Read your manual
Leno's bill, however, doesn't makes such claims. And that alone could give it a good chance at becoming law. He avoided any reference to a phone's specific absorption rate (SAR), which is wise considering (among other things) that a SAR can change constantly when you're on a call. Instead, and this is where it gets interesting, he wants to amend the bill so that the RF notice put on a phone's packaging will match the relevant section in the user manual. So as he put it, "We'll just lift the wording in the manual and put it on the box." Repetitive? Perhaps, but it certainly wouldn't be misleading.
Leno's bill, however, doesn't makes such claims. And that alone could give it a good chance at becoming law. He avoided any reference to a phone's specific absorption rate (SAR), which is wise considering (among other things) that a SAR can change constantly when you're on a call. Instead, and this is where it gets interesting, he wants to amend the bill so that the RF notice put on a phone's packaging will match the relevant section in the user manual. So as he put it, "We'll just lift the wording in the manual and put it on the box." Repetitive? Perhaps, but it certainly wouldn't be misleading.
Of course that got me thinking about what the manuals actually say. I've combed through hundred of user manuals to find the SAR for CNET's cell phone radiation charts, but I admit that I haven't read every word. And in all seriousness, who has? So to offer a picture of what a cell phone box could look like in California if the bill passes, I collected user manuals from the major handset manufacturers. And the results might surprise you.
Though each manufacturer varies the wording, all advise that your phone could exceed the FCC's 1.6-watt-per-kilogram SAR limit (the measure by which the FCC considers phones safe) if you don't hold it at a short distance from your body while it is transmitting. Some are more detailed than others, and some stray into marketing pitch territory by advising you to use only manufacturer-approved belt clips (without any metal, of course), but you'll find such a warning for almost every phone sold in the United States. So while you may laugh at the guy carrying his phone on a belt clip rather than in his pocket (I certainly have), perhaps he's onto something.
The recommended distance isn't arbitrary, but instead comes from the actual distance used during the FCC testing process. Yet, it's still interesting to see how different manufacturers approach RF exposure. All point out (accurately) that no studies have proven that cell phones are dangerous, and most offer tips for reducing exposure, such as limiting use, not touching the antenna, and using a headset. BlackBerry goes further and adds that you should use the phone only where you get a good signal (so that your handset isn't working so hard to reach the tower) and it advises you to "use hands-free operation if it is available and keep the BlackBerry device at least 0.98 inch (25mm) from your body (including the lower abdomen of pregnant women and teenagers)." Samsung takes a different twist as well by mentioning the inconclusive findings of the Interphone study and by explaining that cell phones emit nonionizing radiation (which, unlike ionizing radiation, does not break chemical bonds and mutate DNA).
Here are the relevant passages for a selection of recent phones that CNET has reviewed. If you'd like to research your own handset, check either your user manual or the accompanying health and safety pamphlet.
RIM BlackBerry Curve 9330
"To maintain compliance with FCC RF exposure guidelines when you carry the BlackBerry device on your body, use only accessories equipped with an integrated belt clip that are supplied or approved by Research in Motion. Use of accessories that are not expressly approved by RIM may violate FCC exposure guidelines and might void any warranty applicable to the BlackBerry device. If you do not use a body-worn accessory equipped with an integrated belt clip supplied or approved by RIM when you carry your BlackBerry device, keep the BlackBerry device at least 0.98 inch (25mm) from your body when the BlackBerry device is transmitting. When using any data feature of the BlackBerry device, with or without a USB cable, hold the BlackBerry device at least 0.98 inch (25mm) away from your body."
"To maintain compliance with FCC RF exposure guidelines when you carry the BlackBerry device on your body, use only accessories equipped with an integrated belt clip that are supplied or approved by Research in Motion. Use of accessories that are not expressly approved by RIM may violate FCC exposure guidelines and might void any warranty applicable to the BlackBerry device. If you do not use a body-worn accessory equipped with an integrated belt clip supplied or approved by RIM when you carry your BlackBerry device, keep the BlackBerry device at least 0.98 inch (25mm) from your body when the BlackBerry device is transmitting. When using any data feature of the BlackBerry device, with or without a USB cable, hold the BlackBerry device at least 0.98 inch (25mm) away from your body."
From page 24 of the Safety and Product Information pamphlet for the RIM BlackBerry Curve 9330.
