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Safety Guidelines
established these guidelines in
consultation with the FDA and the
other federal health and safety
agencies. The FCC limit for RF
exposure from wireless phones is set
at a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of
1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). The
FCC limit is consistent with the safety
standards developed by the Institute
of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering (IEEE) and the National
Council on Radiation Protection and
Measurement. The exposure limit
takes into consideration the body's
ability to remove heat from the tissues
that absorb energy from the wireless
phone and is set well below levels
known to have effects. Manufacturers
of wireless phones must report the RF
exposure level for each model of
phone to the FCC. The FCC website
(http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety) gives
directions for locating the FCC
identification number on your phone
so you can find your phone's RF
exposure level in the online listing.
8. What has the FDA done to measure
96
the Radio Frequency energy coming
from wireless phones?
The Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is
developing a technical standard for
measuring the Radio Frequency (RF)
energy exposure from wireless
phones and other wireless handsets
with the participation and leadership
of FDA scientists and engineers. The
standard, "Recommended Practice for
Determining the Spatial-Peak Specific
Absorption Rate (SAR) in the Human
Body Due to Wireless
Communications Devices:
Experimental Techniques", sets forth
the first consistent test methodology
for measuring the rate at which RF is
deposited in the heads of wireless
phone users. The test method uses a
tissue-simulating model of the human
head. Standardized SAR test
methodology is expected to greatly
improve the consistency of
measurements made at different
laboratories on the same phone. SAR
is the measurement of the amount of
energy absorbed in tissue, either by
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