Hands Free Calls Banned While Driving by Construction Firm

A MODULAR housing firm is banning all staff from work-related hands-free calls while driving.

The outright ban is on all mobile phone calls made by its employees while driving for business reasons, even with a hands-free unit.

The directive was issued by Algeco UK, going live to all staff and taking effect at the start of November.

Algeco UK provides modular, temporary and storage buildings, delivering containers to many sectors and sites nationwide.

As such, the company operates hundreds of lorries, vans and cars up and down the UK every day.

The new policy prohibits all Algeco UK employees from making or receiving planned and non-urgent phone calls while driving on business, even with hands-free devices.

Mike Shakeshaft, Algeco UK HSE Director, said: “At Algeco, we believe that safety is paramount, and our updated mobile phone policy reflects this. Road crashes affect everyone involved in ways that are often profound and far-reaching.

“I’ve seen first-hand how devastating these events can be. Together we are fully committed to using those insights to advocate for greater safety on the roads.”

Hands Free Calls Banned While Driving

Research from the UK Department for Transport and RoSPA indicates that any mobile phone use while driving can cause distraction. This impairs reaction times, hazard recognition, and decision-making abilities.

According to government statistics, there were 1,624 fatalities on the UK roads in 2023. Some 45% of those killed were vehicle occupants.

Driving for Better Business says that nearly one in three road deaths involves a driving-for-work trip. Additionally, up to 39% of pedestrian deaths involve a working driver.

As part of advice given to all employees, Algeco UK tells them to park safely before making or receiving any work-related calls. It adds advice to plan journeys to allow time to stop safely for calls if necessary.

It says that employees should avoid any planned or non-urgent calls while driving including hands-free ones, and not to engage in conversations that might distract them from driving.

Mike concluded: “We’re putting the findings from real incidents into play to help make our roads and workplaces safer for everyone.”

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