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Health and Safety Information 199
Because there are no known risks from exposure to
RF emissions from cell phones, there is no reason to
believe that hands-free kits reduce risks. Hands-
free kits can be used for convenience and comfort.
They are also required by law in many states if you
want to use your phone while driving.
Cell Phone Accessories that Claim to Shield the
Head from RF Radiation
Because there are no known risks from exposure to
RF emissions from cell phones, there is no reason to
believe that accessories which claim to shield the
head from those emissions reduce risks. Some
products that claim to shield the user from RF
absorption use special phone cases, while others
involve nothing more than a metallic accessory
attached to the phone.
Studies have shown that these products generally
do not work as advertised. Unlike “hands-free” kits,
these so-called “shields” may interfere with proper
operation of the phone. The phone may be forced to
boost its power to compensate, leading to an
increase in RF absorption.
Children and Cell Phones
The scientific evidence does not show a danger to
any users of cell phones from RF exposure,
including children and teenagers. The steps adults
can take to reduce RF exposure apply to children
and teenagers as well.
•
Reduce the amount of time spent on the cell phone;
•
Use speaker mode or a headset to place more distance
between the head and the cell phone.
Some groups sponsored by other national
governments have advised that children be
discouraged from using cell phones at all. For
example, The Stewart Report from the United
Kingdom made such a recommendation in
December 2000. In this report, a group of
independent experts noted that no evidence exists
that using a cell phone causes brain tumors or other
ill effects. Their recommendation to limit cell phone
use by children was strictly precautionary; it was
not based on scientific evidence that any health
hazard exists.
Additional information on the safety of RF exposures
from various sources can be obtained from the
following organizations (updated 10/1/2010):
•
FCC RF Safety Program:
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/
.
•
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
http://www.epa.gov/radtown/wireless-tech.html
.
•
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/
.
(Note: This web address is case sensitive.)
•
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH):
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
.
•
World Health Organization (WHO):
http://www.who.int/peh-emf/en/
.
•
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Protection:
http://www.icnirp.de
.
•
Health Protection Agency:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Radiation/
.
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