.gov/cdrh/safety/mrisafety.html

(SAR) The Specific Absorption Rate is defined as the RF power absorbed per unit of mass of an object, and is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg).
The SAR describes the potential for heating of the patient's tissue due to the application of the RF energy necessary to produce the MR signal. Inhomogeneity of the RF field leads to a local exposure where most of the absorbed energy is applied to one body region rather than the entire person, leading to the concept of a local SAR. Hot spots may occur in the exposed tissue, to avoid or at least minimize effects of such theoretical complications, the frequency and the power of the radio frequency irradiation should be kept at the lowest possible level. Averaging over the whole body leads to the global SAR.
It increases with field strength, radio frequency power and duty cycle, transmitter-coil type and body size. The doubling of the field strength from 1.5 Tesla (1.5T) to 3 Tesla (3T) leads to a quadrupling of SAR. In high and ultrahigh fields, some of the multiple echo, multiple-slice pulse sequences may create a higher SAR than recommended by the agencies. SAR can be reduced by lower flip angle and longer repetition times, which could potentially affect image contrast.
Normally no threatening increase in temperature could be shown. Even in high magnetic fields, the local temperature increases not more than 1°C. 2.1°C is the highest measured increase in skin temperature. Eddy currents may heat up implants and thus may cause local heating.

FDA SAR limits:

IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) SAR limits of some European countries:
All limits are averaged over 6 minutes. (For more details: IEC 60601-2-33 (2002))

In most countries standard MRI systems are limited to a maximum SAR of 4 W/kg, so most scanning in level II is impossible.
For Level I, in addition to routine monitoring, particular caution must be exercised for patients who are sensitive to temperature increases or to RF energy.
For Japan different SAR limits are valid.

The national regulatory boards decided to limit the threshold for access to MRI areas to 5 gauss.

It is of special interest for the observer of bureaucratic procedures that the 5 gauss safety limit is ten times higher than the average earth magnetic field, but lower than the magnetic field in electric trains such as subways (up to 7 gauss). For example, the fields measured on the surface of the receiver of a telephone are 35 gauss and of an audio headset 100 gauss.

This line specifies the perimeter around a MR scanner within which the static magnetic fields are higher than five gauss. Five gauss and below are considered 'safe' levels of static magnetic field exposure for the general public.
Portable devices requiring a separation distance between the device and the MR magnet, should not be considered 'MR Safe', 'MR Compatible', or intended for use in the MR environment. Typically the 5 gauss line is the only location where the static magnetic field strength is specified around a MR scanner. Therefore, labeling specifying a separation distance between the MR magnet and the device to ensure safe or proper operation of the device should be avoided.

See also the related poll result: 'In 2010 your scanner will probably work with a field strength of'

If a device is to be labeled MR Safe, the following information should be provided:
If a device is to be labeled MR Compatible, the following information should be provided:
Test Conditions:
The static magnetic field strength (Gauss (G) or Tesla (T)) to which the device was tested and demonstrated to be MRI 'safe', 'compatible', or 'intended for use in' should be related to typical machine ratings (e.g. 0.5 T, 1.5 T, 2.0 T, and shielded or unshielded magnet, etc).
The same conditions should be used for the spatial gradient (field strength per unit distance (i.e., G/cm)) in which the device was tested and demonstrated to be 'safe', 'compatible', or 'intended for use in'.
Also the RF transmitter power used during testing of the device, should be related to this typical machine ratings.

MRI can be indicated for use in pregnant women if other forms of diagnostic imaging are inadequate or require exposure to ionizing radiation such as X-ray or CT.
As a safety precaution, MR scanning should be avoided in the first three months of pregnancy.
Similar considerations hold for pregnant staff of a magnetic resonance department. An epidemiological study (by Kanal, et al.) concluded that data collected from MRI technologists were negative with respect to any statistically significant elevations in the rates of spontaneous abortion, infertility and premature delivery.
However, also for psychological reasons, it might be a wise precaution that pregnant staff members do not remain in the scan room during actual scanning.
There have been several reports (results could not be reproduced) that static magnetic fields may provoke genetic mutations, changes in growth rate and leukocyte count and other effects. No reports have been published that persons exposed to magnetic fields, including staff at MR departments, have a higher incidence of genetic damage to their children than found in the average population.
This research needs further investigation and for this purpose pregnancy should be considered a relative contraindication for MR spectroscopy and MRI procedures.
Taking into account that clinical MR imaging devices operate at field strengths of between 0.2 and 2.0 T, higher field strengths need more investigation.

Today, there is no sign that MR can harm the fetus or embryo (MRI is used for fetal MRI - fetography). However, if a MRI examination is ordered, there should be a strict indication for this examination.

See also the related poll result: 'MRI will have replaced 50% of x-ray exams by'