The physical and mental health of the UK’s million call centre workers is at significant risk, despite health and safety regulations, a UNISON survey has found.

The survey highlights the toll that pressurised, target-driven and restrictive, closely-monitored working can take on call centre staff, preventing from taking the necessary measures to protect their health and wellbeing. A quarter of respondents said that even their access to a toilet is restricted.

By its nature high-volume, and increasingly repetitive, call centre work is responsible for high numbers of physical health complaints.

Of equal concern to UNISON, however, is the number of respondents who reported that their working practices were causing them mental distress. More than 80% of respondents said that their work caused them to feel stressed, and nearly a quarter of those saying the stress experienced has reached a damaging level that impacts on their home and personal life.