- Location
- Massachusetts
OK old dudes. :grin:
Is listening to a radio on a job site an OSHA violation?
- Thread starter Eddy Current
- Start date
- Status
Pierre C Belarge
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
Yes, and it is the newest OSHA statement I can find on the subject.
If you can find something newer from OSHA that contradicts it post it.
I was breaking your horns about the year...
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Eh, sonny?
chris kennedy
Senior Member
- Location
- Miami Fla.
- Occupation
- 60 yr old tool twisting electrician
The Led Zeppelin I grew up with are now oldies (turned 50 yesterday), I still can't comprehend that.
What Ken said about same station and reasonable volume works for me.
Some of us 'old dudes' still have good hearing because we didn't ruin it as kids listening to loud music.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Some of us 'old dudes' still have good hearing because we didn't ruin it as kids listening to loud music.
Nice try but only your number 1 has anything to do with saving your hearing, 2 and 3 are just complaints. :grin:
Personally your 2 and 3 set me off as well but I will not try to say it is because I want to save my hearing ........ I will be honest and say it is because I am an old cranky guy at this point. :grin:
I wouldn't mind radios on the job if:
1. The volume is >>>reasonable<<<. You really don't need to listen to the radio that's sitting 500' away while you're running a table saw or air compressor and someone next to you is jackhammering up the concrete floor.
2. If there's more than one radio, everyone picks the SAME station. No reason I should have to listen to Patsy Cline, KISS, Rush Limbaugh, the Boston Pops, ManCow, Elvis, the Sex Pistols, the Beatles, Mozart, the Farm Report, the Beach Boys, the Market Report, Charlie Daniels, Simon and Garfunkle, Amy Grant, the Weather Report and today's installment of "Bird Calls" all at the same freaking time.Of course, once everyone realizes someone else will tune into a different station, they have to turn their radio up to drown out the others.
3. If your radio won't tune in the station, for crying out loud, just shut it off. It's even more annoying to have a station drift in and out and listen to static half the time, or the audio becomes garbled. If you can't afford a good tuner, leave the piece of crap at home. Or get one that plays mp3s.
Rant over.
I see. So you're saying I'm the only one capable of turning up the volume on a radio.
You really have lost your hearing, haven't you? You apparently can't hear all those thumpy-thumpy radios rolling down the street. Nor must you notice the I'll-kill-you-for-not-accepting-my-way-of-life tunes kids crank up these days.
renosteinke
Senior Member
- Location
- NE Arkansas
"OSHA" and "liability" are far too often the boogeymen created by management to dodge accountability for their management decisions - which are often as not based simply on how they 'feel' at the moment.
It amazes me how the balance shifts to suit the speaker. For example, it's "dangerous" for me to use my computer while driving, but perfectly OK for Officer Friendly to use his while he's driving. Well, I wander ....
The radio issue also underscores the failure of 'one size fits all' rules. For example, I was once nearly fired for being 'rude' to someone whose radio volume was precluding my communicating with another, while working on a machine, performing the very task that had recently maimed another worker - at that very work station!
Communication is often essential on a job, and it is possible for radios to interfere, so quite often some policy has to be developed.
On the flip side, radios do measurably improve productivity and alertness. In the case of someone working off by himself,So a radio can clue others into his presence- a worthy safety goal of its' own. Having had someone secure a roof access while I was atop, I can attest to that!
It's management's job to make these decisions, and I won't let them pass the buck.
It amazes me how the balance shifts to suit the speaker. For example, it's "dangerous" for me to use my computer while driving, but perfectly OK for Officer Friendly to use his while he's driving. Well, I wander ....
The radio issue also underscores the failure of 'one size fits all' rules. For example, I was once nearly fired for being 'rude' to someone whose radio volume was precluding my communicating with another, while working on a machine, performing the very task that had recently maimed another worker - at that very work station!
Communication is often essential on a job, and it is possible for radios to interfere, so quite often some policy has to be developed.
On the flip side, radios do measurably improve productivity and alertness. In the case of someone working off by himself,So a radio can clue others into his presence- a worthy safety goal of its' own. Having had someone secure a roof access while I was atop, I can attest to that!
It's management's job to make these decisions, and I won't let them pass the buck.
jeremysterling
Senior Member
- Location
- Austin, TX
While I agree with most of the posts in this thread, what I consider to be the foremost reason to leave the radio in the truck has not been mentioned:
It is unprofessional.
I love music and the radio (NPR
), but after I get out of the truck, I am thankful my employer's policy bans radios and MP3 players.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
I don't mind radios on job sites as long as I can hear what I need to. More than one has lost power on occasion. Never cut a cord though.
That's the nice thing about being electricians. We can sometimes, uh,well, shall we say "need to work on a specific circuit" and that just happens to be the one that annoying radio is plugged into.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
One of my best friends used to build elevators in new commercial construction. He had just about every trade beg him for a lift, and they dared not diss him.That's the nice thing about being electricians. We can sometimes, uh,well, shall we say "need to work on a specific circuit" and that just happens to be the one that annoying radio is plugged into.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Lets get back on topic.
Is listening to a radio on a job site an OSHA violation?
Is listening to a radio on a job site an OSHA violation?
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
My dealings with OSHA are, like never. TG. That said, IMO if they create unsafe work conditions, like I can't hear what I need to, then yes.
wtucker
Senior Member
- Location
- Connecticut
The short answer is, No OSHA does not prohibit radios on the job.
The long answer is employers and owners may prohibit them, usually to prevent arguments over what's playing on the radio or so that workers can hear emergency signals, or because the owner, who's working in the next room, doesn't want to hear it. Then, they blame OSHA to deflect attitude.
Oh, and OSHA also doesn't care if customers go into the auto repair bay, and doesn't care what children do. And, the health department doesn't require shirts and shoes in restaurants.
The long answer is employers and owners may prohibit them, usually to prevent arguments over what's playing on the radio or so that workers can hear emergency signals, or because the owner, who's working in the next room, doesn't want to hear it. Then, they blame OSHA to deflect attitude.
Oh, and OSHA also doesn't care if customers go into the auto repair bay, and doesn't care what children do. And, the health department doesn't require shirts and shoes in restaurants.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
As an inspector we run into a lot of these types of things. I usually ask that the radio be turned off or down while we are there, it's more of an annoyance than a danger.
As for other things if the job is a hard hat job, even though a hard hat is not required by OSHA then I wear a hard hat. Also as an inspetor I am only required to wear "leather foot wear" which could include tennis shoes, but our bosses take it to mean leather boots. I went on one job and the foreman told me that I couldn't be there because I didn't have on steel toed boots, so I left, of course three hours later when he called to see where I was I had to tell him that he had told me to leave and suddenly I didn't need steel toed boots any more. Some rules are simply CYA.
As for other things if the job is a hard hat job, even though a hard hat is not required by OSHA then I wear a hard hat. Also as an inspetor I am only required to wear "leather foot wear" which could include tennis shoes, but our bosses take it to mean leather boots. I went on one job and the foreman told me that I couldn't be there because I didn't have on steel toed boots, so I left, of course three hours later when he called to see where I was I had to tell him that he had told me to leave and suddenly I didn't need steel toed boots any more. Some rules are simply CYA.
short circuit faulted
Member
- Location
- Columbia SC
Radio's on Job Site
Radio's on Job Site
Majority of jobs I have been associated with, either the general contractor OR the construction manager laid down the law on the front of the project and made having a radio on job site was reason for dismissal from job.
I have the same problems with radios listed by earlier folks - too much noise and nothing sycronized for the noise being heard.
What I consider worse than radios however are cell phones - My God between recieving and making calls / texting they steal valuable time from employer. We therefore address that problem as follows - If we see you using a phone during working hours, we will ask you to leave (first offense) second offense and we ask to leave and not come back. We do make exceptions for those employees who have family emergencies (Someone in hospital, baby due, family member near death) we give employees the superintendents and the foreman OR foremens cell phone numbers so that family can notify. Course there will aways be those who strecth the rules by extended stays in the port-a-johns - that can usually however be monitored and defeated.
Have a great day all
Steve
Radio's on Job Site
Majority of jobs I have been associated with, either the general contractor OR the construction manager laid down the law on the front of the project and made having a radio on job site was reason for dismissal from job.
I have the same problems with radios listed by earlier folks - too much noise and nothing sycronized for the noise being heard.
What I consider worse than radios however are cell phones - My God between recieving and making calls / texting they steal valuable time from employer. We therefore address that problem as follows - If we see you using a phone during working hours, we will ask you to leave (first offense) second offense and we ask to leave and not come back. We do make exceptions for those employees who have family emergencies (Someone in hospital, baby due, family member near death) we give employees the superintendents and the foreman OR foremens cell phone numbers so that family can notify. Course there will aways be those who strecth the rules by extended stays in the port-a-johns - that can usually however be monitored and defeated.
Have a great day all
Steve
ohmhead
Senior Member
- Location
- ORLANDO FLA
Well Steve this is normal on our projects no phones no cell phone were here to work and keep your eyes and ears free to see what is going on you must do commercial work because we have the same policy on every job .
You dont have time to listen to a radio but on our job you could not hear a radio anyway .
Never been on any project since ive been working that had a radio on site ever i guess iam not hip or cool .
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