Safety Guidelines
'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 tissuesimulating 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 the
whole body or a small part of the body. It
is measured in watts/kg (or milliwatts/g)
of matter. This measurement is used
to determine whether a wireless phone
complies with safety guidelines.
9. What steps can I take to reduce my
exposure to radiofrequency energy
from my wireless phone?
If there is a risk from these products - and
at this point we do not know that there is
- it is probably very small. But if you are
concerned about avoiding even potential
risks, you can take a few simple steps to
minimize your exposure to radiofrequency
20
energy (RF). Since time is a key factor in
how much exposure a person receives,
reducing the amount of time spent using a
wireless phone will reduce RF exposure. If
you must conduct extended conversations
by wireless phone every day, you could
place more distance between your body
and the source of the RF, since the
exposure level drops off dramatically with
distance. For example, you could use a
headset and carry the wireless phone away
from your body or use a wireless phone
connected to a remote antenna. Again,
the scientific data do not demonstrate that
wireless phones are harmful. But if you
are concerned about the RF exposure from
these products, you can use measures like
those described above to reduce your RF
exposure from wireless phone use.
10. What about children using wireless
phones?
The scientific evidence does not show
a danger to users of wireless phones,
including children and teenagers. If you
want to take steps to lower exposure to
radiofrequency energy (RF), the measures
described above would apply to children
and teenagers using wireless phones.
Reducing the time of wireless phone use