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By John Oates, 20 July 1999 00:30

NEWS Employers must act now to avoid health risks associated with mobile phones, even though they have not conclusively been proved, according to a top law firm. Solicitor's, Russell, Jones & Walker is representing three people who are suing their employers for damaging their health through mobile phone use. Simon Allen, head of occupational diseases at the firm, said: "Employers should consider their position now, although there is no evidence of actual harm yet." But he said the cases depend on conclusive medical evidence: " We have two lawyers over in the States looking at cases which have been brought against phone manufacturers there. But until a definite link between phones and illness is made, we cannot continue with the cases here," he said. Scientist, Roger Coghill, head of Coghill Research, said: "The evidence is there for all to see. I don't see how a legal decision in the US will make any difference to the situation here. A court of law is no place to solve scientific arguments." Coghill recently gave evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee calling on them to remove power from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) and create a new research body funded by power generators and mobile phone companies to look at these issues. Coghill also claimed there has been a huge cover-up of the potential health risks. "Mobile phone companies knew there were problems before 1990 because they were patenting technology for low-radiation phones," he alleged. Dr Michael Clarke, a spokesman for the NRPB, said "The risk of serious effect from phones has been overblown and, in some cases, misreported. But the government has asked us to set up a committee to look at this, which we have done." The committee is due to report back to the Select Committee next year.