In the oil and gas industry phones are now a stable of our environment. The days of being dressed down for having your phone on location seem to be disappearing. The endless conversations to be had about asking people to put their phones away are now a thing of the past.
A new fight may be emerging, now that our phones are more commonly available to use and other is using ear buds and digital entertainment.
The benefit of this tech is the use around noisy equipment, the availability of being reached. Working around loud equipment and having to be on call do not allow you to have a timely response. The ability to leave your phone in a safe place not to be dropped in a celler or some other pit never to be recovered, is obviously a plus.
Many are finding that there is a solution. The best solution I’ve found is a product called Shokz. An over-the-ear bone conduction audio device with Bluetooth phone connectivity. I can now know I have an incoming call, pick it up. Keeping my hands free, or retreat to the quiet of the truck. Devices now have the enhancement of improved call quality.
With this system, I still wear a high-quality 33 NRR ear plug but also get the functionality of a headset. This only works for some operations, and many of us still have to wear a headset with a mic and radio. Some operations are still 100% radio, digital or analog. Digital provides some new privacy. Similar to what other EMS systems have gone to. The days of listening to the scanner at night may be behind us. Some may still prefer this setup. It has its place. You may, in some cases, have to drop the headset to accommodate double hearing protection at times.
Devices like the Shokz allow everyone to listen to their music or podcasts while all working on the same project in close quarters. I’m thinking of a group of mechanics or welders all working near one another. They can still hear each other and listen to what they want.
These devices have a distraction level that has to be balanced with the repetitive nature of the oil and gas business—a benefit that enhances employee satisfaction. However, the concern is what is your level of focus. Can you hear the hissing noise of something going wrong around you? Are you focusing on the job in front of you and staying mistake free?
The concern I see with some of these new products is people mistaking them for hearing protection. While I’m not an expert, this is not expert advice and just a logical extrapolation. Noise-canceling headphones or earbuds are not a substitute for a physical barrier yet, there is some inherent noise reduction based on how the device physically isolates your ear canal. As most safety personnel know, we have a hard enough time getting people the correct fit with the correct device to protect their hearing, and getting them to wear it consistently in all areas. Now, we are seeing the rise of people wearing digital devices, potentially damaging their hearing, thinking they are getting the protection they are not.
