More and more office workers and other employees are turning to handheld technology as they bid to work more flexibly and with greater agility.
Sales of smartphones and media tablets have soared in recent years, as professional people have sought additional functionality on the move.
And mobile phones remain a crucial weapon in the remote worker’s armoury, allowing people to keep in touch with clients, colleagues and their bosses when away from the office.
Some employees remain reluctant to use mobiles however, due to unease over the potential health implications of using such devices.
But, based on a new report from the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA), these individuals may be missing out on the benefits of mobile technology for no real reason.
The HPA claimed this week that there is still no evidence to suggest that mobile phones are harmful to human health.
Scientists looked at hundreds of studies of mobile exposure, but found no conclusive links to cancer risk, brain function or infertility.
This finding is sure to buoy the millions of people who have become reliant on their mobile phones for keeping in touch – including mobile workers.
Over the last decade and a half, the mobile has gone from being a niche luxury to a must-have accessory – there are now an estimated 80 million mobiles in the UK.
And handsets have gained a variety of new functions, boosted by the development of mobile applications, enabling people to do things with their mobile they could never have imagined.
However, the HPA has said monitoring of the health impacts of mobile technology should continue, as little is known about its long-term impacts.
“Even though it’s relatively reassuring, I also think it’s important that we keep an eye on the rates of brain tumours and other cancers,” said Prof Anthony Swerdlow, who chaired the review group.
“One can’t know what the long-term consequences are of something that has been around for only a short period.”
