The Queensland Government is seeking public feedback on proposed new guidelines to improve workplace health and safety standards in private call centres.

Industrial Relations Minister Gordon Nuttall says the guidelines are the first of their kind in Australia, and follow last year's Code of Practice developed for Queensland
Government call centres and those centres seeking Government contracts.

The Minister announced the proposed new WH&S guidelines following continuing concerns about workplace conditions in an industry growing at a rate of 20 per cent a year.

"The primary health and safety issues in the call centre industry relate to manual tasks, the use of headsets and work-related stress," Nuttall says.

The new document is designed to bring together the research, current legislation and recommendations in one simple, practical document for employers and workers.

The Call Centre document may be obtained from the Division of Workplace Health and Safety's website at http://www.whs.qld.gov.au or by emailing callcentres@dir.qld.gov.au. Comments close on May 10, 2002.