Digital distraction in industrial settings causing accidents

Cell phone distraction while on the job is becoming a serious problem.  A new study, Digital Distraction & Workplace Safety, issued by Screen Education, reported that survey respondents estimated the average employee spends 2.5 hours each workday accessing digital content that is unrelated to their job.

The survey involved 1,019 U.S employees and was conducted in the spring of 2020.

In addition to killing productivity, this degree of distraction causes accidents — 14% of respondents said at least one accident had occurred at their workplace because an employee was distracted by their smartphone.

These accidents had serious consequences: 59% caused property damage; 50% caused injury or death.  Among respondents who work in an industrial setting, an even greater percentage — 26% — reported accidents had occurred in their workplace because someone was distracted by their smartphone.  And these accidents were more consequential: 75% caused property damage; 58% caused injury or death.”