The use of headsets has become so rampant in our society, almost every mobile phone users possesses a headset, this is so because headsets are packed together with phones by the manufacturers. Headset has been thought to create hearing hygiene problems and infection in the ear canal. Not uncommonly the headset user also express concern regarding the potential for this device to cause noise induced hearing loss.
Although many people like to turn their headsets up as loud as they can after having a bad day or to get their mind off things bothering them, experts have revealed evidence for the first time that turning the volume on your headsets up too high can damage the coating of nerve cells, eventually causing temporary deafness. Studies have also shown that, there are side effects of prolonged use of the headset. Among the prolonged user of the headphone are telephonists, radio deejays and mobile compact personal stereo.
Improper headset use can put your health at risk. The use of headsets has become pervasive in the business world. However, some potentially detrimental health consequences can emerge from using headsets, especially if they are not used and maintained in the optimal manner. This is not meant as a discouragement of their use. Personal and employee health are both very important in the workplace. As long as a few simple precautions are taken, headsets can be used and their benefits taken advantage of without exposing anyone to the possible harmful effects of their use.
In many places, drivers are required to use headsets to talk on their cellphones while driving. This law was put into place to decrease the chances of accidents occurring because the driver's hands were occupied with a cellphone. Despite the obvious benefits of headsets, wearing one for a prolonged period of time can also have negative effects. Some of the negative effects are;
1. Hearing Loss: Anytime a speaker projects sound directly into your ear, there is the potential for hearing damage. The UCLA Ergonomics Division states that the volume of a user's headset is the largest factor in whether or not there is a risk of hearing loss. They suggest that the volume on the headsets be kept low enough that someone sitting next to the user cannot overhear the conversation. It is also recommended that users of headsets take breaks of a few minutes every half hour to prevent fatigue of the auditory system.
2. Radiation: Questions have been raised by many groups regarding the radiation that you could be exposed to when using a Bluetooth headset. In actuality, the amount of radiation emitted from these devices is well under the threshold of what is considered harmful. While studies have still not conclusively shown that even cell phone radiation is harmful, a
Bluetooth headset actually reduces the radiation that you are exposed to compared to holding your phone up to your ear. Any radiation in excess of a 1.6 watt per kilogram absorption rate is considered to be unhealthy. Standard Bluetooth headsets only emit enough radiation to be absorbed at a rate of around .001 watts per kilogram.Although many people like to turn their headsets up as loud as they can after having a bad day or to get their mind off things bothering them, experts have revealed evidence for the first time that turning the volume on your headsets up too high can damage the coating of nerve cells, eventually causing temporary deafness. Studies have also shown that, there are side effects of prolonged use of the headset. Among the prolonged user of the headphone are telephonists, radio deejays and mobile compact personal stereo.
Improper headset use can put your health at risk. The use of headsets has become pervasive in the business world. However, some potentially detrimental health consequences can emerge from using headsets, especially if they are not used and maintained in the optimal manner. This is not meant as a discouragement of their use. Personal and employee health are both very important in the workplace. As long as a few simple precautions are taken, headsets can be used and their benefits taken advantage of without exposing anyone to the possible harmful effects of their use.
In many places, drivers are required to use headsets to talk on their cellphones while driving. This law was put into place to decrease the chances of accidents occurring because the driver's hands were occupied with a cellphone. Despite the obvious benefits of headsets, wearing one for a prolonged period of time can also have negative effects. Some of the negative effects are;
1. Hearing Loss: Anytime a speaker projects sound directly into your ear, there is the potential for hearing damage. The UCLA Ergonomics Division states that the volume of a user's headset is the largest factor in whether or not there is a risk of hearing loss. They suggest that the volume on the headsets be kept low enough that someone sitting next to the user cannot overhear the conversation. It is also recommended that users of headsets take breaks of a few minutes every half hour to prevent fatigue of the auditory system.
2. Radiation: Questions have been raised by many groups regarding the radiation that you could be exposed to when using a Bluetooth headset. In actuality, the amount of radiation emitted from these devices is well under the threshold of what is considered harmful. While studies have still not conclusively shown that even cell phone radiation is harmful, a
The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged the "anxiety and speculation" regarding electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and their alleged effects on public health. Using any type of wireless technology is putting our self in a field of microwave radiation. The effects of long term microwave radiation exposure upon the body have been documented in countless studies for decades.
Long-term exposure to microwave radiation has been linked to: Headaches; Cancer; Leukemia; Brain tumors; Alzheimer; Autism; Miscarriages; Birth defects; Autoimmune illnesses; Multiple sclerosis and Hair loss
Microwave radiation has been shown to affect biological changes within the body. These biological changes happen on a cellular level and their effects can be passed on to offspring via genetic damage (DNA, RNA). DNA and cellular damage caused to physical organisms by microwave radiation is directly related to the power of the signal and the length of exposure. Their high-frequency electromagnetic fields can lead to a significant increase in blood pressure and affect biological processes in the body just the same as cell phones. Just two hours of exposure to high-frequency EMFs from a cell phone or Bluetooth headset, can cause irreparable DNA damage. We can also link: Blindness; Deafness; Brain tumors; Neck pain; Skin rashes and Headaches
Multiple studies have reported that as short as a single, two-hour exposure to cell phone or blue tooth radiation will result in pathological leakage of the blood-brain barrier. Using a Bluetooth Headset exposes the brain, the ears and the eyes to a strong field of microwave radiation.
If you use Bluetooth earpiece in a car the effects are multiplied due to the Faraday cage effect. (Using cell phone in car is dangerous. Not just because it can cause an accident. There’s also a direct effect on our health. The radiations emitted from our cell and Bluetooth device are reflected back by the cars metallic structure magnifies the radiation. It’s called the Faraday cage effect, But using a cell phone in a car works on the same principles as a microwave oven. In both cases they are metallic enclosures where radiations are magnified. This radiation from cell phone bounces around car and is absorbed by your body at a much higher level than would otherwise be.
3. Germs: The telephone, or the headset that accompanies it, can be one of the most prolific breeding grounds for germs in your office. Professor Charles Gerba, University of Arizona Professor of Microbiology did research on the various places where germs congregate in the work environment and found phones and headsets to be far more germ infested than more obvious culprits such as toilet seats. Headsets should be cleaned regularly with a disinfecting product to help reduce the buildup of disease causing germs.
4. Distraction: While talking on your cellphone while driving or walking can be distracting, having a headset on can also have negative effects. People who listen to MP3 players with headsets while driving, for example, are less likely to hear other traffic and notice emergency vehicles. Pedestrians who wear headsets may also be unable to hear vehicles and even people around them.
5. Vocal Strain: Improper use of a headset can cause vocal strain, especially if the person using the headset is talking throughout most of their work day. If the headset has an adjustable microphone, make sure it is positioned so that it picks up a clear signal from your voice without requiring strain to speak. Speaking in a quiet, relaxed manner throughout the day helps to prevent vocal injuries. If the headset is only an earpiece with an attached mic, ensure that the input level is turned up high enough that you don't need to strain your voice.
In conclusion, if we talk about the facilities given by headsets then definitely we will say headsets are very cool, they allow us to communicate with or without using cords and wires. But there is a down side also. All headsets, most especially the Bluetooth devices emit Electromagnetic Radiation. This radiation is dangerous. Bluetooth headsets are particularly dangerous because they are held within centimeters of the brain and they are used in conjunction with a cell phone (double radiations). We should minimize the use of headsets and Bluetooth device.
0 comments:
Post a Comment