Noise and communication

[Climber]

Hello Fellows,
I'd like to ask for some suggestion about communication in VERY noisy working environment.

Here is example:
Crew: 5 people
Working equipment: 18" Chipper, 40 ton crane, tractor-skidder, chain saws.

I am on the tree 50 +++ feet above, crane guy in the cab, one worker on tractor and two by chipper.
Obviously it is very noisy and dangerous environment where communication is very important. Some times we cant see each other.

I am looking for some solution for situations like this. Where can I buy your suggestion?

Thanks

[LeeB]

You can pick up some hands free walkie talkies at Radio Shack fairly cheap. They aren't perfect but they do OK. I have used them at work in the past. They tend to lose signal with a couple of metal decks between you, but even the best radio's do that. That shouldn't be a problem for you though.

[Climber]

I have nice set of hands free walkie talkies.
The second some think starts working it's activate it self. Another words all radios working at ones and no one hear each other.

I need some think more intelligent to separate frequencies of equipment from voice.

[Furby]

Either that or you simply need to use the push to talk feature.
Do away with the hands free and still use a headset.
Won't be perfect though.

[beenthere]

I'd make a guess that your example would not be ok with OSHA standards, and in violation.  : :
I don't think I'm a safety nutto, but it doesn't sound smart to me, besides being unsafe. I'd hope you could get it fixed, so the guy in the tree has the full attention of the one in the crane cab.
Working smart leads to a safe situation, IMO.

[LeeB]

OK, I guess I worded my reply badly. I didn't mean hands free in the sense of putting it on voice actve. That is truly dangerous in a noisy environment. I meant push to talk. I nearly got my neck broke one time on the voice activate. The fellow running the air winch I was being lifted on had his on voice and he couldn't hear me calling him to stop. Cracked my hard hat off my head before he stopped. The only reason he stopped then was because the thimble on the cable eye caught in the sheave and bogged te tugger down. It was a 10 ton tugger and not much would stop it. We now use man rididng tuggersd with safety devices for max pull and a slack line device just because of incidents like this and worse.

[Dan_Shade]

In shipyards, there is a master rigger that conveys all information to the crane operator.  he doesn't pay attention to what anyone else says, that's the job of the master rigger.  you shouldn't be giving a crane operator commands if he can't see you.

tree work is dangerous, no need to make it any more dangerous than it already is.

[scsmith42]

Climber, you might want to look into attaching some Active noise cancelling headsets (such as from Peltor) to your radio's.  These units are also used on shooting ranges.

I have one that I plug into my Nextel unit and wear when operating my heavy equipment.  In environments where you'd have to shout to the fellow standing next to you; with a noise cancelling system you can be clearly heard on the radio

Scott.

[Climber]

Guys,
If you have a suggestion, please let me know make model and where can I buy it or where can I get professional help to chose.

[Kevin]

I rely on eye to eye contact and hand signals.
The most important thing is to discuss this with your crew before each and every job.
When you rely on the actions of others it's crucial that everyone understands that you work as a team and nobody should be doing anything that could create a problem for someone else.
Noise is a real problem when working in a tree, the guys on the ground should know what you need when you need it and preferably thirty seconds before you ask for it.

[Climber]

I don't have clear line of sight.

[scsmith42]

Climber, I found the information regarding the noise canceling headset that I mentioned in a previous post.  It is manufactured by Peltor Communications, an is their "Alert" model.  Here are the part numbers:

M2RX7A - Over the head style headset
FL6AB Left side boom harness kit
MT70 Noise canceling boom mik
FL6 - 08.  Phone connection cable for attaching to a Nextel phone.

Here is the link to the actual headset.  Note that the model depicted is the basic AM/FM headset - it needs the additional items listed above to complete the package.

Peltor referred me to one of their local dealers for purchase.  As I recall, these are listed on their website.

These units are not inexpensive - but they work extremely well in a noisy environment.

Scott

[LeeB]

Scott, how are they for distance and working around a lot of iron? Communication is a big problem for us where I work also. Sometimes operations involve moving heavy equipment with several steel decks in between the operator and the load.

[Climber]

Thanks Scott,
This is very usefull information.  :P

[scsmith42]

Lee, the Peltor headset is not a two way radio - it's an active noise cancelling headset and microphone that plug into a radio.  In my instance I use it with my Nextel radio / cell phone.  They will also plug into an aviation radio, a hand-held two way radio, etc.

Scott

[LeeB]

Don't recon that would work for us. It has to be intrinsically safe (gas proof), water proof, rugged (roughnecks can tear up a steel ball), and grime resistant. If it gets past all that they would probably lose it anyway. :D :D

[Patty]

This is an interesting topic. I just spent 3 days in jury duty learning about an accident that took place in a very noisy factory where the equipment was extremely dangerous. The accident happened when the guy in harms way did not communicate with the guy running the equipment. The guy in harms way got his hand amputated in the accident. The lesson here was that communication was critical, whether by eye contact or voice. The second this protocol was not used, the guy put himself in grave danger....and lost his hand because of it. It was not the fault of the operator, although he should have been more careful. We the jury decided that the person in harms way was the guy that should be DanG sure the operator knows EXACTLY where he is and what he is doing at all times. Now this does not address your question, and I understand that, but you must figure out a way to get and keep the operators attention AT ALL TIMES. Be safe out there.

[rebocardo]

> but you must figure out a way to get and keep the operators attention AT ALL TIMES.

Truer words are rarely spoken. It is one of the reasons I shy away from jobs working with other people especially if it means working close to heavy equipment or even a Bobcat since most do not have radio head sets.

To the original poster.

Would a wireless bluetooth ear bud set work for you where the mike picks up the speech mostly from your head/ear bud and not a mouth mike?

[Climber]

>>Would a wireless bluetooth ear bud set work for you where the mike picks up the speech mostly from your head/ear bud and not a mouth mike?

I don't know. What is make and model? Where can I see it or read about it? Do you have a internet link to this product?

I am using regular waky-taky. Hand held. I need to free my hands. No line of sight. Some times house on the way.

[rebocardo]

Such as E-Bay # 190139357216   "MOTOROLA S9 HEADPHONES"

Fits over the ear, controlled by a switch in the back which should fit under your headband for the hard hat where your neck mets your head. You just have to reach behind your head and click the button to receive a call.

This is only an example.

They have smaller ones with a single ear bud, that picks up your speech by vibration, and leads to a small battery pack and booster with a very thin wire that should still let you get a complete seal on your earmuff.



You can have in an the car booster that plugs into the light socket if you need more range. They look like a tiny aluminum amp and boost bluetooth range.

[rebocardo]

Found it!

"jawbone"

E-Bay # 140146908729

This is an example of what I mean and the video will give you an idea of the high noise area it is meant to overcome and keep your hands free.