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BC:-A man was electrocuted as he charged his mobile phone while in the bath, an inquest has heard.

Richard Bull, 32, died when his iPhone charger made contact with the water at his home in Ealing, west London.

A coroner ruled his death was accidental and plans to send a report to Apple about taking action to prevent future deaths.

Safety campaigners have warned about the dangers of charging mobiles near water following the inquest.

Not only that, but smartphones by themselves also cause slow, unknown damage to the body due to the radiation they emit. Many campaigners in the past have spoken about the undue harm that overuse of phones can cause, disturbed sleep being one of them, apart from the various long-term damage that is as yet unknown.

While the simple fact that electronic devices must not be used anywhere near water is quite well-known, not everybody understands or even knows what EMF radiation is, and how their phones might be the culprit in exposing them to this radiation.

Knowing all there is to know about the safe use of mobile devices, or any other electronic device, therefore, becomes very important. Similarly, people should keep checking their phones time and again to ensure that they are functioning properly. In this light, eTech Parts Plus Cell Phone Repair and related companies can help in ensuring that the devices are safe and usable, with little or less harm. An awareness of the potential harm in using a device can possibly help to avoid the dangers that can come along while using them.

Mr Bull is believed to have plugged his charger into an extension cord from the hallway and rested it on his chest while using the phone, the Sun reports.

He suffered severe burns on his chest, arm and hand when the charger touched the water and died on 11 December, the newspaper said.

Assistant coroner Dr Sean Cummings, who conducted the inquest at West London Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, is to write a prevention of future death report to send to Apple.

Charity Electrical Safety First said the death highlighted some of the dangers of having electrical appliances around water.

Product safety manager Steve Curtler said people would not get electrocuted from a mobile appliance such as a laptop or mobile phone if it was not being charged.

Such devices typically have a low voltage of 5V to 20V so “you probably wouldn’t feel it” if they came into contact with water, he added.

However, connecting a mobile phone to a charger plugged into the mains electricity supply increases the risk of harm. Electrical safety is important and that’s why most house owners get their safety checks done by electrical companies (check , Master Electrical Service official website for example). Keeping home electrical systems and outlets secure is quite essential for avoiding unfortunate accidents.

“Although the cable that is plugged in to your phone is 5V, somewhere along the line it’s plugged into the electricity supply and you’re reliant on that cable and a transformer to make sure you don’t get into contact with the main voltage,” said Mr Curtler.

He said cheap, non-branded chargers may not offer such protection, but even with genuine chargers you are still taking an unnecessary risk.

“You’re wet, which conducts electricity a lot better; you’re in the bath with no clothes on, so skin resistance is less. You’re vulnerble in the bathroom.”