My 2 cents
    In the absence of headphones there can be no whining about "that terrible
racket that they always play". I think headphones are a very polite courtesy
when played at a reasonable level. And when using the light ones that do not
cover the whole ear (or even part of it in some cases ... eew), you can even
hear normal conversation.
    Etiquette must prevail here however. If the volume of the headphones is so
high that those around you can clearly hear it, 1) it defeats the purpose of
using the headphones, & 2) it's not healthy for the ear.
    For the safety side If it is considered unsafe to use headphones so you can
hear an alarm or another coworker, then does that exclude the hearing impaired
from employment? Or if someone has had hearing damage, should they be suspended
until their hearing returns
    I have been in situations that the incessant prattle of an annoying co
worker has been tolerable only because of headphones. If I didn't have them I
might have considered weather or not they would fit in the processor. (Come on
... she was a terrible gossip, don't pretend you've never thought it once or
twice, possibly even right now, haha)
Amos Brooks

PS: Has anyone ever noticed there is no cents sigh on microsoft key boards? ...
I wonder if they know what the sign means haha ;-)
Jill Stevens-Becker wrote:

> Does anyone know if there are any safety issues or requirements with people
> wearing headphones in the histology lab?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jill
> Kaiser,CO
> _________________________________________________________________
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