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For Your Safety 187
7. How can I find out how much Radio Frequency energy
exposure I can get by using my wireless device?
All devices sold in the United States must 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
devices 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 device and is set well below levels known to have effects. Manufacturers
of wireless devices must report the RF exposure level for each model of device to
the FCC. The FCC website (
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety
) gives directions for
locating the FCC identification number on your device so you can find your device’s
RF exposure level in the online listing.
8. What has the FDA done to measure the Radio Frequency
energy coming from wireless devices?
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is developing a technical
standard for measuring the Radio Frequency (RF) energy exposure from wireless
devices 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 device 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 device.
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 device
complies with safety guidelines.
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