How safe are our smartphones?

There's a lot of debate on whether phones emit radiation that's harmful for our health, but how about other safety concerns.

For example, how often do you think about the volume at which you listen to music when wearing your earphones? If your phone isn't set up to give you a warning, high volumes may be damaging your hearing.

And how often do you worry about your phone heating up?

You'll often notice your phone getting warm when you've used it for a long period of time or when it's charging. Whether that's a cause for concern is also up for debate.

The daily routine of plugging in your phone may actually pose a risk to your well-being. How often this happens, no one exactly knows, but this next story will definitely make you think twice.

More questions, than answers

Nazrin Hassan, the CEO of Cradle Fund, which helps fund tech startups, died after his mobile phone exploded while charging.

The 45-year-old father was charging both his Blackberry and Huawei smartphones when one of them exploded, causing a fire in his bedroom.

According to Hassan's brother-in-law, he believes the Malaysian man's death was caused by "blunt trauma" from the flying pieces of the phone.

"He had two phones ... We don't know which one exploded. Who would have thought such an innocuous routine procedure is the reason three young kids will grow up without their father by their side," he told The Malaysian Insight.

However, police believe Hassan died from smoke inhalation.

According to an official statement by Cradle Fund, "The post mortem report concluded the cause of death as being complication of blast injuries attributable to an exploding hand phone that was being charged next to him."

The statement added, "Cradle has lost a passionate, innovative and humble leader ... His vision and love for innovation will always be at the core of what we do. Nazrin loved his work, but his greatest love was for his wife and children."

Unfortunately, this isn't the first tragic story of a phone burning up and endangering someone's life...

Earlier this year, a 17-year-old girl died after her earphones melted in her ears while she was charging her phone.

According to reports, Luiza Fernanda Ghama received a phone call when this happened.

Her grandmother found her unconscious next to a melted cell phone that was still charging.

Her cause of death is believed to have been caused by electric shock.

"The relatives said that the girl received a shock," the hospital director said, "It was not raining at the time of the accident but there was a lightning storm."

5 tips to prevent your phone from catching fire

1. Use the original charger

If you lose your charger, buy the exact same one. If you can't, go with brand name ones.

The ones you find at the dollar store are not only going to damage the battery of your phone, they also pose a health risk because they likely haven't passed any guidelines.

2. Choose the right batteries

If you need to replace the batteries in your phone, ask for the manufacturer to send you a new one.

The better the quality, the safer it will be.

3. Don't put your phone in direct sunlight

Prevent your phone from overheating by putting it in the shade.

Also, don't cover your phone with a pillow, clothes, or anything else that would cause it to heat up.

4. Don't overcharge

Leaving your phone in the charger for too long is not only bad for your battery, it can also pose a health risk.

Unplug once it fully charges to prevent overheating.

5. Avoid pressure

Don't pile things on top of your phone while its charging.

[H/T: NDTV / Gadgets Now]

Did you know that your cell phone may be damaging your skin? Click here to learn how to stop it.