Editor’s Note: The anonymous person who suggested we come up with better questions ought to think again because this question received more responses than any other in the history of “Problem Solved.” Responses were nearing 100 as we were going to press. We added an extra page to this department, and to save space so as to include as many responses as we could in this issue, we eliminated the “Anonymous” byline; any response without a name was submitted anonymously. It still wasn’t enough, so you will have to wait until next month to see the rest of the replies.
In the meantime, with 90+ responses, 40 percent of you say that radios on the job are a safety hazard. That means 60 percent like a little background music, but of that 60 percent, 22 percent say radios should be played with certain conditions. Read on …
Eliminate radios completely!
AC/DC = Morale Booster. Lady Gaga = Safety Hazard.
—Tim Finke, Vice President, Gypsum Systems Interiors, Ltd.
Having come from the field on jobsites, I know that it boosts morale and production.
Unacceptable in commercial construction. It is a safety hazard.
Radios have their place. In the kitchen, living room, garage or on the back porch while sippin’ suds listening to the game. They should be banned from all jobs. Some high-end neighborhoods in Houston even ban them from residential projects.
—Tim Rogan, VP, CEP, Houston Lath and Plaster
Let them play their radio. Too many rules already. This is still America.
I believe that radios at a moderate volume add to a pleasurable workplace. Of course this needs to be applied in the proper working environment. Some work sites may not have the conditions for a radio to be used, i.e., hospitals, schools while in session, etc.
As a Super I have to look at the safety hazard it could cause … but I started in the field as a worker and can tell you from my experience that happy workers are more productive workers. Simple music can boost production by 10% per man/per day simply by being in a good mood. Safety first always, so low volume or one ear piece seems reasonable to me.
I think a radio is OK as long as if the owner walks in, the radio is turned off out of respect.
Radios are a distraction and usually cause trouble due to conflicting interests in music/talk. They are either too loud or indistinguishable as to their content. If you are listening to the radio, then you are likely not working.
If it’s new construction and played at a reasonable sound level with the majority of workers enjoying it, then by all means, let’s get some motivation going.
Jobsite radios are OK if—and that’s a big if—there are not others working around the area, the volume is kept to low, time is not wasted changing stations and trying to get reception, heavy rock or opera music is not played (music or news that is generic that is fair to others). Sometimes radios will attract whistlers, and whistling can be a real irritant, break focus and create short tempers.
Radios on large projects are a definite safety hazard. With different radios playing different stations at an always too loud volume amidst the beeping of the scissor lifts and other jobsite-related noise, job sites have become chaotic and more stressful due to the radios. I have experienced and witnessed many heated arguments over someone being asked to either turn down or preferably turn off their radios. I would vote to have radios banned from projects.
—Tom Casarin, President, Dimension Drywall & Acoustic Design Ltd., London, Ontario
Morale booster if played at a proper volume.
Sure it boosts morale and helps time pass faster, but with all the different stations available—and everybody has their own favorite, it creates chaos and sometimes altercations. Ban them all.
I think radios played at a moderate volume are OK. It is much better than head phones that don’t let you hear what is going on around you.
—R. Jones, Drywall Finisher
Only classic rock!
Radios on job sites are great for morale and employee camaraderie.
—Jim Rose, President
OK: Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills, Johnny Cash. Not OK: Anything else.
—Chris Ball, Ball CM
We are with the GCs banning the radios on site. We think it is a distraction.
Jobsite radios are a hazard. Nothing worse than trying to discuss issues while three different stations are blasting. I am a musician and love music, but construction site is no place for it. It’s too dangerous and can cause friction with other workers.
—John Neville, General Superintendent, Curtis Partition, NYC
There is no doubt about the fact that music in particular has a way of creating a comfortable work environment. There is an old saying that music soothes the souls of savage beasts, and there is some truth to that! Concomitantly, radio talk shows are a no-no. They tend to be politically charged and are almost always disruptive.
There are more safety hazards created by the pseudo-safety inspectors who cruise a project looking for issues than a month of Sundays worth of good old rock ‘n’ roll music will ever procreate. One thing that happens with some frequency on our projects is that one of the safety jerk-inspectors will unplug a cord that is strung out that they suspect has a bad end—without observing what is going on at the tool end of the cord. Imagine a tradesman on a scaffold with a tool stretched out to fasten something, and this a^^hole unsuspectingly unplugs the power. It happens.
If there are any studies out there that support the fact that music is a safety hazard, fine; then the GC may have the right to ban the use of radios. If not, then even at the risk of that GC terminating its subcontract with your company, I’d politely tell them to go to grass.
—Howard F. Hopson, Hopson Specialty Systems, Forty Fort, PA
It’s no different than being in any other public area. No one wants to be captive to another’s “entertainment.” If played at a non-offending volume, then OK. If it gets too loud, then it disrupts communications and can lead to safety as well as production concerns.
—Patrick Harvey, President, Patrick G Harvey & Sons Contractors Inc., Mission Viejo, California
Radios on the jobsite are a hazard and not allowed on RCI project sites.
The problem is, what is a reasonable volume? The job site is noisy, so the volume keeps getting turned up. The louder the volume, the more distracting. It becomes harder to communicate, and there is more opportunity for miscommunication and errors and accidents. I have never allowed radios on my job sites. If they don’t like it, look for another job. We have a great safety record and happy customers.
We have discussed this in our office. Safety manager and all office personnel have agreed that because of the music possibly having the same frequency as machine noises that could be an alert to employees of a safety hazard, we agree with the GC’s decision.
Dangerous. It is a distraction, just like driving and talking on your mobile phone.
Boost morale. No radio and a quiet job site make the days worse.
I do not believe that radios should not be “banned” from job sites. They can help work be more productive.
I think there should be no radios on a job site—they are a safety hazard and distraction. My question to you is, What is a reasonable volume?
Not all of us have lost a little enjoyment to our work day. Let them play. Maybe the office staff should wear hard hats and safety glass and turn off the AC as well. Also unplug the coffee pots as well.
I totally agree. Need to put guidelines in.
The key is reasonable volume. Definitely a morale booster, but everybody wants a different station—that tends to lead to problems. You must establish radio rules.
With the jobsite conditions we are faced with today and the liability we all have, I think radios are a distraction and a hazard. I never thought I would feel this way about this issue, but times have changed!
—Mike Taylor, Liddle Brothers Contractors Inc., Nashville, Tennessee
Being a roofing contractor we are exposed to a fairly complex set of safety requirements. There is no volume level that would make a jobsite radio be acceptable or make sense in our opinion.
—Beth Gloss, Managing Member, United Materials, Denver, Colorado
I don’t mind them as long as they are kept at a reasonable volume level. I have always been told that if one of your men is down in the dumps, play rock ‘n’ roll, and if you have one too wound up, play country.
—Bill McQueen
They are a safety concern because employees are not focused on the task at hand. We have implemented our own policy prohibiting them for our employees and subcontractors on all projects. We also have banned the use of cell phones during working hours because of the distraction.
