Oops! I Forgot to Add Communications Headsets to My Budget!

Date: April 16, 2014 | Category: High-Noise Communication

Visit Sensear at the OTC ConferenceWe hear it all the time…budgets for communications systems have been developed, approved, allocated, and even mostly spent before somebody realizes that they can’t talk and/or hear over the noise at their job site.

Here’s what we see as the most common reasons communications headsets are forgotten within budgets:

  1. “The environment is noisier than expected. “ OSHA recommends hearing protection for employees in environments with noise levels over 85dB, as that’s the level where hearing loss can really start to occur. Be sure to measure your environment (before someone else does for you!) and provide adequate protection for your employees. In doing so, though, don’t forget that these employees need to communicate with others on and off the job site. How can you accomplish both?
  2. “I thought of hearing protection, but didn’t consider how to protect employee hearing while also providing the means to communicate.” So, you have earplugs, earmuffs, headsets, or other forms of hearing protection. But what happens when Joe needs to hear what Tom is saying? Does he have to remove his hearing protection? If so, is he really protected? And, will employees continue to take the muffs off and put them back on, or will they just decide it’s not worth it, and leave them off altogether, putting them – and you – at risk?
  3. “My two-way radios don’t work very well in my environment.” Most two-way radio systems aren’t built to eliminate heavy background noise. So in a loud work environment, two-way radio systems can be a real challenge. If you’ve already invested in a two-way radio system, look for communications headset manufacturers who can integrate their system with yours. If you’re still researching vendors, make sure that there are partnerships in place to provide fully integrated headsets.
  4. “My employees need to talk on mobile phones often while on the job site, but can’t with their hearing protection in place (not to mention that the party on the other end has a hard time hearing as well!)” Look for Bluetooth-enabled headsets, which can filter out the external noise for the person on the job site, while providing clear reception on the other end as well. Comfort is also a factor, so just using an off-the-shelf Bluetooth® headset with earmuffs is not very comfortable for very long. There are high-quality Bluetooth-enabled communications headsets on the market today which provide hearing protection and high-quality communications via standard cell phones while filtering out much of the extraneous background noise

Sound Familiar? Now What, You Ask?

No matter where you are in any of the above scenarios, Sensear can help you build on what you have in place. Even if you’ve already invested in high-end communications systems, Sensear integrates with the top solutions on the market. Our top-rated, high-quality headsets allow for crisp, clear communication…and are designed with noisy environments in mind.

So, what have you got to lose? Let the communications specialists at Sensear help you find the right solution for your environment and within your budget.

TALK TO A HIGH NOISE COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST


icon_green-1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jason Goldthwaite

is a member of the Sensear team who shares insights on hearing and noise protection. With a background in hearing safety, he aims to inform and inspire readers.