At the advice of a health and safety expert, there is now a ban on use of iPods or listening to music at work by Marshall Aerospace. According to a spokesperson of the company, young employees often listened to music at work, which created the potential of dangerous situations developing at the workplace.

Although there have not been any episodes of such mishaps, it is necessary for the workers to concentrate fully on their work, the spokesperson said. The company, being a precision engineering concern, usually has aircrafts and forklift vehicles on the move in their work area. It is pertinent to note that companies other than perilous businesses have also imposed such bans to safeguard their workers at their work places. Health and safety training is essential; for managers and supervisors, a NEBOSH Distance learning course from Workplace Law offers a unique web-based training platform that leads to the award of the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health.

While research findings from the Cumbria University have established that workforce is stimulated and stress free when listening to music at work, the ban goes against those potential benefits. Companies however, cite workplace safety of individuals as priority while deciding on the ban on headphones.

The safety concern of one such University reflects in its policy that bans all students and staff from using headphones within its campus. Their reason being that chances of hazards could increase when the employees or students are unable to react to verbal warnings because they cannot hear over and above the volume of the music they are listening to.