I found this topic extremely interesting.   The issue of headphones
being raised as a safety factor.  It does not pose a safety danger.  I
work with in a lab with a severe hearing impaired technologist.  She
has been in the field for over 20 years.  There has never been a
safety incident due to her impairment.  It boils down to social
interactions between co-workers.  The headphones will likely decrease
verbal dialogs between coworkers but to imply a safety factor is
simply not the case.  

> ----------
> From: 	Gayle Callis
> Sent: 	Tuesday, February 6, 2001 11:22 AM
> To: 	terij@prlnet.com; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	Re: headphones in Histology
> 
> This message hits home especially in my lab today after a move to
> another
> area with more people in lab.   Musical preferences vary greatly,
> and can
> be very annoying/irritating to those who dislike a particular
> station.  If
> radio music is a source of irritation, this could be detrimental to
> work
> production eventually since you can't escape a radio playing.
> People need
> non stressful work conditions.
>    
> One laboratory supervisor, some years ago, had this problem, people
> fighting over what radio station to listen to, cytotechs sitting a
> microscopes were working in an area close to histo group.  He
> permitted
> people to work with headphones/their musical choices. Peace was
> restored
> along with work productivity.
> 
> 1.	Headphones can be used so normal conversation/other sounds get
> through.
> 	Been there, done that!
> 
> 3.	Plugging into my headphones today to escape a radio constantly
> playing
> the same tunes over and over - I need to ESCAPE this onslaught.    
> 
> One observation about headphone users is a reluctance by others who
> want to
> ask them something.  The askers) tend to backoff, as headphones can
> indicate do not interrupt/privacy boundaries.  Headphone users have
> to be
> aware this is not the case IF IT IS UNDERSTOOD and VOLUME IS LOW,
> they have
> to respond to people wanting to talk to them. 
> 
> If headphones are ultimately not allowed, then radios should be
> banned
> also.  I would rather have total silence than music that wears me
> down, ad
> nauseum.  
> 
> My 25 cents worth, off to my CD/radio player.     
> 
> 
> 
> At 07:23 AM 2/6/01 -0600, you wrote:
> >I agree with this view as well.  The problem with having the radio
> on is it
> >seems everybody likes a different radio station and it's difficult
> to find
> >something everyone can agree on.  As long as everybody understands
> the
> >"rules" I don't see this to be much of a problem.
> >
> >-Teri Johnson
> >Physicians Reference Laboratory
> >Overland Park, KS
> >
> 
> Gayle Callis
> Veterinary Molecular Biology
> Montana State University - Bozeman
> Bozeman MT 59717-3610
> 
> 406 994-6367
> 404 994-4303 (FAX)
> 
> 
>