Cell Phones in the Workplace: Staying Connected and Safe
Cell phones have become an essential tool for most jobs: they assist with communication and act as an instant resource for information. Smart phones are also a very necessary safety tool that workers and employers can use to keep in touch, particularly from remote work locations. However, improper cell phone use can also create a workplace hazard if it's taking attention away from the task at hand and not allowing workers to properly assess potential dangers.
Distracted driving is the number one cause of workplace fatalities, and smart phones are the biggest cause of distraction. If you drive as a part of your job, or when you're driving to and from work, it's likely that your cell phone is within reach. Every time you reach for your phone and read a text or email, you're taking your eyes off the road, and looking away for even 2 seconds increases your risk of an accident by up to24 times. Even if you're legally using a hands-free device, it's still against the law in most places to physically interact with any device. The safest solution is to put your cell phone out of reach and let all phone calls and texts go unanswered until you reach your destination. If you must send a reply or make a call, pull over to a safe spot off the road and turn off your vehicle.
Your cell phone not only presents dangers while driving to and from work, but can also become an issue while you're on the work site. Work sites can be very busy with people and machinery and if you're distracted by your cell phone, you risk causing injury to yourself, others, or property. Using your phone distracts you from your work and you may even put yourself at additional risk by removing your PPE to use your device.
To ensure that everyone stays safe on the job site, you should always follow these guidelines:
Cell Phone Safety - Employees:
Never use your mobile device on a worksite unless you have permission from your supervisor - this includes talking, texting, emailing, playing games, or watching media. Never use your device while you are doing anything that requires your full attention - operating tools, machinery, equipment, or vehicles, or while receiving work instructions or safety information. Wait until your breaks to use your device for personal calls and only use it in designated safe work areas. Never use a hand-held device near flammable fumes or liquid. Turn off your device while you're working so that the ringer doesn't startle you or a co-worker. If you're tempted to use your device while you're working, leave it in your vehicle or secured at the site. If an urgent personal matter requires you to be available by phone, make sure your supervisor is aware and have a plan, so you can do it safely.
Cell Phone Safety - Employers:
Have a clear policy that explicitly prohibits texting and talking on a cell phone while operating any kind of motorized vehicle while performing work. This should include any type of vehicle relevant to your industry and work such as cars, buses, trucks, forklifts, construction, and agricultural vehicles. Prohibit smart phones in all areas where distractions would present a hazard to employees. Remind employees of this during safety meetings and by using workplace signage. Consider using applications and technology that can block the use of cell phones while a vehicle is in use. Ensure that your policy on cell phone use in the workplace is consistently applied and covers both management and non-management employees. Inform employees of the hazard posed by cell phones, particularly with regard to the ignition of flammable vapors. Any devices with public recalls should be banned from use in the workplace.
Smart phones are an important communication tool, but they are also a distraction that can affect employees' spatial awareness, identification of hazards, and operation of equipment. If you're a worker, you can stay safe by ensuring that you and your colleagues act in accordance with your company's policy on cell phone usage. If you're an employer, you must ensure every worker has ready access to a telephone or other system of two-way communication in the event of an emergency, but you also need a policy on the appropriate use of cell phones to ensure they're used safely.
