Hearing protection with music when running the tractor? What do you use?

NHSleddog

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650
Dec 19, 2019
2,149
1,823
113
Southern, NH
NHS not to belabor what I said but why do you think that listening to music in head phones are not permitted in mills, underground ,mines surface mines and so on. Not to say people are scoff laws at times, but the first fatality you have to investigate, brings more to light, than you might think. What went wrong and why, how do we prevent it from happening again. Those thoughts stay with you for a life time. One statement I used in my training classes, was every safety law in the book, has blood on it.
I have no idea why some mills don't allow music. I have been in many industrial applications that do though. But I wasn't referring to mills, I was referring to someone listening to music and someone else ASSUMING they are not paying attention or are distracted because of that. You were talking about bombing down the road in a car, (where most of the studies I was involved in was focused) not working in a nuclear power plant - location location location. What I was referring to was the idea that music "automatically distracts" and that is not what the studies found. The same was true for visual stimulation. It was based on studies done over a long period of time. 3M was the primary funder of the studies.

Does the music have to be listened to in head phones to be a distraction? I was just talking about music in general. So, should they be outlawing radios in cars now?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,134
2,782
113
SW Pa
Well I do enjoy classical music, however I do not listen to it while driving. Simply because it lulls me into a state of general well being and all is good with the world, almost like a dream, silly I know, except Bach, he drives me to drink. And that is why the radio is off or a rock station is playing
The point is anything can be a distraction be it music, flashing lights, a flashy bill board, or a scantly clad well endowed young lady out cutting the grass. I cannot comment on the study as I have not read it.
Every ones susceptibility to a distraction is subjective to that person. The point is anything that distracts a person from his/her job is a danger to them selves or someone else. You perhaps are of the mind set that music is not a distraction to you, while the next guy it may well be. And trying to remove a radio from a car would be an exercise in futility, so that makes that comment moot.
I do wear muffs when mowing, and while they do inhibit the excessive noise, they do not muffle the sounds, I should be listening for,,, like something comming apart. A man must do as he will, and suffer the consequences of his actions.
We now return you to your regularly broadcast
 

GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,667
2,997
113
Texas
In my former life we did all kinds of studies on roadside signage and the effects on traffic and safety. Too much comfort and lack of visual/audible stimulus lead to higher traffic incidents.

Not to argue that music can't take your mind off it, but there have been studies done that show music can also keep your mind stimulated and "into it". The same goes for a waving flag, or colorful billboard, the visual stimulus tends to keep you more alert not less.
YEAH…. if it’s GHETTO-RAP maybe…..

When I’m tractoring….. I listen to Gene Autry and “Back in the Saddle Again…..”
and “Roy Rogers singin’
“ Let me ride to the ridge where the West Commences….And Gaze at the Moon until I Leave my Senses….Don’t Fence Me IN!”

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

JimmyJazz

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Aug 8, 2020
1,098
644
113
Pittsburgh, Pa
A friend of mine toured either a BMW or Mercedes Benz factory in Germany several years ago and reported that the workers were permitted and do drink beer on the assembly lines. We had a good laugh imagining how that would play out if permitted in Detroit.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: 1 user

mcmxi

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
Feb 9, 2021
4,148
4,709
113
NW Montana
Perhaps the best hearing protection of all is a cab! 😂
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

PoTreeBoy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L35 Ford 3930
Mar 24, 2020
2,396
1,212
113
WestTn/NoMs
A friend of mine toured either a BMW or Mercedes Benz factory in Germany several years ago and reported that the workers were permitted and do drink beer on the assembly lines. We had a good laugh imagining how that would play out if permitted in Detroit.
I visited a world-class fab shop in Berlin once. They served beer in the company cafeteria. But what got my attention was the open gas pipe flames, similar to homemade Bunsen burners, scattered out on the workshop floor for space heat.
 

Whatscooking

Active member

Equipment
Grand L 3130. BX2360. RTV900. GRASSHOPPER 721D
May 19, 2021
124
62
28
Indiana
I have been to a McDonald's in Paris and they have beer on the menu. Talk about a happy meal.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 1 users

NHSleddog

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650
Dec 19, 2019
2,149
1,823
113
Southern, NH
... You perhaps are of the mind set that music is not a distraction to you, while the next guy it may well be. And trying to remove a radio from a car would be an exercise in futility, so that makes that comment moot.
....
The study wasn't about me being motivated by music or you falling asleep to it. It was about visual and audible stimulus while driving and the affects on the driver. According to the study (I didn't do any of the collection, I was involved with the data side) music heightens alertness. You can argue it all you want, it isn't me saying it. There has also been a ton of other studies since. A quick google will point you to many of them.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

JimmyJazz

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Aug 8, 2020
1,098
644
113
Pittsburgh, Pa
The study wasn't about be me being motivated by music or you falling asleep to it. It was about visual and audible stimulus while driving and the affects on the driver. According to the study (I didn't do any of the collection, I was involved with the data side) music heightens alertness. You can argue it all you want, it isn't me saying it. There has also been a ton of other studies since. A quick google will point you to many of them.
Dickie Betts of Allman Brothers Band fame once said he never played the radio in his car as he had a radio in his head. I often feel similarly.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

In Utopia

Active member

Equipment
L175 FEL
Apr 21, 2013
582
87
28
Utopia,Tx/Pasadena,TX
A friend of mine toured either a BMW or Mercedes Benz factory in Germany several years ago and reported that the workers were permitted and do drink beer on the assembly lines. We had a good laugh imagining how that would play out if permitted in Detroit.
I took that tour and it was the Mercedes factory. Didn't see any sign of drinking on the line.
There was however a spectacular reception area where I'm sure they did have beer there, but if they did, it wasn't offered to my tour group.
Now when I worked for Anhauser Bush, well that was a different story.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

shelkol

Active member

Equipment
bx-2200, Woods BH6000 backhoe, Tach-N-Go quick attach bucket, snow blower
Nov 12, 2015
182
137
43
Westford, Massachusetts
shelkol.com
Perhaps the best hearing protection of all is a cab! 😂
Actually I think a cab is noisier as it contains the sound. I have a cab in the winter and must use noise protection or I get a headache. Mowing in the summer without the cab doors, windshield etc is fine without headphones but I usually use them anyway. I've tried all sorts of noise reduction stuff in the cab, but noise cancelling headphones work best by far
 

Old_Paint

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX2610SU, LA535 FEL w/54" bucket, LandPride BB1248, Woodland Mills WC-68
Dec 5, 2020
1,548
1,443
113
AL
NHS not to belabor what I said but why do you think that listening to music in head phones are not permitted in mills, underground ,mines surface mines and so on. Not to say people are scoff laws at times, but the first fatality you have to investigate, brings more to light, than you might think. What went wrong and why, how do we prevent it from happening again. Those thoughts stay with you for a life time. One statement I used in my training classes, was every safety law in the book, has blood on it.
That last statement says it all, Skeets. That is also how directions about eating laundry detergent pods get put on product labels. It's a bit of an experiment in Darwin's Theory of Evolution when you let folks do what they want without at least telling them why they shouldn't. Some, you can tell, or try to, and they simply won't listen. They're at the front of the line for Darwin Awards.
 

mcmxi

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
Feb 9, 2021
4,148
4,709
113
NW Montana
Actually I think a cab is noisier as it contains the sound. I have a cab in the winter and must use noise protection or I get a headache. Mowing in the summer without the cab doors, windshield etc is fine without headphones but I usually use them anyway. I've tried all sorts of noise reduction stuff in the cab, but noise cancelling headphones work best by far
Thanks for the comment. I've never had a tractor with a cab so this is all new to me. I'm sure that some cabs are quieter than others and maybe there's a correlation between $$ and dB reduction.
 
Last edited:

Whatscooking

Active member

Equipment
Grand L 3130. BX2360. RTV900. GRASSHOPPER 721D
May 19, 2021
124
62
28
Indiana
My 3M Bluetooth Workphones came in the mail. Got it linked to my phone real easy. Went and mowed wide open with the mower.
Of course they are awesome. I can link about any radio station i want, thanks iheart radio. What is amazing to me, i probably am behind with technology, the wife called my phone and i was able to answer and talk without stopping the mower, how it has a mic to do that is interesting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

NHSleddog

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650
Dec 19, 2019
2,149
1,823
113
Southern, NH
My 3M Bluetooth Workphones came in the mail. Got it linked to my phone real easy. Went and mowed wide open with the mower.
Of course they are awesome. I can link about any radio station i want, thanks iheart radio. What is amazing to me, i probably am behind with technology, the wife called my phone and i was able to answer and talk without stopping the mower, how it has a mic to do that is interesting.
Amazing right? I can take calls and I am really imppressed that it works at all much less how well it actually does. An important call, I may idle down or shut off completely but any normal call from wife/kids/friends, I'll just keep right on going doing whatever I was.

A couple weeks ago my BIL from out of state called in the middle of the day crying about not having his tractor (it is being serviced) and we started talking tractors. I was bucketing around a load and grading it all off. We were on the phone the whole time I worked and I was loaded back on the trailer and ready to head home when we ended the call. Well over an hour. There was a few times he would need a repeat (I think it was wind/tractor direction/mic location) but really, I'm out here running wide open working the machine and we talked for well over an hour - impressive.
 

mcmxi

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
Feb 9, 2021
4,148
4,709
113
NW Montana
My 3M Bluetooth Workphones came in the mail. Got it linked to my phone real easy. Went and mowed wide open with the mower.
Of course they are awesome. I can link about any radio station i want, thanks iheart radio. What is amazing to me, i probably am behind with technology, the wife called my phone and i was able to answer and talk without stopping the mower, how it has a mic to do that is interesting.
They sound great but anything over the ears is a deal breaker. Plus I have over the ear, noise cancelling headphones that Remington bought for me when I worked for them as an ammunition R&D engineer.
 

Outdrz

Member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3901, 525 Loader, 2060 Cutter, EA Toothbar, EA Box Blade, JD Disc and more
Feb 20, 2021
42
34
18
Ohio
Thanks for the recommendations but I'm looking for ear bud type protection. I really don't want to be wearing anything that goes over my ears. I could use the Bose ones I have but they're expensive and will get covered in dust and other crap so I'd rather buy something that I'll dedicate to using on the tractor.
I have the Bose earbuds and I use them. They get dusty but it wipes right off... and the Noise Cancelling cant be beat!
 

mcmxi

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
Feb 9, 2021
4,148
4,709
113
NW Montana
Isotunes listed shipping after 7/21 but I received an email today to inform me that both pairs are shipping today. I could have them by the weekend but it's unlikely.
 

In Utopia

Active member

Equipment
L175 FEL
Apr 21, 2013
582
87
28
Utopia,Tx/Pasadena,TX
My 3M Bluetooth Workphones came today.
Haven't had a chance to use them yet, but there's something about them I may have a problem with, and that is they are not adjustable.
Tried them on, and they seem to fit right, but I wonder if they will cover my ears with a ball cap on, then add a mesh face shield that I wear when I weed eat.
All the other brands I've had let you increase the length of the ear pieces.