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For Your Safety
comply with Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) guidelines that limit Radio
Frequency (RF) energy exposures. The FCC
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 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 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.