Safety Tips To Using Cellphones In The Factory
4 min read
Employees usually bring their cell phones to the workplace. It’s a device that’s hard to separate from us.
However, when used inappropriately, they can get employees in trouble. Cell phones might also pose hazards in the workplace.
This is especially true in factories.
Companies tend to have protocols that must be followed to avoid potential danger occurring at work.
Creating a cell phone policy also helps establish boundaries among employees.
Nonetheless, you can’t prohibit people from bringing their phones to work. They’re necessary for communication and alert them in case of emergencies.
Continue reading to know how cell phone policies are implemented in factories.
Why Is There A Need For Cell Phone Policies In The Workplace?
Cell phone policy is a guidebook that states how cell phones must be used in the workplace. It can apply to company-issued and personal cell phone use while at work.
Establishing a cell phone policy helps employees know what is expected of them when using cell phones at work.
There are several reasons why factories should implement a cell phone policy. They include the following:
Safety
Employees should not use their cell phones to focus directly on their tasks when operating machinery or driving.
Productivity
Excessive cell phone use, especially for personal reasons (social media or any leisure activities), can reduce an employee’s productivity. There might be lapses in the process of creating products such as PTFE tube and bulk led light strips.
Customer Service
Employees engrossed in their cell phones, particularly in client-entertainment roles, can give a negative impression to customers. They can fail to provide appropriate service, which reflects badly on the company.
Security
There may be issues if employees use company phones solely for personal reasons, which could result in data security breaches.
How To Create A Cell Phone Policy
When creating a cell phone policy, it’s important to consider the following questions. They serve as a guide for developing your policies:
- Is the phone provided by the company?
- Do you have any rules about using the phones for personal calls if the company provides them and pays the bills?
- Do your employees currently use personal cell phones for work?
- Do you expect your employees to be reachable on their phones at all times?
- Do your employees work remotely sometimes?
- Are there any safety issues to consider about employee cell phone use at work?
Setting boundaries is vital to avoid any misunderstandings and accidents in the workplace should employees fail to follow the policies.
Potential Workplace Hazards When Using Phones in Factories
Now let’s discuss workplace hazards that can cause inconvenience in the workplace. Here are three examples for you:
Equipment Accidents
When employees have access to heavy machinery such as forklifts, and bulldozers, using a cell phone on the job can be disastrous and lead to fatalities. An employee may glance down to read a text message and inadvertently run over another employee, another vehicle, or into a building.
These accidents can be costly to an employer and very dangerous for employees.
Auto Accidents
Some positions grant employees access to company vehicles; however, this privilege should never be taken lightly as it exposes the employer to liability if the employee causes an accident while in the car.
There are many cases of cell phone-related car accidents if this happens while at work, the employer is liable to face the consequences of an employee injuring someone due to driving while distracted.
Privacy Issues
A frequently overlooked issue with cell phone use in the workplace is the violation of privacy rights. Most cell phones can take pictures and send them to other phones or email addresses. Exposing sensitive business information and confidential operating processes is a crime targeting intellectual property and could lead to lawsuits.
For example, if an employee leaks information about the manufacturing of products such as medical injection molds or custom milk bottles, they could get in serious trouble.
Safety Tips For Using Cellphones in Factories
Cell phone use, whether calling or texting, distracts an employee’s focus, driving them away from their tasks. While using handheld devices adds to the problem, even hands-free devices do not allow for complete concentration.
Research states that talking on the phone is distracting, whether the user holds it or not. The conversation diverts an employee’s attention away from their work and surroundings.
So no, you can’t multitask your way out of this.
Cellular devices should not be permitted on the manufacturing floor to avoid accidents. If needed, there should be a designated area solely for using phones, where workers can take important calls or messages.
When driving factory vehicles, employees should also not face their phones. They can answer calls by using earphones. It’s important that both hands are on the wheel and both eyes are on the road.
Conclusion
In factories, there should be rules when using cell phones. This is not intended to be unfair to the employees but serves as a precaution to avoid accidents.
You can bring your phones to work; just use them during breaks when you’re far away from potential hazards.
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