Headphones on the Jobsite
- By John Stene
- •
- 04 Dec, 2018
- •
Etiquette For Those Who Want To Listen While Working
You know that look. You see it from every site superintendent the first time you walk onto the job site. They're not checking out your sweet new hat, they're looking at those earphones you have in.
I'm also familiar with that look. I received it all the time when I started wearing in-ear noise-isolating headphones on jobsites. That was over 6 years ago, and I still get that look from people on site.
That being said I've never been asked to take them out, and that is because of the main reason I wear them: hearing protection.
Here are some guidelines that I use when wearing headphones on the jobsite:
1. Always make sure the headphones are noise isolating. If they aren't you will inevitably be cranking the volume in order to hear your listening content. This is the exact reason there are rules against headphones, because the wearer can't hear what's going on around them, and they become a safety hazard. If you are turning your volume up over 50%, your headphones aren't adequate as noise isolation. The silicone tips on earphones are horrible, so make sure to purchase a pair that have foam tips. They isolate more sound, fit better, and look and act just like earplugs. The more your headphones look and act like hearing protection, the more they will be accepted on a job site.
2. Listen to Audiobooks or Podcasts. You don't have to listen to music, and a lot of the time music at any volume can make hearing someone talking impossible. Spoken word content is much easier to keep at a lower volume, and it's easy to hear other people talk to you while listening. The only time I listen to music is when nobody is around me, and I know that the likelihood of someone talking to me is very low.
3. Make sure to be discrete with your headphones. If you brandish your cords and headphones and things around, it will get noticed easier. Don't wear your Beats on a job site, if you prefer over-ear opposed to in-ear, get the wireless 3M muffs. They look just like official hearing protection(because they are) but they also have bluetooth connectivity, and they even have a mic for phone calls.
4. If you are confronted about the headphones onsite, be respectful, and present yourself as knowledgeable. Don't present the super with stupid excuses like "the doctor said I have to wear these for my vertigo", or "if I don't wear these my brains will fall out", they will see through those as easy as a donut hole. Make sure to note how they are rated hearing protection(and have stats on how much), and how they enable you to hear alerts on your phone from your boss and coworkers. I've missed a lot of calls because I couldn't hear my phone while wearing earplugs, so it can be a real problem.
5. There will always be the stigma of the "Millennial with the things in their ears". Some guys just won't have it on their sites, and that is ok. Don't try to sneak them in, or be the idiot with his phone speaker going in the hardhat(I've seen that multiple times, who are they trying to fool? Wow that guy's forehead is playing music, INCREDIBLE!) Try to be conscious about how you are appearing to others on the site, if you present yourself as competent and respectful people will notice, and appreciate it. The "I don't care what you think" approach doesn't help anyone, and never will. Make sure to be respectful.
That being said, here are some of my opinions of decent hearing protection style headphones, and what I have landed on as my daily wear.
There are many different kinds, but the headphones that I've found to work best are ones that have foam tips that act much like disposable earplugs. A cheap but effective set of corded earbuds that I wore for many years are the JVC Marshmallow(HAFX38MA).
I'm also familiar with that look. I received it all the time when I started wearing in-ear noise-isolating headphones on jobsites. That was over 6 years ago, and I still get that look from people on site.
That being said I've never been asked to take them out, and that is because of the main reason I wear them: hearing protection.
Here are some guidelines that I use when wearing headphones on the jobsite:
1. Always make sure the headphones are noise isolating. If they aren't you will inevitably be cranking the volume in order to hear your listening content. This is the exact reason there are rules against headphones, because the wearer can't hear what's going on around them, and they become a safety hazard. If you are turning your volume up over 50%, your headphones aren't adequate as noise isolation. The silicone tips on earphones are horrible, so make sure to purchase a pair that have foam tips. They isolate more sound, fit better, and look and act just like earplugs. The more your headphones look and act like hearing protection, the more they will be accepted on a job site.
2. Listen to Audiobooks or Podcasts. You don't have to listen to music, and a lot of the time music at any volume can make hearing someone talking impossible. Spoken word content is much easier to keep at a lower volume, and it's easy to hear other people talk to you while listening. The only time I listen to music is when nobody is around me, and I know that the likelihood of someone talking to me is very low.
3. Make sure to be discrete with your headphones. If you brandish your cords and headphones and things around, it will get noticed easier. Don't wear your Beats on a job site, if you prefer over-ear opposed to in-ear, get the wireless 3M muffs. They look just like official hearing protection(because they are) but they also have bluetooth connectivity, and they even have a mic for phone calls.
4. If you are confronted about the headphones onsite, be respectful, and present yourself as knowledgeable. Don't present the super with stupid excuses like "the doctor said I have to wear these for my vertigo", or "if I don't wear these my brains will fall out", they will see through those as easy as a donut hole. Make sure to note how they are rated hearing protection(and have stats on how much), and how they enable you to hear alerts on your phone from your boss and coworkers. I've missed a lot of calls because I couldn't hear my phone while wearing earplugs, so it can be a real problem.
5. There will always be the stigma of the "Millennial with the things in their ears". Some guys just won't have it on their sites, and that is ok. Don't try to sneak them in, or be the idiot with his phone speaker going in the hardhat(I've seen that multiple times, who are they trying to fool? Wow that guy's forehead is playing music, INCREDIBLE!) Try to be conscious about how you are appearing to others on the site, if you present yourself as competent and respectful people will notice, and appreciate it. The "I don't care what you think" approach doesn't help anyone, and never will. Make sure to be respectful.
That being said, here are some of my opinions of decent hearing protection style headphones, and what I have landed on as my daily wear.
There are many different kinds, but the headphones that I've found to work best are ones that have foam tips that act much like disposable earplugs. A cheap but effective set of corded earbuds that I wore for many years are the JVC Marshmallow(HAFX38MA).
For me they lasted about 5-7 months until something wore out. You can find them almost anywhere and they are great at noise isolation. If you want to use your current in-ear headphones you can buy aftermarket foam tips, Comply Foam is a company that makes many different sizes that fit most of the popular brands of headphones. Their website is great for determining what you need for what you have.
There are also many makes of bluetooth headphones, one that is very prominent in our community is ISOTunes. They make corded and Bluetooth headphones directly marketed to the worker in noise environments. I've worn their PRO and Xtra models, and they excel at connectivity, battery life, and phone call quality. That being said in my opinion the sound quality was lacking, and I encountered quirks with the product, such as beeps whenever I skipped a track or resumed playback. I also had issues with two of the "PRO" model pairs, one with the mic not working properly and another the right earphone quit working. Their customer service was awesome, and they sent out replacements right away, but I go annoyed with the issues and purchased a competitive brand's model.
I now wear SHURE SE215 with the bluetooth cable, which I have been using for about 7 months. They are designed to be onstage in-ear monitors for musicians, and are meant to isolate noise. I purchased my set in 2016 in the corded configuration, and bought the bluetooth cable for them 7 months ago. The cool thing about them is that the headphone body can detach from the cable, so they can be used as wired or wireless. They are the best I've used, and the battery lasts with constant playback throughout the workday, and into the evenings when I'm doing side-work.
I did have some issues with them shutting down prematurely recently, a short with one of the buttons. I called their warranty center, sent my defective cable in, and they sent a replacement back. I did have to pay for the shipping to the warranty department, and was without the cable for about 2 weeks, but since I will be receiving a brand new replacement I thought that was worth it. Their warranty covers all problems due to normal wear for 2 years.
Now will I be wearing these for years to come? I don't know. They have been very good, but with the way the personal electronics market has been advancing I wouldn't doubt that they will have something miles better in just a few years.
But until then I will keep going with the Shures, they have been an excellent fit for my needs.
I did have some issues with them shutting down prematurely recently, a short with one of the buttons. I called their warranty center, sent my defective cable in, and they sent a replacement back. I did have to pay for the shipping to the warranty department, and was without the cable for about 2 weeks, but since I will be receiving a brand new replacement I thought that was worth it. Their warranty covers all problems due to normal wear for 2 years.
Now will I be wearing these for years to come? I don't know. They have been very good, but with the way the personal electronics market has been advancing I wouldn't doubt that they will have something miles better in just a few years.
But until then I will keep going with the Shures, they have been an excellent fit for my needs.
JOHN STENE
STENE WOODWORK
STENE WOODWORK
