Operational Safety in the Telecom Industry

Occupational health and safety is a relatively new innovation. There are still many areas of our world today where the safety of workers is not guaranteed, and only minimum protection is offered to them. No matter where you work or what you work as there will always be the need for some level of occupational health and safety.

The author of this article, for example, is self-employed. However, you can be certain that I know what the signs of repetitive strain injury are. I also understand the interplay between artificial life and sleep patterns. Both of these are important health considerations relevant to my job.

The telecom industry is like any other setting in this regard. There are certain precautions that need to be observed in order to ensure that employees' health does not suffer short or long term. The following are just some of the most common occupational health and safety hazards that those in telecoms are likely to face.

Warning Signs

Telecoms workers can do their jobs in a variety of different settings. Some telecoms workers will work from home and 'dial-in' to their place of work (or, increasingly, just use their personal phones). However, many telecoms workers are auxiliary workers, for example, customer service agents. This means that they work alongside other regular workers as a support unit.

If telecoms workers find themselves working in or alongside a warehouse, assisting with packaging and shipping, perhaps, then there will likely be a number of hazards. Warehouses are home to heavy inventory and heavier vehicles to lift them. The potential for damage, danger, and injury is enormous when health and safety are ignored.

Whether it's to warn of stacks of paper in an office, or stacks of boxes on a warehouse floor, it is important to clearly signpost any hazards.

Take Breaks

Everyone is entitled to take breaks under law. Some employers will offer you only what they are legally obligated to, and this can make even the simplest of jobs more tiring. Other employers are more generous and will allow you to take additional rest breaks. In some cases, your break times will be unpaid, this again will vary between employers.

When workers are excessively fatigued, the chances of accidents occurring increases dramatically. When people are tired they suffer a general cognitive deficit. This means that reflexes are slowed, decision making is impaired, and mistakes are more likely to occur.

When working in telecoms, if you do not take regular breaks, you are at risk from the effects of staring at a screen, wearing an earpiece, or moving very little for a prolonged period of time. Being tired also makes you more susceptible to generally having accidents and injuring yourself.

Get Involved

Maintaining high standards of workplace safety is in all of our interests. It improves our society as a whole, as well as individuals and businesses. If you would like to be involved in formulating and shaping of future occupational health, you should consider studying an occupation health degree. This is an excellent course to study online. Through their online program, EKU Online, Eastern Kentucky University is one the many leading universities to offer this option.

Occupational safety and health regulations are a vital component of a free market economy. They ensure that workers are not exploited and that the worst corporate excesses are effectively reigned in.