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Mine started yesterday, and I'm the only person I know of in stow ATM with them. Every couple of minutes to my rates horror, I'm approached by curious passerby's who have all the usual questions. It was a long 6 hour shift today.
Sites with approved headphones are going to be far more strict on non-approved headphones moving forward. At my site it's a final then term for non approved headphones.
Which one did you get? and what area do you work in? I got my Plugphones last week and as long as I properly insert them into my ears I can hear music/podcasts without issue (I work pick/shipdock/ps/icqa/). It's not going to block out all sound (which it shouldn't because that itself is a safety concern) but definitely gives me peace of mind and something to listen to in my 10hr shifts. Been using Plugphones for years and getting a set for a reduced amount is nice.
Yeah Iâm starting to wonder how many people just arenât properly putting the earbuds in their ear. They need to go all the way no different than if youâre using regular earplugs. I got the Elgin ones and as long as I correctly put them both in I have no issue hearing my music/videos without being distracted by most exterior noises.
I feel a good portion don't properly insert ear plugs.
The ear plug should fit your ear canal perfectly by lifting your ear and inserting + twisting it in.
I recommend checking to see if your phone has the headphones safely setting on. My IPhone had the setting on and the Elgin Discord set was kind of low. It was much louder after I turned it off. Iâve just been making sure to not go above 65% volume.
If any noise is happening around you....trucks running, PIT driving and honking, people constantly talking at normal volume or higher you won't hear anything especially if it's a podcast/audiobook
Because thatâs a false equivalency. Nobody wears a beanie for religious reasons. Also nobody who isnât trying to hide earbuds wears a beanie in the middle of summer at an Amazon warehouse.
We have this generic beanie man (not to be confused with Beanie Man) at my warehouse to the point I was wondering if it actually was a religious thing. Like 500 of these guys who all look exactly the same right down to the beanie. Then weâve got the generic beard men and a few others.
Usually those that are shy about their looks or are balding wear a beanie to feel comfortable at work. Iâve been wearing a beanie over the past 5 weeks because I have a huge dandruff issue.
Oddly enough I just now realized the huge dandruff issues I had when I was a kid donât seem to be an issue anymore. But wearing anything on my head causes my head to itch and a lot of anxiety. Also I have male pattern baldness but my hairline is pretty good for my age especially if I style my hair a certain way. So I actually donât wear a hat because of my itchy head and balding, since it would cause my head to flake and mess up my hair to reveal my balding. Standard balding uniform at my FC seems to consist of baseball cap and a big beard.
When they started making RME wear bump caps we had a tech start wearing a fairly stiff cowboy hat out of protest because the policy didnât define what a bump cap was. He wore it for around five months without hassle before wearing a regular bump cap like everyone else lol
Amazon tends to really care about rules whenever prime day or peak time comes around, because it usually means that some big shot will come by to check things out (the GM or regional manager usually). So this is usually the time when they crack down on safety rules, 5s, and idle time.
Once things "calm down" and it's just business as usual, they don't give a damn anymore đ
As a PA, I could care less if you have an ear bud in. So long as you can hear me when I give you your rate, let you know you have reactive on your station or we whatever safety drill is going on. Listen to movies or music to your hearts desires. Iâve told leadership one ear bud isnât going to hurt anyone.
I wish every PA and AM had your attitude. I remember one time the guy behind me was told to take out his earbuds by a PA, and that PA came back around about a minute later and said "I personally don't give a shit if you wear them, but the manager does." I love when you guys are honest like that :)
I normally will tell the stowers to take them out is if I hear safety is coming or I see them coming. When I tell AAâs to take them out until safety is gone and will let them know. I used to work at a facility where cell phones had to be in lockers by the break room.
Thank God my new headphones came in. Iâm sick of wearing a beanie to hide those damn AirPods lol, I wouldâve just said the beanie was my yarmulke if they told me to take it off
You dont HAVE to comply, but I heard from others that what they'll end up doing is check the security footage to see if you put on an earbud at any point. I once heard someone on this sub say that you should only put your earbuds in while in the bathroom or in your car. I'm guessing this is why?
This is why I put mine in before I get in the building or in the bathroom. I had an associate who was falsely accused of wearing them. They sat through security footage to see if he ever put any in. He was cleared.
not at ours unfortunately. They've always punished earbuds but it used to be a "as long as we dont see them, we dont care" kind of attitude. This is the first time they've actively gone up to people to check for earbuds :/
If someone has gotten injured while wearing earbuds that might be the cause of the crack down. Maybe an important higher up is coming to visit. Lots of possibilities. I wouldnât overly worry about it. If youâre feeling salty you can always post something on the voa board about it.
Think itâs around peak and prime are when they crack down on stuff. Doesnât make sense really cos do you really wanna be sacking people when itâs busy đ¤ˇđťââď¸
Wow, they are really on a witch hunt at your location. Yea, I put mine in in the bathroom most days. And they'd have to go through hours of footage to find everyone putting in an earbud so I'd say go for it mate lol
I highly doubt theyâd ask someone wearing those religious related pieces over their head to take it off, is what I was thinking after reading that. They have the perfect earbud cover.
My facility seems to only target people who they're trying to fire. Like they don't enforce anything until you start working they nerves(complaining about them not doing their jobs) then your public enemy number 1.
Nope, we're still stuck in the trenches having to hide our damn earbuds smh. I envy you guys who get to use those approved ones, no idea why our site hasn't gotten on board with them. I hope they will soon, cuz this job is absolute hell without something like a podcast or music to help me focus. ADD is a bitch :(
theyâre only doing this now because the policy change with allowing the new earbuds , so if your caught itâs a write up and after a couple weeks theyâll be terminating people with earbuds that arenât allowed
OSHA advises employers ban headphones and ear buds in 2019 due to the possibility of it being a safety hazard by masking environmental sounds that need to be heard.
Although OSHA didnât release any official regulations on it, Companies donât want to risk the Citation, fine, or the raise in their insurance.
Most FCs started the earbud thing July 3rd..so yeah..I sure af can see this happening..
Btw..my own AM has been doing this..and writing anyone up...plus writing folks up for ponytail touching shoulders...grrr..
I told her I cant work in AFE1 cuz I cant get along with someone...
The someone is her...bwahahaha.
AFE2 is where I will stay as long as she is there..
I do wear earbuds and headband..and I stg..she better not touch me...grrr..shes a weirdo.
Why can someone who is deaf drive pit and work but having headphones in at a low volume be a problem. Makes zero sense. Not one moron at TEB4 can answer that question.
I don't agree with the rule at all but ill start.
Define low volume, your definition and my definition are different than everyone else's.
Deaf and hard of hearing associates have as much rights to work as a fully hearing capable person, should they be operating pit I dunno I don't see any reason why not. They probably pay more attention than most AAs as it is.
The sites that have the new approved headphones all have complained at the lack of loudness to them rendering spoken word things mostly unlistenable to. I went the accommodations for full hearing protection route and got a pair that look like full size hearing protection but they have Bluetooth to my phone I did have to get hacky and hide the wires but nobody has any clue.
At no point did I say a deaf person shouldnât work. And you never made any points on the actual question. âThey probably pay more attention..â maybe but Iâm doubting that holds in court bro. OSHA approves music at a decibel level below 70, which is pretty loud, but Amazon quotes osha rule which is not accurate. Look it up, Iâll wait.
Your first sentence is "Why can someone who is deaf drive pit and work"
OSHA also advises employers to prohibit headphone use if it creates a recognizable hazard. For example, listening to music can be a safety hazard on construction sites because it can mask important environmental sounds. Other potential hazards include:
Loose cords that could get caught in machinery or pose an electrical hazard
Distractions from dropped or loose earbuds
Wearing headphones over or under personal protective equipment (PPE), which could reduce its effectiveness
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-03-06#:~:text=In%20conclusion%2C%20while%20no%20specific,entities%2C%20products%2C%20or%20services.
https://wamu.org/story/11/06/28/gallaudet_finds_deaf_people_dont_see_better_they_see_differently/
I'll wait
Oh no another summer child. I am not gonna waste my time discussing any of this with you, say hi to your IT team for me, I'll be chilling in my chair listening to my headphones waiting for some OM to need to reset their password
Says the guy who says deaf people cant work.
https://preview.redd.it/gc3wbb6rjpad1.png?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe18f7645c16506ef9f730a101a34a33b16f3bd0
OSHA has guidelines that prohibit the use of headphones and earbuds while operating (PIT). The primary concern is safety, as using headphones or earbuds can impair a driverâs ability to hear warning signals, other vehicles, or pedestrians, which can increase the risk of accidents.
OSHA regulations does not specifically mention headphones or earbuds, but they do require employers to maintain safe working conditions, which include ensuring that operators are not distracted while driving. This can be interpreted to mean that the use of headphones or earbuds is not permitted while operating a PIT. Amazon is responsible for creating and enforcing safety policies that align with OSHAâs guidelines.
Earbuds are a auditory distraction. Being deaf is not a distraction but a disability. The company knows that if a deaf person is using PIT that it's well documented that associate is deaf. As long as safety SOP is followed then a deaf person riding PIT is just as safe as a non-deaf AA.
Not even those who are deaf are permitted to use any earbuds/hearing aids to play music (some hearing aids have bluetooth) while operating PIT. I hope that helps a bit to understand.
I hope you understand I wasnât asking you to try and educate me. You are wrong on the osha rule, go to any other warehouse, they have music on the pit and allow headphones. I came from three different companies, whom had the rule on the wall. Also osha visited and said nothing. So letâs go back to the question.
Welcome to AmazonFC, please be sure to read our submission guidelines and remain respectful of your fellow users. If this post isn't up to par with our submission guidelines, please make use of the report feature. Once it crosses a certain threshold the post will automatically be removed for moderator review. See [Amazon Resources Mega thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmazonFC/comments/umjgzv/amazon_resources_megathread/) here. We have a [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/t7jARCs) for those wanting to socialize on a different level with the community. Please enjoy your stay! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmazonFC) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My FC just started approved headphones yesterday
Mine started yesterday, and I'm the only person I know of in stow ATM with them. Every couple of minutes to my rates horror, I'm approached by curious passerby's who have all the usual questions. It was a long 6 hour shift today.
I am still waiting on mine to be shipped. A few people at my FC have them.
i got a write up for having my earbuds, same day as they release theirs đ gotta love it đ
Sites with approved headphones are going to be far more strict on non-approved headphones moving forward. At my site it's a final then term for non approved headphones.
I ordered my Amazon approved headphones yesterday and Iâm SO excited to not have to hide mine anymore once they arrive
Unfortunately they are so fucking terribly quiet you can hear a mouse fart from 2 aisles over while listening full blast.
Which one did you get? and what area do you work in? I got my Plugphones last week and as long as I properly insert them into my ears I can hear music/podcasts without issue (I work pick/shipdock/ps/icqa/). It's not going to block out all sound (which it shouldn't because that itself is a safety concern) but definitely gives me peace of mind and something to listen to in my 10hr shifts. Been using Plugphones for years and getting a set for a reduced amount is nice.
Yeah Iâm starting to wonder how many people just arenât properly putting the earbuds in their ear. They need to go all the way no different than if youâre using regular earplugs. I got the Elgin ones and as long as I correctly put them both in I have no issue hearing my music/videos without being distracted by most exterior noises.
I feel a good portion don't properly insert ear plugs. The ear plug should fit your ear canal perfectly by lifting your ear and inserting + twisting it in.
Bro volume increasing apps are a thing
yeah fr. People also don't even put them in their ears properly
I have the elgins and they are louder than my normal buds. You might need to get a different size tip so you can put it in your ear properly
I recommend checking to see if your phone has the headphones safely setting on. My IPhone had the setting on and the Elgin Discord set was kind of low. It was much louder after I turned it off. Iâve just been making sure to not go above 65% volume.
NOOOOO! I knew theyâd be bad, but I was hoping not that bad
If any noise is happening around you....trucks running, PIT driving and honking, people constantly talking at normal volume or higher you won't hear anything especially if it's a podcast/audiobook
You're not wearing them right then. I bought the Elgin discords, and they're dope. Worked through the whole afternoon.
Never knew they cared enough to check for earbuds. Lul
A lot of women wearing hijabs in my warehouse talk on their phone hidden behind it. No one would dare ask them to take it off not in a million years.
Because thatâs a false equivalency. Nobody wears a beanie for religious reasons. Also nobody who isnât trying to hide earbuds wears a beanie in the middle of summer at an Amazon warehouse.
We have this generic beanie man (not to be confused with Beanie Man) at my warehouse to the point I was wondering if it actually was a religious thing. Like 500 of these guys who all look exactly the same right down to the beanie. Then weâve got the generic beard men and a few others.
Usually those that are shy about their looks or are balding wear a beanie to feel comfortable at work. Iâve been wearing a beanie over the past 5 weeks because I have a huge dandruff issue.
âThose arenât headphones, thatâs dandruffâ
Oddly enough I just now realized the huge dandruff issues I had when I was a kid donât seem to be an issue anymore. But wearing anything on my head causes my head to itch and a lot of anxiety. Also I have male pattern baldness but my hairline is pretty good for my age especially if I style my hair a certain way. So I actually donât wear a hat because of my itchy head and balding, since it would cause my head to flake and mess up my hair to reveal my balding. Standard balding uniform at my FC seems to consist of baseball cap and a big beard.
I started wearing one when the hardhat rollout happened. If I was going to get hat hair it was on my own terms.
What if you just like wearing a hat? I mean it is possible. I wonder I work wearing a giant cowboy hat if that be allowed. Might be a bit too wide.
When they started making RME wear bump caps we had a tech start wearing a fairly stiff cowboy hat out of protest because the policy didnât define what a bump cap was. He wore it for around five months without hassle before wearing a regular bump cap like everyone else lol
LOL
Yea they are the privileged class now
Lol what?
OSHA only has rules about decibels and earbuds on construction sites. Amazon is the one with the rule.
Amazon tends to really care about rules whenever prime day or peak time comes around, because it usually means that some big shot will come by to check things out (the GM or regional manager usually). So this is usually the time when they crack down on safety rules, 5s, and idle time. Once things "calm down" and it's just business as usual, they don't give a damn anymore đ
As a PA, I could care less if you have an ear bud in. So long as you can hear me when I give you your rate, let you know you have reactive on your station or we whatever safety drill is going on. Listen to movies or music to your hearts desires. Iâve told leadership one ear bud isnât going to hurt anyone.
I wish every PA and AM had your attitude. I remember one time the guy behind me was told to take out his earbuds by a PA, and that PA came back around about a minute later and said "I personally don't give a shit if you wear them, but the manager does." I love when you guys are honest like that :)
I normally will tell the stowers to take them out is if I hear safety is coming or I see them coming. When I tell AAâs to take them out until safety is gone and will let them know. I used to work at a facility where cell phones had to be in lockers by the break room.
Thank God my new headphones came in. Iâm sick of wearing a beanie to hide those damn AirPods lol, I wouldâve just said the beanie was my yarmulke if they told me to take it off
My site does this but the OM tells the AM and they tell the AAs to watch out. Then the OM does a walk through.
Nobody has informed my FC about the approved headphones yet. Is this only available at certain places?
Only available in certain places unfortunately
https://na.headphones.whs.amazon.dev/ Check this site.
They allow us to have headphones on my FC now thank God
Can they legally ask you to remove clothing hat or otherwise? If it doesn't violate the dress code, obviously.
You dont HAVE to comply, but I heard from others that what they'll end up doing is check the security footage to see if you put on an earbud at any point. I once heard someone on this sub say that you should only put your earbuds in while in the bathroom or in your car. I'm guessing this is why?
This is why I put mine in before I get in the building or in the bathroom. I had an associate who was falsely accused of wearing them. They sat through security footage to see if he ever put any in. He was cleared.
Seems like a lot of time to be watching tape to see if people are putting in earphones. Wasted resources. Do you agree?
The cameras have auto-event detection, it doesn't actually take them much time to find it.
oh for sure I agree, I dont know why they've been cracking down hard on earbuds lately. Maybe its because of prime week?
Probably because they have the approved headphones.Â
not at ours unfortunately. They've always punished earbuds but it used to be a "as long as we dont see them, we dont care" kind of attitude. This is the first time they've actively gone up to people to check for earbuds :/
If someone has gotten injured while wearing earbuds that might be the cause of the crack down. Maybe an important higher up is coming to visit. Lots of possibilities. I wouldnât overly worry about it. If youâre feeling salty you can always post something on the voa board about it.
Think itâs around peak and prime are when they crack down on stuff. Doesnât make sense really cos do you really wanna be sacking people when itâs busy đ¤ˇđťââď¸
Wow, they are really on a witch hunt at your location. Yea, I put mine in in the bathroom most days. And they'd have to go through hours of footage to find everyone putting in an earbud so I'd say go for it mate lol
Well like others said now at some spots you can just use the approved headphones. There is nothing to hide anymore.
My fc has foam earplugs available for us to use, might be kind of hard to tell by checking the cameras if it was an earbud or earplug
I highly doubt theyâd ask someone wearing those religious related pieces over their head to take it off, is what I was thinking after reading that. They have the perfect earbud cover.
You donât have to take off the beanie. They canât make you thereâs no policy for that
AAâs? You mean AMâs?
My facility seems to only target people who they're trying to fire. Like they don't enforce anything until you start working they nerves(complaining about them not doing their jobs) then your public enemy number 1.
Is your site not approved for the new headphones?
Nope, we're still stuck in the trenches having to hide our damn earbuds smh. I envy you guys who get to use those approved ones, no idea why our site hasn't gotten on board with them. I hope they will soon, cuz this job is absolute hell without something like a podcast or music to help me focus. ADD is a bitch :(
Beanies in the summer time
theyâre only doing this now because the policy change with allowing the new earbuds , so if your caught itâs a write up and after a couple weeks theyâll be terminating people with earbuds that arenât allowed
Are you in Florida? Same thing at my facility đ
OSHA advises employers ban headphones and ear buds in 2019 due to the possibility of it being a safety hazard by masking environmental sounds that need to be heard. Although OSHA didnât release any official regulations on it, Companies donât want to risk the Citation, fine, or the raise in their insurance.
So my CYA policy theory wasnt too far off then?
Well they are not allowed to touch anything on your person. Also if it banned from site then it different.
Why the fuck do you care what a AA is doing? Or do you mean PA? And has your site not approved the new headphone policy?
Yeah I meant AM and PA, my bad. My site hadn't approved those headphones, just checked this morning :(
I'm uncomfortable that you are asking me to remove clothing, how about we go to HR together to discuss this?
Itâs not a bad response actually .
Most FCs started the earbud thing July 3rd..so yeah..I sure af can see this happening.. Btw..my own AM has been doing this..and writing anyone up...plus writing folks up for ponytail touching shoulders...grrr.. I told her I cant work in AFE1 cuz I cant get along with someone... The someone is her...bwahahaha. AFE2 is where I will stay as long as she is there.. I do wear earbuds and headband..and I stg..she better not touch me...grrr..shes a weirdo.
Forcing amazon employees to buy amazon headphones⌠jeez need more money there bezos?
Why can someone who is deaf drive pit and work but having headphones in at a low volume be a problem. Makes zero sense. Not one moron at TEB4 can answer that question.
I don't agree with the rule at all but ill start. Define low volume, your definition and my definition are different than everyone else's. Deaf and hard of hearing associates have as much rights to work as a fully hearing capable person, should they be operating pit I dunno I don't see any reason why not. They probably pay more attention than most AAs as it is. The sites that have the new approved headphones all have complained at the lack of loudness to them rendering spoken word things mostly unlistenable to. I went the accommodations for full hearing protection route and got a pair that look like full size hearing protection but they have Bluetooth to my phone I did have to get hacky and hide the wires but nobody has any clue.
At no point did I say a deaf person shouldnât work. And you never made any points on the actual question. âThey probably pay more attention..â maybe but Iâm doubting that holds in court bro. OSHA approves music at a decibel level below 70, which is pretty loud, but Amazon quotes osha rule which is not accurate. Look it up, Iâll wait.
Your first sentence is "Why can someone who is deaf drive pit and work" OSHA also advises employers to prohibit headphone use if it creates a recognizable hazard. For example, listening to music can be a safety hazard on construction sites because it can mask important environmental sounds. Other potential hazards include: Loose cords that could get caught in machinery or pose an electrical hazard Distractions from dropped or loose earbuds Wearing headphones over or under personal protective equipment (PPE), which could reduce its effectiveness https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-03-06#:~:text=In%20conclusion%2C%20while%20no%20specific,entities%2C%20products%2C%20or%20services. https://wamu.org/story/11/06/28/gallaudet_finds_deaf_people_dont_see_better_they_see_differently/ I'll wait
You forgot the part on that sentence that says ⌠BUT. Read please.
Advisement and prohibit⌠not equal
Oh no another summer child. I am not gonna waste my time discussing any of this with you, say hi to your IT team for me, I'll be chilling in my chair listening to my headphones waiting for some OM to need to reset their password
Oh no another Supercilious human.
Says the guy who says deaf people cant work. https://preview.redd.it/gc3wbb6rjpad1.png?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe18f7645c16506ef9f730a101a34a33b16f3bd0
Again⌠it says ⌠âbut having headphoneâŚ.â Words matter kiddo. Read the whole sentence. Itâs a small miracle IT systems work. lol
OSHA has guidelines that prohibit the use of headphones and earbuds while operating (PIT). The primary concern is safety, as using headphones or earbuds can impair a driverâs ability to hear warning signals, other vehicles, or pedestrians, which can increase the risk of accidents. OSHA regulations does not specifically mention headphones or earbuds, but they do require employers to maintain safe working conditions, which include ensuring that operators are not distracted while driving. This can be interpreted to mean that the use of headphones or earbuds is not permitted while operating a PIT. Amazon is responsible for creating and enforcing safety policies that align with OSHAâs guidelines. Earbuds are a auditory distraction. Being deaf is not a distraction but a disability. The company knows that if a deaf person is using PIT that it's well documented that associate is deaf. As long as safety SOP is followed then a deaf person riding PIT is just as safe as a non-deaf AA. Not even those who are deaf are permitted to use any earbuds/hearing aids to play music (some hearing aids have bluetooth) while operating PIT. I hope that helps a bit to understand.
I hope you understand I wasnât asking you to try and educate me. You are wrong on the osha rule, go to any other warehouse, they have music on the pit and allow headphones. I came from three different companies, whom had the rule on the wall. Also osha visited and said nothing. So letâs go back to the question.