Health Protection Agency to study Wi-Fi safety

The Health Protection Agency is to launch an investigation into the health effects of Wi-Fi networks in places such as schools, homes and offices.

Although the Agency stresses that there is currently no scientific evidence that Wi-Fi and WLANs have a detrimental effect on health, it does believe that a further study is prudent.

The investigation, which will take around two years to complete, will look at the actual exposure rates to wi-fi networks, of which two million have been installed over a two-year period.

Although there is concern that children could be particularly vulnerable to high doses of radio-frequency radiation, because they have thinner skulls than adults, children are increasingly exposed to wireless networks in schools.

Approximately half of primary schools and two thirds of secondary schools are now equipped with wifi networks, with children often using wi-fi-enabled computers, close to their bodies, for several hours a day.

The inquiry is expected to cost £300,000.