Bugs, germs, central-heating and jobs that rely on communication are all placing a strain on workers’ vocal chords; claim the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Workers who rely on their voices to do their jobs are most at risk particularly teachers and call centre workers say the union body.
Voice-related ailments account for one in five teachers who skip school every year. This is around five times the rate for the UK workforce as a whole.
The Royal College of Speech and Language has reported increasing numbers of call centre workers being referred to speech therapists, blaming their voice loss on over-long scripts, long hours and few opportunities to take a break for a drink of water.
Figures from the US suggest that as many as five million workers in the UK could be routinely affected by voice loss, at an annual cost to the economy of over £200 million.
Teachers and call centre operators are not the only ones who are at risk, however. According to the TUC, childcare workers, shopworkers, radio and TV reporters, sales staff, barristers, bingo callers, counsellors and fitness instructors are also in danger of voice-related problems.
The TUC publication ‘Work hoarse’ contains a number of recommendations for how employers and union safety representatives can help reduce the risk of occupational voice loss:
- Provide a working environment that has a comfortable temperature and humidity, and control dust and chemicals, as both can inflame the membranes of the vocal tract.
- Carry out a risk assessment that looks at the jobs most at risk of voice loss and stress, look at ways of changing the way people work to minimise any risk.
- Ensure staff take regular rest breaks and drink plenty of fresh water, and don’t put pressure on staff to come into work when they are not well enough to do so.
