Call Centres

A Guide to Safe Work

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Comcare acknowledges the Queensland Government’s permission to use resources from A Guide to Health and Safety in the Call Centre Industry (Department of [Employment, Training and] Industrial Relations, 2003), the Australian Services Union, Victorian Private Sector Branch, for the use of resources from Good Practice Guide for Occupational Health and Safety in Call Centres (2004) and the Government of Western Australia for the use of resources from Code of Practice, Occupational Safety and Health in Call Centres (Commission for Occupational Health and Safety, 2005).

Disclaimer

This publication is intended to provide only a summary and general overview of matters of interest. It is not intended to be comprehensive and is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Please contact an appropriately qualified professional person before relying on the contents of this publication.

Comcare (and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission) its officers, servants and agents expressly disclaim liability and responsibility in respect to, and accept no responsibility for, the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done to any person in reliance, whether wholly or partly, upon this publication, including but not limited to the results of any action taken on the basis of the information in this publication and the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained in this publication.

Publication details

© Commonwealth of Australia 2006

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior permission from Comcare.

ISBN 1 876700 95 5 (online)

First Published January 2006

Comcare GPO Box 9905Canberra ACT 2601Phone: 1300 366 979

www.comcare.gov.au

Call centres - A guide to safe work �

Contents1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1Purpose........................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2Scopeandapplication.................................................................................................................. 2 1.3Riskmanagement......................................................................................................................... 2 1.4HazardsandCallCentres............................................................................................................. 3 1.5Implementation............................................................................................................................ 3

2. Call centres ........................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1Whatisacallcentre?................................................................................................................... 3 2.2Characteristicsofcallcentreworkorganisation.......................................................................... 4 2.3Goodhealthandsafetypracticesincallcentres.......................................................................... 4

3. Nature of the work .................................................................................................................................. 5 3.1Computerbasedwork.................................................................................................................. 5 Workingpostures......................................................................................................................................... 5 Repetition.................................................................................................................................................... 6 Duration....................................................................................................................................................... 6 Hot-desking................................................................................................................................................. 6 3.2Headsetwork............................................................................................................................... 7 Acousticincidents....................................................................................................................................... 7 Acousticshock............................................................................................................................................. 8 Acousticshocksymptoms........................................................................................................................... 8 Managementofacousticincidents.............................................................................................................. 9 Backgroundnoise........................................................................................................................................ 9 Headsethygiene......................................................................................................................................... 10 3.3Vocalcomfort............................................................................................................................. 11 3.4Visualcomfort............................................................................................................................ 12 3.5Customerrelationsandabusive/aggressivecalls....................................................................... 13

4. Work organisation ................................................................................................................................. 14 4.1Stressandcallcentrework........................................................................................................ 14 Riskfactorsforwork-relatedstressandpsychologicalinjury.................................................................. 14 Preventionofworkrelatedstressandpsychologicalinjury...................................................................... 15 Earlyintervention...................................................................................................................................... 15 HealthandWellbeingStrategy.................................................................................................................. 16 4.2Workandstaffmanagement...................................................................................................... 17 Organisationaldemands........................................................................................................................... 17 Targets....................................................................................................................................................... 17 Performanceappraisals............................................................................................................................. 17 Accurateinformation................................................................................................................................ 17 CallMonitoring........................................................................................................................................ 17 WorkBreaks............................................................................................................................................. 17 Rostering................................................................................................................................................... 18 4.3Peoplemanagement................................................................................................................... 19 Roleofteamleaders/supervisors.............................................................................................................. 19 Shifts........................................................................................................................................................ 19 Employeeturnover................................................................................................................................... 20 Temporaryemployees............................................................................................................................... 20

5. Work Environment ................................................................................................................................ 21 5.1Hygiene...................................................................................................................................... 21 5.2RestArea.................................................................................................................................... 21

Appendix 1 Further guidance & references ............................................................................................ 22 Occupationalhealthandsafetylegislation...................................................................................... 22 Practicaloccupationalhealthandsafetyinformation...................................................................... 22 Workrelatedstress........................................................................................................................... 23 Additionaldocuments(notavailableonComcarewebsite)............................................................ 23

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�. Introduction

�.� PurposeThisguidanceprovidesadvicetoemployersonthepotentialhazardsassociatedwithworkincallcentres(alsoknownascontactcentres)andadviceonhowtomanagethosehazards,bygivingexamplesofgoodpractice.

Theguidanceisnotintendedtocoverallhazardsandrisksnortodescribeallpossiblecontrolmeasuressurroundingcallcentresafety.Itisdesignedtoprovidebasicinformationthatwillhelpemployersandemployeestoaddresstheirsafetyissues.ItshouldbereadinconjunctionwiththeOccupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991(OHS(CE)Act)andsupportingregulations,approvedcodesofpracticeandotherrelevantguidancematerial.AlistoffurtherguidanceisprovidedatAppendix1.

�.� Scope and applicationThisguidanceappliestoemployers,employees,contractorsandotherpersonscoveredbytheOHS(CE)Act,whichimposesstrictdutiesonemployersandemployeeswithrespecttoensuringthehealthandsafetyofpeopleatwork.Furtherinformationonthedutiesofemployersandemployeescanbeobtainedfromthefollowingpublication:

• Safety at work – your responsibilities explained, A guide to the laws covering health and safety in Commonwealth workplaces(Comcare,2005).

�.3 Risk managementThisguidanceisnotasubstituteforundertakingriskmanagementwithinanorganisation.TheSafety,RehabilitationandCompensationCommission(theCommission)recommendsriskmanagementastheprimarymeansforcontrollingrisksinCommonwealthemployment.RiskManagementisafourstepprocessasfollows:

• identifythehazard;

• assesstheriskassociatedwiththehazard;

• controltherisk;and

• reviewtheprocess.

Tobeeffective,riskmanagementrequiresthecommitmentandcooperationofallandshouldbecomeanintegralpartofanorganisation’sculture,businesspracticesandprocesses.Furtherinformationonriskmanagementcanbeobtainedfromthefollowingpublications:

• The Principals of the SRC Commission OHS Risk Management Model, No. 1 – Senior management leadership and commitment(Comcare,2004)

• Identifying hazards in the workplace, A guide for hazards in the workplace(Comcare,2002).

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�.4 Hazards and Call CentresTherearemanysafetyhazardsincallcentreswhicharecommontootherworkenvironments,such as office and workstation design, air temperature and quality, lighting and noise. Many of theseissuesareaddressedbytheOccupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) (National Standards) Regulations 1994andassociatedapprovedcodesofpracticeandguidancematerial.Virtual Office,availablefromComcare’swebsite, is useful for finding general information on office environments relevant to call centres. Appendix1listsotherrelevantmaterial.

Duetothediversityofworkmethodsinthecallcentreindustry(inboundandoutboundcalls,fax,voicerecognitionande-mailamongothers)noteverycallcentrewillexperienceeveryhazardinthisguide,nordoestheguidenecessarilydealwitheverypossiblerisk.Ultimately,hazardsneedtobe identified through a systematic process of risk assessment at each call centre in order to ascertain thelevelofriskandmostadequatecontrolsforthatcallcentre.

�.5 ImplementationEmployersandemployees(and/ortheirrepresentatives)areencouragedtodevelopapolicybasedonthisguidanceandtodisseminateitforaccessandreferencebyallmanagers,supervisorsandemployees.

�. Call centresAnincreasingnumberofCommonwealthemployeescoveredbytheOHS(CE)Actworkincallcentres.

�.� What is a call centre?Withinacallcentre,employeesaregenerally:

• engagedtohandlesignificantvolumesofinboundandoutboundphonetrafficand/orelectronicrequests;

• trainedandskilledincustomerservice;

• basedatworkstationswithsingleormultiplecomputerscreens;and

• equippedwithacomputer,telephone(usuallywithheadset)andsupplementarytask-relateddocumentation.

Forthepurposesofthisguidancematerial,acallcentremayencompass:

• telemarketingcentresandtelemarketingemployees;

• helpdesks;

• hotlines;

• servicedesks;

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• contactcentres;

• employeesengagedtoperformcallcentreworkfromhome;

• workplacesthatarepartofacollectivecallcentreservicewherethecallcentrecharacteristicsexist;and

• workplaceswheretheprimaryroleofemployeesistorespondtotelephoneandotherelectronicrequestsfromclientsandwheresomeorallofthecallcentrecharacteristicsexist.

�.� Characteristics of call centre work organisationCommonorganisationalfactorsinthecallcentreindustryinclude:

• performance targets–employeesareoftenrequiredtoachievesettargetsbasedonkeyperformanceindicatorssuchasabandonedcallratesandtheaveragespeedofanswer;

• performance monitoring–employeeperformanceismonitored.Monitoringcanbeonanindividual,teamorentirecallcentrebasis,usingtwomaintechniques.Electronicperformancemonitoring,whichrecordsandmonitorsdetailsofwork(includingtimes),and/oraudiblemonitoringwhichinvolvessupervisorslisteningtotheemployees’conversationswithclients;

• performance appraisal systems–employeesreceivefrequentfeedbackonperformancemonitoringusuallybygradingorscoringonanumberofworkrelatedcategories;

• limited task variation–employeeshavelimitedopportunitiestoundertakedifferenttasksascallcentreworkusuallyrequirestheemployeetousetheirworkstationandtelephoneformostjobfunctions;

• limited autonomy–employeeshavelittleornocontroloverworktasksandenvironment;

• employee forecasting–employeenumbersareadaptedtopeaksandtroughsincustomerdemands,whichisoftenbasedonperformancemonitoringstatisticssuchasaveragelengthofcallsornumberofcallsreceivedperday;and

• hot-desking–employeesmaynotbeallocatedaspecificworkstation,butusewhicheverworkstationisavailableorallocatedduringtheshift.

�.3 Good health and safety practices in call centresAllaspectsoftheworkincallcentresneedtobeconsideredintermsofhealthandsafetyaseachcomponentofcallcentreworkiscloselylinkedwiththenext.Forexample,unrealistictargetsmayincreasethelikelihoodofanemployeesufferingamusculoskeletaldisorderduetosustainedawkwardposturesand/oranxietyaboutreachingthetargets.

Healthandsafetyhazardsandrisksincallcentrescanbecategorisedintothe:

• natureofthework(e.g.computerbasedwork,workingpostures,customerrelations);

• workorganisation(e.g.workmanagement,peoplemanagement);and

• workenvironment(e.g.restareas).

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3. Nature of the workThissectiondiscusseshazardsandrisksthatcanoccurasaresultofthetypeofworkactivitiesundertakenincallcentres.Thenatureoftheworkbringsrisksinvolvingcomputerbasedwork,workingwithheadsets,vocalcomfort,visualcomfort,customerrelationsandabusiveoraggressivecalls.

3.� Computer based workCallcentreemployeesmaybeatahigherriskofexperiencingamusculoskeletaldisorderbecausetheyoften:

• usecomputerscreensintensively;and

• havelessopportunitytotakebreaksfromusingthecomputerthroughchangeinactivity.

Amusculoskeletaldisorderaffectsthebonesandsofttissuestructures(otherthanorgans)ofthebody.Itmostoftenaffectstheneck,upperlimbs(shoulders,wristsandhands)andback.

Riskfactorsincallcentresthatmaycauseoraggravatemusculoskeletaldisordersinclude:

• awkwardand/orstaticpostures;

• repetitionofmovementsusingthesamemusclegroups;

• durationofwork;and

• hot-desking.

Working postures

Awkwardworkingposturescombinedwithlongperiodsoflimitedmovement(i.e.staticpostures)can lead to discomfort due to reduced blood flow through the muscles. In the case of computer basedworktheidealworkingposturehasthefollowingelements:

• forwardfacing-noprolongedtwistingorbendingoftheneckortrunk;

• wellsupported-particularlytheback,seat,feet;

• armsrelaxed-bysidewhileworking;

• frequentlyusedequipmentwithineasyreachwithouttwisting;and

• abletochangepositioneasily-byadjustingchairorstandingup.

Problemscausedbyprolongedsittingareincreasedbytwistingorbendingthebackwhilesitting,orusingachairthatdoesnotfullysupportthebody.Evenwithgoodworkstationdesign,prolongedsittingcanleadtobackpain.

Neckandshoulderdisordersmaybecausedoraggravatedbyworkstationsnotbeingadjustedfortheindividualbodysizeoftheemployeeorforthelengthoftimetheyarerequiredtostayattheirworkstations.Problemsinclude,forexample,akeyboard,mouseormonitoratanincorrectheightand/ordistancefromthebody,resultinginawkwardposturesoftheemployee’sneckandshoulders.

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Repetition

Repetitiveworkreferstotherepeatedperformanceofsimilartasks(orworkcycles)involvingthesamebodyactionsandthesamemusclesbeingusedcontinuously.

Repetitivemovementreducesrestandrecoverytimeandmayresultinincreased‘wearandtear’ofbodytissuesandgreaterpotentialformusclefatigue.Handandwristinjuriesincludingtendonandnervedisorderscanbecausedbyrepetitivekeyboardandmouseuseoverlongperiods.

A work cycle will vary between call centres. A call centre may define a work cycle as the length oftimebetweenansweringandcompletingaphonecall,anypost-calladministrativedutiesandwaitingtimeforthenextcall.TheManual Tasks Advisory Standardconsidersaworkcyclerepetitivewhenthedurationoftheworkcycleislessthan30secondsandtheworkisperformedcontinuouslyforaminimumof60minutesand/orafundamentalactivityisrepeatedformorethan50%oftheworkcycletime(egifdataentryispartoftheworkcycleandthatdataentryoccursformorethan50%oftheworkcycle)(QueenslandDepartmentof[Employment,Trainingand]IndustrialRelations,1999).

Duration

Durationofworkreferstothelengthoftimeanemployeeisexposedtoariskfactorsuchasrepetitivemovementorawkwardposture.Thedurationofthetaskcanhaveasubstantialeffectonthelikelihoodofbothgeneralandmusclefatigue.Whererepetitiveworkisperformedforatotaloffourhoursduringaneighthourshift,itisconsideredtobeofhighdurationandriskcontrolmeasuresshouldbeconsidered.

Hot-desking

Hot-deskinginvolvestheemployeeregularlychangingworkstations,sometimesonashift-by-shiftbasis.Hot-deskingmaycauseproblemsiftheworkstation:

• doesnotsuitanemployee’sdimensions;

• isnotadjustedcorrectlyatthestartofeveryshift;or

• isnotadjustable.

Eachtimeanemployeestartsworkatanewworkstation,thecomponentsoftheworkstation(chair,desk,computerscreen,documentholder,footrestetc)needtobeabletobecorrectlyadjustedtosuitthatemployee.Thefollowingpublicationsprovideadviceonhowtosetupworkstations:

• Virtual Office

• Officewise Office Safety, A guide to health and safety in the office(Comcare,2004)

Anotherfactortobeconsideredinhot-deskingistheallocationofheadsets.Thisisdiscussedinsection3.2Headsetwork.

Goodpracticeforcomputerbasedworkincludes:

• usingadjustablefurnitureandequipment;

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• providingtrainingandregularupdatesonhowtocorrectlyadjustfurnitureandequipmenttoindividualneeds;

• allowingtimeatthestartofeachshiftforeachworkstationtobeadjustedtosuittheindividual;

• consultingemployeesontheselectionanddesignofworkstations;

• schedulingregularbreaksaswellasencouragingshortbreaksawayfromtheworkstation(togetwater,toiletbreaks,stretchingetc.);

• educatingemployeesonthebenefitsanduseofmicropauses;

• wherepossibleprovidingemployeeswithsomevariationinduties(suchasadministrativeduties);

• usingworkstationsthatallowemployeestoalternatebetweenstandingandsittingwhilsttheyaretalking(althoughassessmentastoanyincreaseinbackgroundnoiseanddisruptiontootherstaffneedstobeconsidered);

• usingheadsetstopreventcradlingphonehandpieces;

• consultingemployeesbeforedevelopingsoftware,orchangestosoftware,tominimisekeyboardandmouseuse;and

• introducingtheuseof‘hotkeys’ifalterationstosoftwarearenotpossible.

3.� Headset workDuetothelargenumberofcallsandtheneedtoworkonthecomputerwhentalkingtocustomers,aprimaryrequirementofcallcentreworkisusingaheadset.Thehazardsassociatedwithworkingwithheadsetsareloudunpleasantnoises(referredtoasacousticincidents),illnessesassociatedwithpoorheadsethygiene,andvocalfatigue(see3.3Vocalcomfort).

Acoustic incidents

Occasionally,someheadsetusersexperienceasuddenloudsoundofnon-speechcharacter,knownasacousticnoise.Acousticnoisesmaybecrackles,hisses,whistlesorshrieksandhigh-pitchednoises.Thenoisescancomefromawidevarietyofsources,eitherwithinthetransmissionsystemorfromthecustomerend.

These occurrences are classified as acoustic incidents. Although many acoustic incidents occur incallcentresthroughoutAustralia,onlyaverysmallproportionofheadsetuserswhohaveexperiencedacousticincidentsdevelopsymptomsof‘acousticshock’.

Sources of acoustic incidentsWithin the transmission system From the customer end

• faultyordamagednetworks,telephonesandheadsetequipment

• broadbandandnarrowbandinterference• mobilephonesorfaxmachinesusedincallcentres

• feedbackoscillationfromsomecordlessphones• alarmsignals• signallingtones• phonereceiversslammeddownordropped• tonesfrommisdirectedfacsimilesandmodems• noisesmadeclosetothereceiversuchaspeople

whistlingandbabiesscreaming

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Acoustic shock

‘Acousticshock’isatermusedtodescribethesymptomsapersonmayexperiencefromanacousticincident.Itisnotcausedbytheloudnessofatelephonenoise,asallphonenoiseiselectronicallylimitedtoapeakof123decibels,butbyasuddenriseinnoiselevels.Otherfactors,suchasamiddle ear inflammation and feelings of tension, may increase the likelihood of acoustic shock resultingfromanacousticincident.

Someresearchersbelievethatacousticshockistriggeredbythecombinationoffeelingsoftensionandsuddenloudnoisecausingexcessivecontractionofthemiddleearmuscles.Onepossibleexplanation is that a loud noise produces a ‘startle reflex’ in one of the middle ear muscles and that the sound threshold of this reflex is lowered when a person is feeling tense or distressed (Patuzzi, 2001).Underthisexplanation,itislikelythatacousticshockisnotduetoonesinglefactor,suchasthelevelofsoundexperienced,buttoacombinationofphysicalandpsychologicalfactors.

Acoustic shock symptoms

Theeffectonindividualscanvarygreatlyforthesameincreaseinsoundlevel.Onlyasmallminorityofpeopledevelopsymptomsfromanacousticincident.Whyapersonexperiencessymptomsafteranacousticincidentisnotknownwithcertaintyandisstillbeingresearched.

While there is no confirmed evidence of tissue damage or long term hearing loss resulting from anacousticincidentalone,somepeoplewhohavebeenexposedtoanacousticincidenthaveexperiencedoneormoreofthesymptomslistedbelow.

Acoustic shock symptomsAudiologistshavegroupedsymptomsintothreecategories:

Symptoms includebutarenotlimitedto:1. Primary (immediate)

• afeelingoffullnessintheear• burningsensationsorsharppainaroundorintheear• numbness,tinglingorsorenessdownthesideofface,neckorshoulder• nauseaorvomiting• dizziness• tinnitusandotherheadnoisessuchaseardrumfluttering,and• hearingloss(inveryfewcases)

2. Secondary(later)

• headaches• fatigue• afeelingofbeingoff-balance,and• anxiety

3. Tertiary • hypersensitivity-asensitivitytopreviouslytoleratedsoundssuchasloudvoices,televisionandradio,and

• hypervigilance-beingoverlyalert

Peopleexperiencingsuchsymptomswillrespondindifferentways.Aswithotherworkplaceinjuriesandillhealth,somemayexperiencefurthereffectsincludinganger,anxiety,socialisolationandotherpsychologicalproblems.

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Veryfewpeoplesufferhearinglossfromacousticincidents.Toassistdiagnosisinthefewcaseswherehearinglossmayhaveoccurred,considerationcouldbegiventobaselinetestingofemployees’hearingbyanaudiometristwhentheycommencework,toestablishtheirbaselinehearingability.

Management of acoustic incidents

Thefollowingisanexampleofhowtomanageacousticincidents:

• theemployer/supervisorshould:

◦ ensure the event is recorded and logged;

◦ discuss the incident and ability to continue work with the employee;

◦ where symptoms are persistent or severe, refer employee to a medical practitioner and/oranaudiologistforassessmentandtreatmentofinjury;

◦ enquire into the cause of the noise, including whether it is from an internal or external source;

◦ ensure the headset and other equipment is checked for clarity of sound and possible damageandfaults;

◦ remove damaged or faulty equipment from service; and

◦ review the adequacy of the noise control measures and general working environment.

• theemployeeshould:

◦ remove the headset immediately;

◦ in some circumstances, move to a rest area;

◦ report the incident and any symptoms to management; and

◦ discuss with management their ability to continue work and, where appropriate, their relocationtoanotherworkstation.

Considerationshouldbegiventothespecialneedsofemployeeswhohaveexperiencedacousticshock, such as ensuring they are not exposed unnecessarily to controllable noises such as fire drills.

Background noise

Highbackgroundnoiselevelsattheworkplacecanincreasetheriskofacousticshockoccurringfromanacousticincident,asoperatorsmayraisethevolumeintheirheadsetstoimprovehearing,increasingtheimpactofanysudden,loudtelephonenoise.

Call centres often operate in an open office environment where there are many sources of backgroundnoisesuchas:

• buildingnoise-fromairconditioningsystems;

• equipmentnoise-photocopiers,printersorfaxmachines;

• externalnoise-trafficonthestreet;

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• conversationsintheworkplace;and

• change-overofshift.

Employeeswhofeeldiscomfortandtensionmaybemoresusceptibletotheimpactofacousticincidents.Inaddition,increasingtheheadsetvolumemayleadtovocalfatigue,earpainandheadaches.

Headset hygiene

Duetothecloseproximityofheadsetstotheexternalearcanalandthemouth,itispossibleforinfection(eg.tropicalearorrespiratoryinfections)tobepassedbetweenemployeeswhoshareheadsets.

Goodpracticeforworkingwithheadsetsincludes:

• undertakingariskassessmenttodeterminewhethernoiselimitingdevicesshouldbeattached(thesecanbeinsertedintheequipmentorintheheadset);

• providingonlyAustralianCommunicationsandMediaAuthorityapprovedtelephonesandheadsets;

• checkingloudand/orhighpitchednoisesandaddressingthecauses;

• identifyingandremovingfaultytelephonesandheadsets;

• ensuringallemployeesandmanagementaretrainedintheidentificationofacousticincidentsandthesymptomsofacousticshock;

• whenhot-desking,ensuringemployeesturndowntheheadsetvolumewhenfinishingtheirshiftandchangingovertoanotheroperator;

• consideringworkorganisationissuestoreduceriskoftensionanddistress;

• usingsoundabsorbentmaterialsandpartitionsofasuitableheightinthedesignofcallcentreworkstationsandrestareas;

• controllingbackgroundnoiseby:

◦ ensuring equipment such as photocopiers and facsimile machines are kept separate from thecallcentreworkarea;

◦ holding team meetings/briefings outside of the immediate call centre work area; and

◦ encouraging people not to talk loudly or hold discussions near operators, particularly whenachangeoverofshiftoccurs.

• trainingemployeestocontrolvoicelevels;

• developingclearproceduresforacousticincidents(seeManagementofacousticincidents);

• supplyingeachemployeewithaheadsetthatisnotsharedwithotheremployees;

• cleaningsharedheadsets(bothearandmouthpiece)withcleansingwipesbetweenuses-ifreasonablypracticable,replacethefoamcoversfortheheadset;

• trainingallemployeesininfectioncontrolandheadsetuse,andintheregularcleaningand

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maintenanceofheadsets;and

• ensuringasystemisinplacetomonitorcleaningandmaintenanceofheadsets.

3.3 Vocal comfortWhilemostcallcentreshaveintegratedavarietyofcommunicationtools(eg.internet,faxandvoicerecognitiontechnology)thepredominantactivityofcallcentreemployeesinvolvestalkingandlistening.Clearly,excessivetalkinghastheabilitytoaffectboththevoiceandthroat.Furthermore,usingthevoiceatworkrequireshighervocalcompetencythaneverydayspeaking.Thismayresultinvoiceoveruseandstrain.

Symptomsofvocalstraininclude:

• totalorintermittentlossofvoice;

• roughorhoarsequalityofvoice;

• changeinpitchandrestrictedpitchrange;

• decreaseinvolume;

• pitchbreaksonwordsandphrases;

• vocalfatigueattheendofadayorafteraprolongedconversation;

• lossofintonationorexpression;

• constantthroatclearing;

• voicefadesoutattheendofasentence;

• drynessinthethroatandexcessivemucous;

• increasedefforttotalk;

• difficultyswallowing;and

• shortnessofbreath.

Due to the diversity of call centres and people it is difficult to prescribe how much talking is likelytocauseinjuryordisease.Callcentreswherecalls(inboundoroutbound)areconstantarelikelytocausemorevocalstrainthanacallcentrewherecallsarelessfrequentorinvolveotheradministrativeduties.Longscriptswithoutpausesaremorelikelytobeahazardthanshortscriptswhichincludepauses.

Vocalstrainandinjuryoftenresultinphysicalchangestothevocalmechanismwhichmaycausechangestothequalityofthevoice.Vocalstrainandinjuryiscausedbyavarietyoffactorsincludingmuscletension,poorposture,misuseofthevoice,workenvironmentalfactorssuchasbackgroundnoise,generalhealthandlifestyle.

Other factors that may influence vocal strain include:

• howrepetitivethetalkingis;

• caffeinedrinks-coffee,tea,andcaffeinatedsoftdrinkswilldehydratethebodyandvoice;and

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• positioningoftheemployee’smicrophone-ifincorrectmaycauseexcessivevocalfeedback,orcausetheemployeetoraisetheirvoicetobeheard.

Goodpracticeformaintainingvocalcomfortincludes:

• providingregularvoicebreaks-onaverage,atleastfiveminutesofnon-vocaltimeperhour;

• arrangingmorenon-vocaltime,wherethevolumeofcallsishighortheworkisveryrepetitive;

• providingtrainingonheadsetuse-positioningofmicrophone,volumecontrols,aswellasvoicecaretrainingandawareness;

• providingeasyaccesstocleandrinkingwater;

• providingabilitytopre-recordanintroduction-forexamplethe‘welcometothecallcentre,mynameis…’andotherfrequentlyrequestedinformationsuchasopeninghours,websiteaddress,faxnumber;

• writingscriptsthatincludepauses;

• minimisingbackgroundnoiselevels;

• providingvolumecontrolsontheheadsetsothatthevoicedoesnotneedtoberaised;

• developingreasonablecalltargetssothatvoiceoveruseisnotencouraged-forexamplemeetingtargetsshouldnotrequireskippingpausesinbetweencalls;and

• ensuringthatcallsarerotated-topreventcallsbeingreceivedatasinglestation.

3.4 Visual comfortReducedvisualcomfortcanbeassociatedwithcomputerscreenwork.Symptomsincludesoreeyes,blurredvision,tiredeyesandheadaches.

Althoughintensiveuseofcomputerscreens(alsoknownasvisualdisplayunits)cancausetemporaryeffects on vision, there is no convincing scientific evidence that using computer screens causes long-termeyesightdamage.Permanenteyesightdeteriorationisusuallycausedbynormalageing.

Becauseoftheintensiveuseofcomputerscreens,anyexistingbutpreviouslyundetected(andtherefore uncorrected) eyesight deficiencies may become apparent, for example in the form of headaches.Thefollowingpublicationprovidesadviceonthemanagementofeyehealthintheworkplace:

• Guidance on the Management of Eye Health in the Workplace(Comcare,2005).

Goodpracticeformaintainingvisualcomfortincludes:

• ensuringthatcomputerscreensettingsareappropriateinregardtobrightness,colour,contrastsettingsandrefreshrates;

• keepingthecomputerscreenclean,particularlyfromsmears;

• ensuringthecomputerscreenisfreefromglareandreflectionsbycontrollingtheambientlightingconditions;

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• providinganti-glarescreens(althoughthisshouldbealastoption);

• ensuringfontsizeisadequatethroughconsultationwithstaff-thesizeofacharacterviewedonscreenisacombinationoffontsize,fonttype,screenresolutionandscreensize;

• positioningofanyreferencematerialinasuitableplace,egdocumentholderisnexttoorbelowthecomputerscreen;

• ensuringtheemployeeissetuptoviewthecomputerscreenappropriately;

• displayingscreenremindersthatpromptemployeestolookawayfromthecomputerscreen,tofocusonadistantobject,andtoexerciseandstretchtheeye-movementmusclesfromtimetotime;

• providingvisualbreaksorchangesinactivitytohelpavoidvisualfatigue;and

• encouragingmanagementofeyehealth.

3.5 Customer relations and abusive/aggressive callsAbusiveand/oraggressivecallsarelikelytocausesomelevelofdistress.Theimpactwilldependon:

• severityoftheabuse;

• frequencyofabusivecalls;and

• theavailabilityofsupportfollowinganabusivecall.

Frequentabusivecallsinvolveariskofpsychologicalharmtotheemployeereceivingthecalls.Ifemployeesfeelunsupported,thismayleadtolowmorale-resultinginahigherrateofworkabsenceand/orincreasedturnoverinstaff.

Inappropriatebehaviourbyemployeesusinginternalcallcentrescanalsobeanissue.Supervisorsneedtobeawareofhowtodealwithsuchbehaviour.

Goodpracticeforpreventingandrespondingtocustomeraggressionincludes:

• addressingthereasonfortheabusivecall-forexamplelongwaittimes,inaccurateormisleadinginformation,lackoftrainingorsupport;

• developingclearproceduresandguidelinesfordealingwithabusive/aggressivecallswhichincludereportingthecallandtherighttoterminatethecall;

• providingsupportfollowingabuse-timetodebriefandrecoverawayfromthegeneralworkareaifrequired;

• providingaccesstoemployeeassistanceprograms;and

• ensuringusersofinternalcallcentresareawareoftheirresponsibilitiesundertheAPSValuesandCodeofConductandthatinappropriatebehaviourisreportedandtheemployeeconcernediscounselled.

Note: Procedures should be in place and employees trained in responding to specific incidents such asbombthreats.

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4. Work organisationThissectiondiscusseshazardsassociatedwiththewayworkisoftenorganisedincallcentres,inparticularthewayworkisallocated,managedandmonitored.Thissectioncoversstressassociatedwithcallcentrework,workmanagementissuesandstaffmanagementissues.

4.� Stress and call centre workStressisabroadtermusedtodescribethefeelingthatpeoplemayhaveinresponsetopressurestheyfaceintheirlivesincludingwork.Somelevelofstressistobeexpectedandcanbemanagedand/ortolerated.Stressinitselfisnotadiseaseorinjurybutexposuretoprolongedstressovertimeisofconcernasitcanbeassociatedwithadeclineinphysicalandmentalhealthandmayleadtoinjuryandillness.

Theconditionsgenerallyassociatedwithprolongedworkrelatedstress,maybereferredtoaspsychologicalinjuryandincludedepression,anxiety,adjustmentdisorderandpost-traumaticstressdisorder.

Risk factors for work-related stress and psychological injury

Manyelementsofworkandtheworkenvironmentcancausework-relatedstress.Possiblehazardsandriskfactorsforstressandpsychologicalinjurycanarisefromeitherworkcontent(whatthejobinvolves)orworkcontext(thepsychosocialworkenvironment).

Workcontentcoverssuchfactorsas:

• workenvironmentandequipment;

• taskdesign;

• workloadandworkpace;and

• workschedule.

Workcontextreferstopotentialriskfactorsthatmayarisefrom:

• workculture;

• roleclarity;

• careerdevelopment;

• participationindecision-making;and

• interpersonalrelationshipsatwork.

Employeesincallcentres,asinotherserviceenvironments,mayhavetodealwithcustomersorclientswhoareangry,distressed,orinneedofsupport.Employeesmayalsoneedtoexpressviewsorgiveadvicethatiscontrarytotheirownpersonalopinionsorfeelings.Thisaspectofthejobisreferred to as ‘emotional work’ and is a significant risk factor.

Experience shows that the most significant causes of work related stress in call centre environments relateto:

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• thewayworkisorganised(provideslittletaskvariationandautonomy,i.e.theemployeehaslittlecontroloverhowtheworkisorganised);

• thelevelofemotionalworkthatisrequiredtoprovideconsistentcustomerservicelevels;and

• excessiveworkdemands(QueenslandDepartmentof[Employment,Trainingand]IndustrialRelations,2003).

Otherorganisationalriskfactorsinclude:

• lackofsupportiveleadership;

• poorcommunicationandconflict;

• poorunderstandingofworkrole,responsibilitiesandexpectations;

• inflexibleworkschedules;

• lackofdevelopmentopportunities;

• noopportunitiesforappropriatelevelsofsocialisationatwork;

• alackofparticipationindecisionmakingregardinghowworkisorganised;

• aculturewherebullyingandharassmentisacceptedorgoesundetected;

• poorrecruitmentpolicies;and

• on-goingresponsibilitytotrainnewstaff.

RecentAustralianresearchhasfoundthatmanycontextualfactorssuchasleadership,managementpractices and work culture have a significant impact on employee wellbeing (Cotton & Hart, 2003, pp118-127).Thisresearchalsoshowsthatthepositiveelementsofworksuchasmorale,employeeinvolvementandsupportiveleadershipplayanimportantroleinpreventingpsychologicalinjury.

Prevention of work related stress and psychological injury

Currentevidenceindicatesthatanorganisationalapproachisthemosteffectivewaytopreventstressandpsychologicalinjuryattheworkplace.Employersneedtoapplyasystematicriskmanagement framework where potential sources of harm can be identified. Examples of likely hazardsandriskfactorswithinthecallcentreworkplacearegivenabove.

Following a systematic risk assessment, specific strategies should be developed to eliminate or minimisetherisk.Adetailedapproachonhowtoassesstheriskandlinkstosolutionsisoutlinedinthefollowingpublications:

• Working well: an organisational approach to preventing psychological injury(Comcare,2005)

• Working well: strategies to prevent psychological injury at work, Easy reference guide(Comcare,2005).

Early intervention

Inadditiontopreventionstrategies,employersneedtohaveapolicyofearlyinterventiontoactasasafetynetforthepeoplewhoarenotcopingatwork,beforetheydevelopapsychologicalinjury.

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Earlyinterventionisthekeytominimisingtheimpactofstressonemployees.Itmeansidentifyingandrespondingtoearlywarningsignsandprovidingassistancetoanemployeeattheearliestpossiblestage.

Earlywarningsignsofemployeedistressmayinclude:

• psychologicaleffects-burnout,poorconcentration,emotionalresponses,apathy;

• behaviouraleffects-increaseindrugandalcoholuse,irritability,withdrawal,frequenterrors;

• physicalsymptoms-suchasfatigue,reportsofpain,musculoskeletaldisorders,headaches,nausea;

• absenteeism;

• declineinworkperformance;and

• increasedconflictwithteammembers/manager.

Comcare’s‘WorkingWell’publicationsprovideinformationonthecausesofpsychologicalinjuryandadetailedstep-by-stepguidetopreventingandmanagingpsychologicalinjuryintheworkplace.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Anemployer’soccupationalhealthandsafetypolicyshouldseektoassistemployeestodealwithoravoidstress.Oneapproachtowardthemanagementofworkplacehealthissuesmaybeforemployers to develop a strategy encouraging and supporting employee participation in fitness and healthprogramactivities,withtheaimofpromotinghealthandwellbeingandwork-lifebalance.Anotheristoensurethatemployeeshaveaccesstocounsellingthroughanemployeeassistanceprogram.

Goodpracticetominimisestressincallcentresincludes:

• providingeffectiveandsupportiveleadership;

• ensuringemployeesreceiveadequatetraininginallaspectsoftheirworkincludingdealingwithdifficultpeopleandmanagingcomplaints;

• implementingeffectiveperformancemanagementsystemswithclearexpectationsandproceduresthatareunderstoodbymanagersandemployees;

• ensuringroles,responsibilitiesandexpectationsareclearlyspecifiedandclarifiedwhenneeded;

• regularlyreviewingworkloadsandtargetsinconsultationwithemployees;

• ensuringemployeestakeadequateworkbreaks,preferablyawayfromtheirworkstation;

• ensuringthatmanagersareabletorecogniseandrespondtoearlywarningsignsofdistress;

• providingsupporttoemployeesbywayofactivities,programsandinitiativesconcernedwithpromotingstaffhealthandwellbeingandwork-lifebalance;and

• providingaccesstoanemployeeassistanceprogram.

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4.� Work and staff management

Organisational demands

Thewayinwhichworkisorganisedincallcentrescanintensifythedemandsplaceduponemployeesintheperformanceoftheirtasks.Unrealisticdemandsoncallcentremanagementarelikelytoleadtounrealisticdemandsoncallcentreemployees.

Targets

Employeesincallcentresareoftenrequiredtoachievesettargetsbasedonkeyperformanceindicatorssuchasabandonedcallrates(anabandonedcalliswherethecallerhangsupbeforetheircallisanswered)andtheaveragespeedofanswer.Thesetargetsmaybeaccompaniedbyincentiveorrewardsystems.Iftargetsareperceivedasunreasonablethisislikelytocausetensionandanxiety.

Performance appraisals

Acommonfeatureofthecallcentreindustryistheuseofperformanceappraisalprocesses.Performanceappraisalsinvolveprovidingfeedbacktotheemployee.Theyaregenerallyconductedatregularintervalsandmayinvolvegradingorscoringemployeesonanumberofwork-relatedcategories.Objective,consistentandwellconductedperformanceappraisalsaremorelikelytobeeffectiveandacceptedbyemployees.

Accurate information

Theprovisionofaccurateinformationtocallersinasshortatimeaspossibleisakeyobjectiveofmost call centres. Operators may only have 30 seconds to find answers to questions, and delays in accessinginformation,eitherinahardcopyformatoronlinedatabases,mayfrustratetheemployeeand/orthecustomerandcausetargetsnottobemet.

Call Monitoring

Callmonitoringiscommoninthecallcentreindustry.Therearetwomaintypesofmonitoring.The first is quantitative monitoring, which measures statistics such as how many calls are taken, thelengthofcallsandhowlongtheemployeeis‘available’totakeormakecalls.Thesecondtypeisqualitativemonitoring,whichassessesthequalityofcallsusuallybylisteningintoacall(qualitativeassessingisalsooftendonethroughcustomersatisfactionsurveys).

Someemployeesmayresentorfeelanxiousabouttheuseofcallmonitoring.Employersshouldensurethattheircallmonitoringpracticesareappropriateandfocusondevelopingandsupportingemployeestoimproveservicedelivery.Monitoringshouldnotinappropriatelysingleoutaparticularperson.

Work Breaks

Call centres often require extended periods in similar postures. Insufficient change in posture and

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muscleworkmaycontributetofatigueoroverexertion,orcancontributetootherharmfulphysicaloutcomessuchasmusculoskeletaldisorders(see3.1Computerbasedwork)andvocalfatigue(see3.3Vocalcomfort).

Regularchangesinpostureorstretchingassistgreatlyinminimisingtherisksofmusculoskeletalfatigue.Theseareachievedthroughacombinationofmicropauses(forexampleself-regulatedstretches,lookingawayfromthescreen,relaxingthearms),changingworkingposturesortasks(forexamplestandingtotalk,walkingtowaterfountain)andscheduledbreakswhereemployeesmoveawayfromtheworkstation.

Rostering

Rosteringsystemsincallcentresareusuallystaggered.Theyarestructuredtooptimiseemployeenumbersandtoaccommodatepeaksandtroughsincustomerdemand.Rosteringisoftenbasedonperformancemonitoringstatistics,i.e.averagelengthofcallsandnumberofcallsreceivedperday.However, in some circumstances, this does not allow for potential and unforseen fluctuations and variationsincalllengthsandfrequencies.

Lack of flexibility in regard to hours, leave or other personal requirements may increase employee perceptions that the working environment is rigid. Lack of flexibility in start and finish times and leavearrangementscanbeaconsequenceofthewayrostersaresetup.

Goodpracticeinworkandstaffmanagementincludes:

• makingallpartsoftheorganisationawareofthecapabilitiesandlimitationsofthecallcentre;

• adjustingrequirementsandresourceswherearequestisbeyondthecurrentcapabilitiesofthecallcentre;

• consultingwith,andengagingstaff,insettingtargetsanddevelopingpolicies;

• communicatingeffectivelyabouttargets;

• settingtargetswhicharerealistic;

• allowingforsystemerrorsanddelays;

• providingappropriatetrainingtoenableemployeestocompleteeachcallinacompetentmannerbeforesettingproductivitytargets;

• developingarangeofmonitoringmechanismstomonitorqualityaswellasquantity;

• ensuringcallmonitoringisconductedwiththeknowledgeoftheemployee;

• givingemployeesachoiceonhowandwhencallmonitoringoccurs-thechoiceofremoteorinpersonmonitoring;

• ensuringfeedbackisconstructiveandtimely;

• ensuringemployeeshaveaccesstoaccurate,uptodateandeasytouseinformationonthesubjectstheyareansweringcallsabout;

• ensuringconsultativeprocessesbetweenteamleadersandemployeesareinplaceandareeffective(forchangestowork,establishing,changingandswappingrosters,etc);

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• enablingemployeestologoutofthephonesystemwhenitisappropriate-suchasafteranincident;

• allowingemployeessufficienttimetoattendtopersonalneedssuchasfetchingwaterandtoiletbreaks;

• basingperformanceappraisalsonmeasuresthathavebeendevelopedandagreedtowithemployees;

• ensuringtherearesufficientcallcentreemployeestomatchthenumberandtypeofcallsandallowforadequatebreaks,training,meetings,etc;

• ensuringemployeeshavetheabilitytoaccessleaveentitlementswhenrequired;

• ensuringemployeeshavetheabilitytochangehoursinanemergencyandswapshiftswhennecessary;and

• providingsomeflexibilityforthosewithcarerresponsibilities.

4.3 People management

Role of team leaders/supervisors

Teamleadersandsupervisorsplayakeyroleinimplementingtheemployer’sworkandemployeemanagementpoliciesandpractices.Effectiveteamleadersandsupervisorsfosterandmaintainapositiveworkclimateandanappropriateworkplaceculture,andprovidesupportiveleadership.This in turn influences the wellbeing of employees and reduces the risk of psychological injuries. Supportiveleaders:

• areapproachableandresponsivewhendealingwithemployeeconcerns;

• clarifyworkexpectations,objectivesandpriorities;

• demonstrateanunderstandingoftheissuesfacedbytheiremployees;

• supportemployeeswhenthingsgowrong;

• activelyseekstaffinvolvementindecisions;

• arefairandequitableintheirdealingswithemployees;

• providefrequentinformaldevelopment-orientedfeedback;and

• treatpeoplewithconsiderationandrespectandencourageteammemberstodothesame.

Shifts

Workinginacallcentremayrequiredoingshiftwork.Workinginshiftsmaycontributetodomestic and social difficulties and fatigue as it affects sleeping time and quality. In addition, personalsafetymaybeatriskforshiftsatnightandonweekends,particularlyifemployeesneedtouseremotecarparksorpublictransportatnight.

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Employee turnover

Employeeturnoverreferstothenumberofemployeesthatleavetheorganisationinagivenperiodoftime.Whetherstaffturnoverisplannedorunplanned,therewillstillbearequirementtoselect,trainandequipnewemployeestodothetask.Otherexperiencedemployeesmaybeexpectedtocovertheworkloadwhilstthenewemployees‘comeuptospeed’,whichcanplaceunduestressandpressureonthem.

Temporary employees

Callcentresmayincludetemporaryemployees–eitherengagedexternallyortransferredfromotherparts of an organisation. They may be relatively untrained novices. They may have specific needs fortrainingandsupervision,particularlyiftheywillbeplacedinasituationwherethereisahighvolumeofcalls,manyofwhichcouldinvolvedistressedorevenabusivecallers.

Forexample,hotlinesareaparticularrisk.Theyaresetup,oftenatshortnotice,inresponsetoaparticularcrisisoraspartofaone-offcampaign.Theymaypullinstafffromareasunfamiliarwithworkinginacallcentre.Theymaylackthevarietyofcallsreceivedcomparedwithregularcallcentres.Dependingonthereasonfortheirestablishment,hotlineemployeesmayhavetodealwithdistressedorevenabusivecallers.

Goodpracticeinpeoplemanagementincludes:

• ensuringteamleadersaregiventraininginmanagingateamandhaveappropriatecapabilities;

• applyingeffectivecommunicationstrategiesandfeedbackmechanisms;

• ensuringsystemsareinplacetoensureallmembersoftheteamaretreatedfairlyandinaconsistentmanner;

• ensuringteamleadersareaccountable;

• ensuringemployeeshaveadequatetraining;

• providingcallcentreemployeeswithcontrolovertheirworkloadwhereverpossiblewithintheoverallrequirementsofthebusiness;

• organisingworksothatcallcentreemployeeshaveanumberofalternativeactivities;

• educatingcallcentreemployeesinmicropausesandallowingworkbreaksatleastevery2hoursfortheopportunitytochangepostureandchangethevisualdemands;

• allowingadequatetimeinbetweenshifts(atleast12hoursbetweenshiftsandtwodaysoffinarowinanyparticularweekisregardedasgoodpractice);

• ensuringeffectivesecurityarrangementsareinplacefornightandweekendshifts;

• providinginformationonthehealtheffectsofshiftworkandhowtoeffectivelymanagethem;and

• ensuringhotlineemployeesareappropriatelytrainedandmanaged.

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5. Work Environment General work environment issues associated with office work (such as workstation design, air temperatureandquality,lightingandnoise)areapplicabletocallcentres.Hygieneandtheprovisionofanadequaterestareaareofparticularconcerninacallcentreenvironment.

5.� HygieneCallcentresoftenemploylargenumbersofemployeesand/orhavemultipleshiftswherefurnitureandequipmentisshared.Furnitureandequipmentcanharbourgermsandbacteria.

Goodpracticeinhygieneincludes:

• maintainingahighstandardofcleanlinesstopreventthespreadingofgermsandbacteria.Thisincludes:

◦ workstations - keyboard, telephone, desk and chair

◦ individual headsets - with instruction and items provided for cleaning on a regular basis (see3.2HeadsetWork)

◦ carpets

◦ rest areas

◦ kitchen and amenities room

◦ toilets

◦ photocopier and facsimile equipment

• encouragingemployeestoeatawayfromtheirworkstations,inamenitiesroom/restareasandprovidingappropriatewastebins.

5.� Rest AreaCallcentrescanbenoisyanddemandingworkplacesandmayincludeequipmentthatincreasesperceptions of tension such as flashing call queue signs. Employees should have access to rest areas torelievesymptomssuchasheadachesorshort-termvisualandvocalfatigue,orwheretheycandebriefafteranabusivecall.Employeesmayalsoneedaccesstoarestareafollowinganabusivecallorwheretheyhavebeenexposedtosuddenhighpitchednoisesonthephoneline.Therestareashouldbeseparatedfromthecallcentreenvironmenttoensureacompletebreakcanbehadfromtheworkingenvironment.

Goodpracticeforrestareasincludesprovidingarestareathat:

• iseasilyaccessibleforemployees;

• islargeenoughtoaccommodatethenumberofstaffonbreaksatanyonetime;

• isconducivetorelaxation(comfortablefurniture);

• includesaccesstocleandrinkingwater;

• isfreefromexcessivenoise;and• hasacleantoiletfacilitywithincloseproximity.

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Appendix � : Further guidance & referencesComcare’sVirtual OfficeprovideslinkstomanydocumentsprovidinginformationrelevanttoworkingincallcentresandisavailablefromComcare’swebsite.

Occupational health and safety legislation

Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991[Accessed21November2005]

Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Regulations 1991[Accessed21November2005]

Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) (National Standards) Regulations 1994[Accessed21November2005]

Practical occupational health and safety information

Comcare,2002,Identifying hazards in the workplace, A guide for hazards in the workplace,OHS10,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2003,OHS obligations in Contracting,Factsheet44,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2004,Officewise Office Safety, A guide to health and safety in the office,OHS01,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2004,The Principals of the SRC Commission OHS Risk Management Model, No. 1 – Senior management leadership and commitment,OHS30,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2005,Safety at work – your responsibilities explained, A guide to the laws covering health and safety in Commonwealth workplaces,OHS60,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2005,Guidance on the Management of Eye Health in the Workplace,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed19January2006].

Comcare,2005,The Employer’s Duty of Care under the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991.Factsheet56,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Safety,RehabilitationandCompensationCommission,1999,The Management of Occupational Health and Safety in Commonwealth Agencies - Induction at the Workplace,OHS13,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Safety,RehabilitationandCompensationCommission,2001,Guide to Incident Notification and Reporting,OHS43,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[21November2005].

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Work related stress

ComcareandCentrelink,2000,Applying best practice principles to the prevention and management of customer aggression, A risk management guide for customer service providers,OHS33,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2004,Preventing and Managing Psychological Injuries in the Workplace, Managers Guide,Pub8,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2005,Working well: an organisational approach to preventing psychological injury,Pub47,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2005,Working well: steps to prevent and manage psychological injury, Easy reference guide,Pub56,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2005,Working well: strategies to prevent psychological injury at work, Easy reference guide,Pub57,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Comcare,2005,Recognition, resolution and recovery: early intervention to support psychological health and wellbeing, Easy reference guide,Pub46,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

Additional documents (not available on Comcare website)

AustralianPublicServiceCommission,2005,APS Values and Code of Conduct in practice: Guide to official conduct for APS employees and Agency Heads,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

AustralianPublicServiceCommission,2005,APS Values,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

AustralianPublicServiceCommission,2005,APS Code of Conduct,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra[Accessed21November2005].

AustralianServicesUnion,VictorianPrivateSectorBranch,2004,Good Practice Guide for Occupational Health and Safety in Call Centres[Accessed22November2005].

CottonP.andHartP.,2003,Occupational Wellbeing and Performance: a Review of Organisational Health Research,Australian Psychologist,38(2),2003pp118–127,availableatTaylor & Francis Group,[Accessed21November2005].

Patuzzi,R.,2001,AcuteAuralTraumainUsersofTelephoneHeadsetsandHandsets,ProceedingsoftheRiskingAcousticShockSeminar,Fremantle,2001,[notavailableonline].

QueenslandDepartmentof[Employment,Trainingand]IndustrialRelations,1999,Manual tasks advisory standard 2000,Queensland[Accessed21November2005].

QueenslandDepartmentof[Employment,Trainingand]IndustrialRelations,2003,A Guide to Health and Safety in the Call Centre Industry,Queensland[notavailableonline].

Call centres - A guide to safe work �4

QueenslandDepartmentof[Employment,Trainingand]IndustrialRelations,2001(revised),Code of Practice for the Call Centre Industry,Queensland[Accessed21November2005].

WesternAustralianCommissionforOccupationalSafetyandHealth,2005,Code of Practice, Occupational Safety and Health in Call Centres,WesternAustralia[Accessed21November2005].

For further information contact

ComcareGPO Box 9905Canberra ACT 2601

Telephone - 1300 366 979

Email - ohs.help@comcare.gov.au

Internet - www.comcare.gov.au

OHS 62 (Jan 06)