Growing Number of Companies Implementing Cell Phone, Texting Policies
Posted by proforma on January 5, 2011
We’ve posted several times about texting or cell phone use while driving. OSHA has now determined that texting while driving is an OSHA violation, and sent a letter to employers stating that
“It is [the employer’s] responsibility and legal obligation to create and maintain a safe and healthful workplace, and that would include having a clear, unequivocal and enforced policy against the hazard of texting while driving. Companies are in violation of [OSHA] if, by policy or practice, they require texting while driving, or create incentives that encourage or condone it, or they structure work so that texting is a practical necessity for workers to carry out their job.”
Not all states have adopted texting bans (see http://www.ghsa.org/ for the latest for the states in which you operate). International employers are already aware that many countries have banned talking on cell phones while driving. In the U.S., many companies are also implementing policies regarding the use of electronic devices while driving. NETS (Network of Employers for Traffic Safety), an employer-led partnership of government agencies, insurance companies, published a benchmarking study that showed the leading safety performers were those companies that enforced a total ban on mobile phone use. NETS also recently polled 24 leading companies about their cell phone policies. See here for a summary to gain an idea of the measures they’re taking to ensure compliance.
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Filed Under: Workplace Safety
