Section 4A: Safety Guidelines
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The NTIA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce and is responsible
for authorizing Federal Government use of the RF electromagnetic spectrum.
Like the FCC, the NTIA also has NEPA responsibilities and has considered
adopting guidelines for evaluating RF exposure from U.S. Government
transmitters such as radar and military facilities.
The Department of Defense (DOD) has conducted research on the biological
effects of RF energy for a number of years. This research is now conducted
primarily at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory located at Brooks Air Force
Base, Texas. The DOD Web site for RF biological effects information is listed
with other sites in conjunction with a question on other sources of information,
below.
Who funds and carries out research on the biological effects of
RF energy?
Research into possible biological effects of RF energy is carried out in
laboratories in the United States and around the world. In the U.S., most
research has been funded by the Department of Defense, due to the extensive
military use of RF equipment such as radar and high-powered radio transmitters.
In addition, some federal agencies responsible for health and safety, such as the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), have sponsored and conducted research in this area. At
the present time, most of the non-military research on biological effects of RF
energy in the U.S. is being funded by industry organizations. More research is
being carried out overseas, particularly in Europe.
In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the International
EMF Project to review the scientific literature and work towards resolution of
health concerns over the use of RF technology. WHO maintains a Web site that
provides extensive information on this project and about RF biological effects
and research (
www.who.ch/peh-emf
).
FDA, EPA and other US government agencies responsible for public health and
safety have worked together and in connection with WHO to monitor
developments and identify research needs related to RF biological effects.
How does FCC Audit Cell Phone RF?
After FCC grants permission for a particular cellular telephone to be marketed,
FCC will occasionally conduct “post-grant” testing to determine whether
production versions of the phone are being produced to conform with FCC
regulatory requirements. The manufacturer of a cell phone that does not meet
FCC’s regulatory requirements may be required to remove the cell phone from
use and to refund the purchase price or provide a replacement phone, and may
be subject to civil or criminal penalties. In addition, if the cell phone presents a
risk of injury to the user, FDA may also take regulatory action. The most
important post-grant test, from a consumer’s perspective, is testing of the RF
emissions of the phone. FCC measures the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of the
phone, following a very rigorous testing protocol. As is true for nearly any
scientific measurement, there is a possibility that the test measurement may be
