HSE explains its interest in call centres

The Health & Safety Executive has released more information about its planned investigation of call centre environments and working practices.

Citing the scale of the industry - continued growth will soon take it over 2% of the total UK workforce - it says that the unique nature of call centres justifies a specific study. In addition, preliminary research, carried out earlier this year, raised a number of concerns about such problems as muscoloskeletal disorders and voice loss.

The current research project, set to start before the end of the year, will take in a range of centres, covering differences in location, sector, size and maturity.

Initially, a questionnaire will be used to assess potential health risks. This will be followed with interviews and specific consideration of whether existing DSE regulations need to be amended for this environment.

The HSE says there are anywhere between 900 and 1300 call centres in the UK, depending on definition. It plans to use a fairly broad definition, taking in any work environment where people spend a significant proportion of their time responding to calls and simultaneously using display screen equipment.

Elliott Chase