Mobile Phone Use: Safety Precautions.

Your mobile phone is a handy piece of electronic gadget and its usage goes with a lot of safety concerns. One is aware that as long as the phone is ‘on’, calls and alerts can come in any time. This implies therefore that there is need for one to be mindful of ones’ immediate environment as long as the phone is handy. Most phone and network manuals usually would have guidelines on safety standards. Failure to comply with them are likely to be very dangerous and in violation of applicable laws. We advise that one makes the effort to acquaint oneself with the relevant legislations since the use of the phone is subject to safety measures designed to protect users and the environment. Because safety issues are a major part of our existence, the following concerns should be of interest to one and all.

ROAD SAFETY:This will always come first since ones’ life and that of others may be at risk if this is ignored. Necessary accessories should be installed and used while driving to avoid distractions. Checks should be conducted regularly to ensure that they are working perfectly. All laws with regards to this should be obeyed and one is advised to have updates especially if one is always ‘mobile’ or on ‘trips’ since these laws vary from place to place. Even with a ‘hands-free’, a driver that spends a lot of time taking calls, is likely to waste more time on the journey but he or she will get there in one piece. Depending on ones’ situation , it is always better to have the voicemail on while driving or step aside, take the call and bounce back.

OPERATING ENVIRONMENT:There are restrictions with regards to use of mobile phones in places such as libraries, theatres, classrooms, churches and mosques. Common sense would demand that one switches off on solemn accasions such as burials. Because the phone is an electronic equipment, one is expected to put it off at places like hospitals, blast sites , onboard aircrafts and some other places where highly inflammable materials are part of the environment. In such places, one is expected to switch off to avoid interference or damage to equipments. If one has personal medical devices, one should seek relevant information from appropriate authority before using it with a mobile phone. Failure to observe these phone use restrictions, may lead to unpleasant consequences.

Regulations with regards to disposal of dead phones and recycling of materials should be adhered to, avoiding applicable legislation. While using ones’ phone, one should observe all laws and respect the privacy and legitimate rights of others including when it comes to taking pictures and video clips. One should not turn the phone on or off very close to the ear and volume levels should be reasonable to avoid damage to ones’ hearing ability. The phone should not be handled with wet hands especially during charging to avoid elecric shock or damage to the equipment.

Additional information on some other safety concerns like exposure to radio waves is available at WHO website-http://www.who.int/peh-emf and at MMF website at www.mmfai.org
Because of the rapidity with which technolgy is improving in the mobile phone industry, some of the positions taken here could become obsolete in no distant future.