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Section 13: Health and Safety Information
This section outlines the safety precautions
associated with using your phone. The terms
"mobile device" or "cell phone" are used in this
section to refer to your phone. Read this information
before using your mobile device.
Exposure to Radio Frequency (RF)
Signals
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
published information for consumers relating to
Radio Frequency (RF) exposure from wireless
phones. The FDA publication includes the following
information:
Do cell phones pose a health hazard?
Many people are concerned that cell phone
radiation will cause cancer or other serious health
hazards. The weight of scientific evidence has not
linked cell phones with any health problems.
Cell phones emit low levels of Radio Frequency (RF)
energy. Over the past 15 years, scientists have
conducted hundreds of studies looking at the
biological effects of the radio frequency energy
emitted by cell phones. While some researchers
have reported biological changes associated with RF
energy, these studies have failed to be replicated.
The majority of studies published have failed to
show an association between exposure to radio
frequency from a cell phone and health problems.
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The low levels of RF cell phones emit while in use
are in the microwave frequency range. They also
emit RF at substantially reduced time intervals when
in the stand-by mode. Whereas high levels of RF
can produce health effects (by heating tissue),
exposure to low level RF that does not produce
heating effects causes no known adverse health
effects.
The biological effects of radio frequency energy
should not be confused with the effects from other
types of electromagnetic energy.
Very high levels of electromagnetic energy, such as
is found in X-rays and gamma rays, can ionize
biological tissues. Ionization is a process where
electrons are stripped away from their normal
locations in atoms and molecules. It can
permanently damage biological tissues including
DNA, the genetic material.
The energy levels associated with radio frequency
energy, including both radio waves and microwaves,
are not great enough to cause ionization of atoms
and molecules. Therefore, RF energy is a type of
non-ionizing radiation. Other types of non-ionizing
radiation include visible light, infrared radiation
(heat), and other forms of electromagnetic radiation
with relatively low frequencies.
While RF energy does not ionize particles, large
amounts can increase body temperatures and cause
tissue damage. Two areas of the body, the eyes and
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