“Listening to music may produce a safety hazard by masking environmental sounds that need to be heard, especially on active construction sites where attention to moving equipment, heavy machinery, vehicle traffic and safety warning signals may be compromised,” the agency declared in a letter of interpretation that it issued last fall.
Although there is no specific OSHA regulation that prohibits the use of headphones on a construction site or any other workplace, the agency has set permissible noise exposure limits and requires employers to protect employees subject to sound levels exceeding these limits.
“A portable music player is not a substitute for hearing protection,”
OSHA explains.
The reason for not allowing employees to listen to music while working should be crystal clear, OSHA says. “Listening to music may produce a safety hazard by masking environmental sounds that need to be heard, especially on active construction sites where attention to moving equipment, heavy machinery, vehicle traffic and safety warning signals may be compromised.”
