Cellular Phone Use Among Employees and Employers
Cellular Phone
Use Among Employees and Employers
Anyone who uses a mobile phone for more than 20 minutes at a time needs their head examined. This is the first time in human existence that people have wandered around with radiating devices held close to their bodies.
Chances are that many of you are cellular phone users. Chances are that many of you use cellular phones on a regular basis in the course of your work. Chances are quite high. An estimated 500 million cellular phones are in use around the world, including 100 million in the U.S. and about seven million in Canada. What are the health implications of this modern phenomenon? The increase in the frequency and duration of cellular phone use among employees, employers and even children — as young as six or seven years old — has raised concerns about possible health risks and serious illnesses related to cellular phone use.
Generational
Experiment: Conflicting Research on Health Risks
Mobile phones are low power radio devices that transmit and receive microwave radiation at frequencies of about 900 Megahertz (MHz) and 1800 MHz.
In many ways, cellular phone use is like a contemporary generational experiment. Two camps of scientists have emerged: those who believe that cellphones pose serious health risks and those who believe that they are relatively safe. Why? The radiation emitted by a cellphone is not x-ray radiation, but microwave radiation, and some scientists are concerned that this type of radiation may be heating and damaging brain cells due to the close proximity of the phone to the brain.
Symptoms allegedly associated with repeated cellphone use have resulted in a flurry of rush research studies which, in many instances, have been financed by the telecommunications industry. By all outward appearances, some research studies failed to establish a direct link between cellular phone use and the incidence of brain cancer or brain tumours, and confirmed that there are no short-term health risks to worry about. But, since outward appearances are often misleading, prominent scientists quite rightly point out that cancer takes many years to develop and that the recent research studies did not address the relationship between long-term and high frequency usage and the incidence of diseases.
Other research studies claim the rate of death from brain cancer among people who use handheld cellphones was higher than among users who used cellphones away from their heads. Such research also points out that the risk of developing benign brain tumours are twice as high among people who have used a cellular phone for at least six years, and that the risk of developing a rare tumour on the outside of the brain has more than doubled. In other words, the health implications of cellphone use remain largely unknown but many health concerns among cellphone users remain very valid. Are frequent users at higher risk? Probably, but nobody is sure of it at present. Are some people more susceptible to the microwave exposure emitted by these phones than others? Probably, but nobody is sure of it at present. Are children exposed to higher health risks than adults? Probably, but again nobody is sure of it at present.
Undisputed Trends
and Their Effects on Employers
One industry report claims that in 2001, the average cellphone use in the United States was 247 minutes per month, up from 155 minutes in 1999, and 89 in 1998.
What remains undisputed is that cellular phones continue to be used, that the frequency of use continues to increase, and that various symptoms associated with their use continue to be reported. What is undisputed too is that cellular phones can adversely interfere with aircraft equipment, heart and lung machines and other hospital equipment. It has been reported that a mechanical ventilator shut down and restarted when a cellphone was held just within two inches of the ventilator. For this reason, in most hospitals, visitors are asked to turn off their phones as a precautionary measure.
Unsurprisingly, in the course of the last five to six years, several disturbing, but perhaps very telling trends have arisen, among them:
n issuance of health advisories and gentle health warnings by governments and numerous employers;
n threats of legal action by employees against employers and cellphone manufacturers;
n public displays of concern about health risks articulated convincingly by respected scientists; and
n lingering revelations of common multiple symptoms associated with cellphone use.
On the face of some of these trends, the first signs of impending problems are emerging. Perhaps more than ever before, the old adage of “prevention is better than cure” should be applied by employers and employees alike.
Symptoms
Associated with Cellular Phone Use
This is the first generation that has put relatively high-powered transmitters against the head, day after day.
In the last several years, it has been documented that some cellphone users have experienced one or more of the following symptoms:
n loss of concentration;
n eye ticks;
n headaches (including buzzing and throbbing pains in the head, and feelings of “steel band” effect around the head);
n heated temples;
n transient feelings of dizziness or lightheadedness immediately following cellphone use;
n fatigue;
n memory loss;
n skin tingling or burning or itching;
n high blood pressure; and
n sleeping disorders.
Some scientists have linked cellular phone use to an incidence of
n brain tumours and brain cancer;
n lymphomas in the neck;
n strokes and damage to the immune system; and
n Alzheimer’s disease.
Threats of Legal
Action: $800 Million or Higher?
If I had a choice, I would never use a cellphone because even with the potential risks, it’s just not worth it.
It may be just a matter of time before threats of legal action turn into actual court action. For the last few years, threats of impending legal actions have emerged repeatedly. One of the high profile threats involves a U.S. neurologist who is claiming that as a result of his cellphone use, he is suffering from a malignant brain tumour behind his right ear where he held his phone. The 41-year-old, who used his cellular phone several times a day between 1992 and 1998 in the course of his work, was planning to initiate a court action against several telecommunications companies. He was planning to accuse several companies of failing to tell users that cellphones produce high levels of radio frequency radiation which can cause cancer and other adverse health effects. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Peter Angelos, a U.S. lawyer who recently helped to win $4.2 billion in damages from the tobacco industry, is joining the legal team preparing to represent the neurologist.
In an unrelated case, a 39-year-old BT engineer in England was also considering suing his former employer claiming that his frequent cellphone use caused him brain damage. This potential plaintiff reported that, in the course of his work, he often spent up to 90 minutes on a cellphone at a time. He said that his head would become hot and that he would frequently feel “punch drunk” after a cellphone conversation. If he ever decides to pursue his claim, his employer could face a very high compensation claim.
Employers Exercise Caution
Does the user really need to use a mobile phone? If so, they should limit the length of time to certainly no more than five minutes.
Over the last few years, prudent employers, in various countries, have issued advice to their employees over concerns about cellular phone use. For example, the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom (U.K.) advised its staff as early as 1999 to restrict the length of their cellphone calls to five minutes. Buckingham Palace has also joined a growing list of employers to issue a ban on cellular phones in the course of one’s work.
Last year, Disney cancelled its licensing deal with AT & T over cellphone health risk concerns. The licensing contract used Disney characters to help sell cellular phones to children. This cancellation may have come about as a result of the well publicized Stewart Report which recommended that cellphone companies should avoid advertising to children. Some studies in the past have suggested that children are more vulnerable to microwave radiation because their “nervous systems are not fully developed”. Also, since children’s skulls are thinner than those of adults, they provide less protection against microwave radiation.
Several scientists from respected and well-known universities, including Oxford and Aberdeen, admitted publicly that they were planning to cut down their cellphone use. Some news agencies reported that a prominent professor of physiology believed that there was a growing body of evidence that cellular phones could affect the functioning of the brain, and that nerve cells were adversely influenced by the electromagnetic radiation produced by such phones.
Health Advisories,
Restrictions and Bans
Some research has alleged that using a mobile phone for anymore than 20 minutes at a time can increase the risk of cancers and other health problems.
In the U.K., the government issued an advisory to cellphone users to keep calls “short” and to discourage children from using cellular phones except for emergency calls. While nobody really knows what “short” means, it appears that some employers have suggested five minutes to be the preferred length.
France appears to be ready to adopt a similar stance. It was reported in late January 2001 that France is about to release a report recommending that children use the cellular phone “moderately”.
A charity caring for people with head injuries said that cellular phones should carry a health warning. The Headway National Injuries Association called for phones to be regarded in the same way as tobacco and given a public health warning until their long-term effects on human health are known.
Known Safety
Risks: Don’t Phone and Drive
The distraction is similar to fatigue and alcohol. As much as possible, you should not answer or make a phone call while you are driving . . . We are deluding ourselves if we think that voice activated cellphones are a safe substitute.
While health risks associated with cellular handsets remain in dispute, there is general consensus that cellphones pose a serious safety risk on the road. In the context of cellular phone use, the best known risk to everyone’s health and safety, at this moment in time, is a driver driving with a handset placed to his/her ear. A recent poll in the U.S. confirmed that the majority of Americans favour laws against cellphones in cars. In fact, about 91% of respondents believed that driving and talking on the cellphone distracts drivers and increases the chance of accidents. A recent study in Canada confirmed that “hands-free” cellphones are just as risky for drivers as the handset cellphones.
In late 1999, Japan banned the use of cellphones while driving. As recently as January 2001, Japan’s National Policy Agency reported that the 1999 ban cut in half the number of cellphone-related vehicle accidents. New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts have also reportedly banned the use of handheld phones while driving.
Employers Take
Note: Preventive Strategies
We don’t really know enough yet. We need to know whether these phones are risking our health not whether their levels are high or low.
A close review of all available information on this subject reveals that although no official guidelines have been issued, certain preventive measures can be adopted to minimize health risks. Of course, the best preventive measure is to eliminate cellphone use whenever possible. If this is not possible, the second best preventive measure is to refrain from using the cellphone if any of the above-discussed symptoms develop.
If cellphones are absolutely necessary in the course of employment, the employers can adopt a variety of preventive and precautionary strategies. Some of these strategies were noted earlier in this article by citing examples from other employers. The employers would do well to
n discourage frequent usage whenever possible;
n provide usage guidelines to employees who are required to use cellphones in the course of their work;
n raise awareness about potential symptoms and potential health risks associated with cellphone use;
n discontinue use if symptoms develop; and
n consult a medical doctor immediately if symptoms persist.
Certain “hands-free” sets have become available on the market as a “safer” alternative to the handheld sets. However, some scientists warn that the “hands-free” sets may actually channel radiation to reach the brain directly. Others believe that these sets are the best way to keep radiation away from the brain. No conclusive studies have been done to convince consumers one way or another. The list below is a compilation of the general precautionary measures shared to date by “hands-free” set users:
n the earpiece cable should be kept away from the phone’s antenna/aerial;
n the phone should not be placed directly against the body; and
n the keypad of the phone should be placed towards the body if worn on a belt or in a pocket to reduce the risk of absorption.
n Bill C-Future: Whose Regulations?
Workplace health and safety is paramount in every society. If health and safety is not protected, anxiety and illness rise, cooperation and productivity decrease, social disruption increases, and revenues and profits fall sharply. It is likely that future legislation, some kind of Bill C-Future, will emerge as one of the effective ways of addressing health and safety concerns with respect to cellphone use. The use of health warning labels on cellphones, for example, may come into effect. The use of cellphones by drivers while driving in their cars may be prohibited. (Arizona, for example, is one of nine U.S. states looking into legislating restrictions on the use of handset phones by drivers.) However, it is unlikely that such measures will come into existence very soon. In the meantime, prudent employers would be well advised not to encourage their employees to rely on cellphones if it is unnecessary for them to do so.
There is no doubt that cellphones have many practical uses. Cellular phones can save lives in emergencies and other exceptional circumstances. In Saskatchewan, for example, the RCMP have commenced a trial program to supply domestic abuse victims and stalking victims with cellphones so that they can contact the police free of charge in times of an emergency. In other circumstances, however, cellphones may pose a serious health risk especially due to frequent and long-term usage. Until we know more about these health risks, we have to learn to manage the unknown risks in a responsible way that protects the health and safety of all persons.
HRWorks/Employment Health and Safety Guide/Newsletters/Report #245 — February 2001