Listen to music while you work ........and die!

I have just read, with interest, the article by James Alexander-Sinclair on the BBC Gardeners World Blog, about how music can be an essential part of the working day.

Music does indeed help one to relax and even help melt into the task you are doing. Music is also inspirational and I am sure can help most creative people take their work to another level.

However, as an employer, I would be now more than concerned at how music could lead to staff to become pre-occupied and not concentrate on their work, leading to serious accidents - even death!.

Personally, I prefer silence when I am carrying out a manual task. It helps me stay focussed on what I am doing.

But, the biggest risk when listening to music in the landscape gardening and gardening world is safety.

Mowing is a very therapeutic job if you like grass, but otherwise is can be mundane, drawn out and pretty heavy going, especially if you do it all day.

However, being able to hear the sound of the engine is essential. It not only means you can react quickly when there is a fault with the engine itself, but you can also hear the change in tone when the underneath becomes clogged with damp grass.

An operator is also able to determine if they have hit debris such as stones or wood better and take the appropriate steps.

I have witnessed landscapers who are using or driving machinery wearing earpieces with music that is clearly audible to anyone in the vicinity.

This is an obvious safety risk to them and, I not only think it should be discouraged, but should be banned under health and safety legislation.

Being unable to hear your co-workers, the every day sounds of other machinery operating around you, with the constant distraction of thumping music in your head, is not conducive to a productive and safe working environment.

I full appreciate having a small transistor radio in the potting shed or on a patio wall whilst pointing. In these surroundings it is part of the all-round sound but, ear pieces tend to block general noise.

If you are operating potentially dangerous machinery, think about your safety and those that are around you and remember, under the health and safety at work act, you have a duty of care to yourself and those that work with you.

Comments

[Andrew]

Phil when did you decide to adopt the Daily Mail approach to headline writing! :)

[Philip Voice]

Yes, sorry Andrew :)

I won't do it again lol! :)