Smartphones have expanded into every area of our lives, including work. Although we now tend to use them less for talking and more for texting and browsing, they’re still a major source of distraction.

And where there’s distraction, there’s danger.

In fact, researchers have compared the level of distraction from smartphone use to having an 0.08 blood alcohol level. That means if it’s not safe to work while tipsy, then it’s not safe to be on your phone when there are hazards present.

With that in mind, here are some safety tips for using your phone at work without putting yourself at risk.

Smartphone Safety Tips While Driving

Phones and driving simply don’t mix.

Research shows that drivers having a phone conversation reacted significantly slower to unexpected events. For a large part of the conversation, they’re also mostly unaware of traffic movements around them. And it doesn’t matter if you’re not actually holding the phone – hands-free calls are unsafe, too.

Needless to say, it’s not much better if you’re texting and checking notifications. Any moment you’re looking at your phone is a moment you don’t have eyes on the road.

If you’re driving to work, from work, or as part of your job, this is the safe approach to bringing your phone with you:

  • Don’t have a phone conservation or otherwise use your phone while driving (even hands-free calls are distracting)
  • Turn off your phone and silence notifications (even if you leave the phone alone, each ping takes your mind off driving)
  • Ideally, keep the phone out of reach (like in your bag or your pocket instead of laying it on the console)
  • If you do need to make a call, park or pull over first (same if you need to read or send text messages)

Smartphone Safety Tips on the Worksite

When you’re not behind the wheel, smartphone safety gets a bit murkier. In some cases, it’s still incredibly dangerous to be on your phone. In others, it’s fine.

It mainly depends on the type of work you’re doing and the environment around you.

Still, there are some general safety tips you should follow no matter the situation.

  • Defer to your supervisor – only use your phone if you’ve been given permission to do so
  • Keep the ringer off and silent notifications – they can be distracting to you and others
  • Don’t use your phone (including glancing over at notifications) while operating machinery or using tools
  • Don’t take off your safety gloves to use your phone – even a second without your hand protection puts you at risk of injury
  • Even if you’re not doing hazardous work, others around you might be – being distracted on your phone can still put you at risk
  • If you need to use your phone for something work-related, wait until you’re in a safe spot and not doing anything else (don’t multitask)

Summary

Mobile devices are everywhere, so it’s easy to feel like they’re harmless. And for the most part, they are. But when you combine workplace hazards with a dose of distraction, you’ve got a recipe for serious incidents.

You don’t necessarily have to leave your phone at home. Depending on your job, you might not even have to tuck it away in your locker. But if you’re going to be safe, you will have to be very selective about when and where you use it.