GM Banning Cell Phone Use While Walking, Tells Workers To Put Them Down

If you haven’t noticed over the last few years, there’s a cell phone epidemic taking the public by storm. Driving, walking, eating, it’s all done with a cell phone in the other hand. And General Motors is tired of it. According to Motor1, the automaker instituted a strict no-smartphone policy earlier this year when employees are out and about walking around. Not even CEO Mary Barra is exempt from the safety guidelines. The ban applies all over the property – the plant, hallways, offices.

“We have asked people not to text and walk or walk and talk on phones because it takes your attention away from potential hazards,” said Jim Glynn in Fast Company’s report. Glynn is GM’s vice president of global workplace safety, and though we’ve taken a slightly humorous slant with this story, there are legitimate dangers that stem from being a distracted worker in any environment, office or otherwise.

Injuries occur daily because people are looking at screens instead of looking where they’re going. And while bumping shoulders on the way to get a cup of coffee may be harmless, walking around in a plant with heavy machinery is a different (and dangerous) situation. Whether you’re driving or walking, put the phone down, people.