I did it. I finally got sick of missing all those baseball games. I went out to Home Depot and bought a set of Peltor Work Tunes (branded under AO Safety) . I'll tell you these things work great. I had an old pair that got beat up so bad and had tons of interference. The new design is so quiet and can receive distant stations very easily. I love them. $49.99 at HD.
Hearing Protection
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Huh?
I can understand wanting to hear music or a ballgame while working but what about the real safety issue? With plain hearing protectors, you may not hear someone calling out to warn you of something that's about to happen, such as something falling or a child or pet that's heading toward the dangerous machine you're working with. Wouldn't the addition of music or sports on the radio make it even harder to hear? What about just the distraction of a huge play on a sports broadcast, might be enough to take your mind off what you're doing and cause an injury. I like to think we are all smarter than this but things happen real quick sometimes.
Hmmmmmmm. Good point there. I personally don't use hearing protection but then again I am not old and deaf. (insert cynical grin here) Honestly I do practice good safety including always making certain that I am in the RIGHT STATE OF MIND (No, Jose is not allowed on my tractor) when working. I wear my steel-toe engineer boots (after all I am an Engineer), long pants, eye protection & gloves when working near chemicals, cutting equipment etc. I also wear a full shield, including helmet and ear protection when using the chainsaw.
I personally would not want the distraction of anything else while I am out on the tractor. It is enough for me to listen to the tractor, be aware of any obvious debris, and potential hidden dangers, plus being able to be "alerted by people on the ground in emergencies" --- I agree with sixchows, I cannot imagine being distracted by music, talkshow rhetoric, ballgames or anything that is simply not of the essence to what I am focused on to accomplish. (especially when I have a deadly bushhog spinning a few feet behind my head)
YMMV
I am not a SAFETY FREAK but I do practice more than most out there and I think it does make a difference. Remember the addage: "If it is feels unsafe, it probably is. " ---- Leave the games where they belong on TV/RADIO and let the overpaid boys have fun on their own time, not during my fun time. Never understood that level of attraction to professional sports in the first place. I guess that is what makes the world go round.
Last thing I want to hear while enjoying my quiet peaceful time on the tractor is some commercials about Bengay.
nodeal
I personally would not want the distraction of anything else while I am out on the tractor. It is enough for me to listen to the tractor, be aware of any obvious debris, and potential hidden dangers, plus being able to be "alerted by people on the ground in emergencies" --- I agree with sixchows, I cannot imagine being distracted by music, talkshow rhetoric, ballgames or anything that is simply not of the essence to what I am focused on to accomplish. (especially when I have a deadly bushhog spinning a few feet behind my head)
YMMV
I am not a SAFETY FREAK but I do practice more than most out there and I think it does make a difference. Remember the addage: "If it is feels unsafe, it probably is. " ---- Leave the games where they belong on TV/RADIO and let the overpaid boys have fun on their own time, not during my fun time. Never understood that level of attraction to professional sports in the first place. I guess that is what makes the world go round.
Last thing I want to hear while enjoying my quiet peaceful time on the tractor is some commercials about Bengay.
nodeal
To add fuel to the fire, would you be able to hear the warnings over a typical lawnmower wearing standard hearing protection??? I can't when I wore my old standard hearing protection. So how can having a radio in there make a big difference if the dbls are at the same level.
The key here is being vigilant to your surroundings. It is far more important to be familiar with your machine and to be aware at all times of anyone or anything within 50-100 feet of you. If something comes into that area, I won't operate any equipment.
I disagree totally with the ballgame/music argument, I do agree that it is very important to make sure that your the only one outside or in the area that you are working in for safety. My boys are only a year old (yesterday in fact). They are starting to walk. Even though when I am outside working, I make sure that my wife doesn't leave their side until I'm done. Even then, I make sure to look all around very frequently, especially on turns where someone might just happen to pop into view without me knowing about it.
Granted, 1-4 yr olds would never be (should never be) outside by themselves without a parent/caregiver present. But you got to be aware that kids and animals can "escape" the vigilant eyes that are watching them.
I guess it is a question of how many distractions you have? Me, I have used these types of earmuff before and they are very good. I know that my mowing habits have always been the same which is extremely cautious.
The key here is being vigilant to your surroundings. It is far more important to be familiar with your machine and to be aware at all times of anyone or anything within 50-100 feet of you. If something comes into that area, I won't operate any equipment.
I disagree totally with the ballgame/music argument, I do agree that it is very important to make sure that your the only one outside or in the area that you are working in for safety. My boys are only a year old (yesterday in fact). They are starting to walk. Even though when I am outside working, I make sure that my wife doesn't leave their side until I'm done. Even then, I make sure to look all around very frequently, especially on turns where someone might just happen to pop into view without me knowing about it.
Granted, 1-4 yr olds would never be (should never be) outside by themselves without a parent/caregiver present. But you got to be aware that kids and animals can "escape" the vigilant eyes that are watching them.
I guess it is a question of how many distractions you have? Me, I have used these types of earmuff before and they are very good. I know that my mowing habits have always been the same which is extremely cautious.
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I side with wearing required hearing protection, even if it is a radio, as long as it does not distract from the task at hand. As far as not being able to hear someone yelling because of the hearing protection with a radio.....I don't know if I could hear anyone over the roar of the engine or mower...that's why all of the available senses should be working while your doing tractor work. I look where I'm going whether it's in a forward or backward direction...So if I don't here someone, I'm pretty sure I'll see them waving their arms.
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5,317 Posts
Music does not make me forget what I'm doing. Andy i bet you use a cell phone while operating a 2000# vehicle at 60 MPH and how about you sixchows do you talk on the phone while driving. What is the difference of mowing with music or driving while talking on the phone and listening to music its both distracting. You just have to pay attention to what you are doing.
Jody
Jody
Good to hear your educated response, Leolav. Personally, I have never ever worn hearing protection, nor have I seen anyone wear any on a riding mower. I thought you might be referring to when you perform woodworking or lumberjacking type duties. I guess you bring up a good point ---- safety. Safety is most important issue and if you feel that you are just as cautious, aware and well-protected with the addition of the radio, then that is certainly - good news! I know that you will maintain your diligence and congrats on your twins and their BIG 1ST BIRTHDAY! My son is 19 months old now ---- simply amazing how fast they grow.
Best wishes.
Andy
Best wishes.
Andy
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275 Posts
There is hearing protection available that fit loosely in the ears and let some sound through. We use these while in the manufacturing floor, otherwise we couldn't communicate. The problem with listening to music or talk while operating loud machinery is that people have the tendency to turn the volume higher to drown out whatever machine you are using. Therefore you end up listening to whatever at dangerous volume levels. :drums:
Well, I have a handsfree system built into my new truck and even in my old 4runner, I used a speakerphone system. And it is actually more like a 5000# vehicle.
----- I feel that there is just a high level of awareness that needs to be maintained while mowing, bushhogging or operating heavy dangerous machinery.It is just my opinion and not doctrine. I would never feel safe enough to block out my environment to that extent but I guess it depends if all I was doing was cutting an 1/2 acre of land with a riding mower vs. bushhogging 10acres of high pasture. I can see with the lawn cutting how it might be a little easier to manage. I would never want to be so cut off from my immediate environment that I couldn't focus on my task COMPLETELY. It is much easier to focus when you can actually hear things hitting the blades, or the tractor bogging down in heavy patches, or hear people calling from the house.
Plus, I don't want to be distracted by forced radio commentary and commercials while I was out enjoying my fun time. I hate all of those intrusions on my life and for me time on the tractor is time away from the endless drones of society and its entrapments. That is just me. No offense to those who don't subscribe to my opinions ---- they are just my beliefs.... :-D
Smiles,
Andy
I have a hands free for my cell phone also and sometimes the noise of the diesel is enough to drowned out a siren from emergency vehicles. I would agree that the loose fitting ones would be a better choice and also wheely boy has a very good point about turning up the volume. As far as not being distracted while driving and talking on the phone that's pretty much true. But the car and or truck that I'm driving isn't likely to shoot something out the side at high velocity like a mower might shoot a stone. Can most people wear hearing protectors with or without a radio and still be on top of things around them? Of course, but there are those that can't and that's why we have hands free laws for cell phones.
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5,317 Posts
Have you ever worked in a paper mill where the chipper is running. When that log hits that chipper you cant hear with or without hearing protection if someone yelling in your ear. And you have to be on your toes because wood flies everywhere and you don't wont to get hit by flying wood or logs. You get pretty good at reading lips and hand signals. Its all in being aware of whats going on at all times. These are not your normal everyday chippers they are big i seen a piece of pipe off of a log truck the ones on the sides that hold the log from falling off the sides. It is a very thick wall pipe it went though the chipper and the chipper never slowed down. It did ruin the blades but it didn't even slow it down. I have worked around alot of dangerous equipment and still do just not as big. You have to keep one eye open at all time you cant take nothing for granted. But i listen to music when i cut grass but it don't take my mind off what I'm doing. That comes after when i sit in the swing and have a cold one:beer:
Jody
Jody
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1,310 Posts
Like many have said its all about paying attention. If I need to pay attention I cant have any extra noise or I'll wonder my attention to something else.
Ryan
Ryan
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3,693 Posts
Hey congrats for living through the first year!
:dancingfo :caker: Mine has her big number two coming up. WOW sure does not get easier.
As for the ere protection. I started wereing it after a day of mowing on my Ingersoll, I found I could here NOTHING when I left to go home.[before the house was built] Sence then if I am going to be on for more then a few mins, the ear muffs are on.
I work alone most of the time and have no children. The chainsaw seems to be the only thing that bothers me enough to wear hearing protection. It is the loudest tool I have. The old Homelite XL has little more than a straight exhaust. I'm afraid I might miss the warning noise that something is going wrong with the equipment. I actually enjoy listening to the sounds of machinery. It's a break from the media barrage I recieve at work.
Mark
Mark
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