Rank: Forum user 
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Anyone any experience of dealing with this situation. We have a mandatory hearing protection policy but noticed a couple of personnel using I PODs (wires from ear phones coming under ear defenders).
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Rank: Forum user
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Yes, Richard.
We banned the use of personal stereos, ipods etc.
The wires to the ear piece break the seal of the ear defenders which increases the potential for hearing damage and the volume also gets to be turned up higher to overcome the background noise.
Geoff
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Rich,
Come across this before, local noise level 100 dB ipod earphones inside earmuffs measured 115-120 dB and the stupid blighter was still wearing them the next day after instructing him to remove them or go deaf.
Badger
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Badger - he probably couldn't hear you :-((
(Sorry)
Not just potential for hearing loss but they will not be able to hear emergency alarms and instructions?
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Rank: Super forum user
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I would also ban the use of IPods etc in the workplace. To distracting.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Slightly off topic but a good while ago we had to ban the use of radios in the workplace as they were loud enough to take the noise readings over the first action level at the time (turned up so people could hear them over the noise of the machines) - it did not go down well to start with there was a lot of resentment for a good while.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Geoff 1954 wrote:The wires to the ear piece break the seal of the ear defenders which increases the potential for hearing damage Surely nothing like as much as the effect of the pads going over the arm of glasses, and the ear-defender manufacturers reckon that is acceptable (if liquid-filled cushions to the ear defenders, and flattish glasses arms). I'd be surprised if an earphone wire made significant difference - how recently you shaved and the subtleties of bone profile would be as significant, wouldn't they?
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Rank: Super forum user
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A true and recent story:
"Lad working on the bins [or do we have to say 'refuse collection' these days] where he had to cross the road every few yards and guess what; yep he had his I-pod in his ear and yes he was hit by a car". In this case i-pods and similar had already been banned so the lad had no defence in work and recieved injuries for his trouble
The point being is that such kit [+ mobile phones etc] should not be used in work where 'distraction' can hurt or interfere with the quality or speed of production and all work areas especially noise areas should be managed
The case U note is now a management issue not a H&S issue!
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Just to approach from another side....
if the job is REALLY boring or repetitive there are solutions that allow radio, or MP3s to be listened too. You can also allow radio comms so you can talk to your staff (broadcasting inspirational messages or something) or even have them in a conference call so they can talk to each other.
If you're feeling really plush machines can send messages into this chaos of information asking for attention.
All this with active attenuation or front speakers that feed in external noise at a safe level....
This means alarms are heard, the employee gets to chill to Machine Head or equivalent, and safety isn't compromised.
Another interesting point is personal radio isn't subject to the same licensing rules so you don't need a license like you do for a 'public' radio system.
I learnt all this from peltor (3M) (other companies exist), so if you are feeling kind and have money to burn call them..
if not ban mp3 players.
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