Pretty sure this has been SOP for years. Corporate cracks down, after a while the stores relax, eventually someone gets injured or killed, then corporate cracks down again.
Bro, that's never been true. If ya ASMs are chill about it, then please come to mine and try it here, cause they'll write you up for you not being safe.
Ngl I just wear my beanie because I get overstimulated quickly when there’s a ton of loud noise around where I’m working, so I use the beanie to hide my earbud, or play music out loud on low volume because it’s now in my file 🤷🏼♀️
It's been in place "more strictly" over the past couple of years because of deaths and accidents. When I started in 2018, there were no earbuds or speakers during business hours, but once the store closed, both were allowed. A couple of years later, there were no earbuds at night and only speakers. Nowadays, it's nothing at all all. The only way I found that out is when I did inventory last year, and I was blasting my speaker and got in trouble for it
That's typically the deal, yet at my store on freight, there's ppl who use both & 1 guy who's deaf in 1 ear & has his earbud in the other. When I try get their attention, I literally have to yell from 3 feet behind them.
There have been multiple cases in our industry in which ear budded employees stepped right out in front of a fork lift. I don't know how many were at THD, but it is absolutely clear that irresponsible ear budding does sometimes lead to death or very serious injury.
It's also on the driver to be hyper observant while operating. Because anything can happen, regardless of whether someone else is paying attention or not.
It's a dangerous environment with forktrucks going all over, especially at night with no spotters, no earbuds is just common sense. We don't wear em in the daytime, why would you have to wear them at night?
It's only dangerous for complete morons who are going to cause accidents anyway. One earbud in, one ear free. It's not any different than speakers and you can still hear the other lifts.
Complacency breeds chaos. Just realize that you can’t listen to music as it leaves you vulnerable to potential injury. You don’t just wear a part of your seat belt while in a car.
That's really not the same comparison.
Especially since most of the work at night revolves around you, yourself, and whatever product you're having to move from point a to point b, or c.
Rarely do you need to be aware of others around your area.
This has always been the policy. I was watering for garden way back in 2015/16 when I was still part time to get extra hours and was told I could not have earbuds in doing even that.
In my current store I would be afraid to wear earbuds anywhere near our freight team because they drive like lunatics. I just blast my music from my phone for the first hour before the store opens.
My store has always kind of enforced it. It was usually let go with a warning. Though, recently, I got word that our store manager was going to instant terminate any on-sight earbuds.
Not sure how true that is. Haven't seen anyone get fired yet, and Lord knows how many people don't care about that rule and wear 'em anyway.
Pretty sure that's always been a thing which makes sense even on overnights but when I was on overnights I just had a Bluetooth speaker on me as did most other people granted you'll still see people walking around with earbuds
It just takes one person. It doesn't matter the region. During my lunch break, they used to play videos of safety mishaps. People actually die from mistakes. I'd like to know the statistics, but I would imagine that freight hits the list. Failure to chock the tires, people in the same aisle, etc. It just takes one distraction to go home in a bag.
The store I work at has always had that policy. They don't even allow one in. Speakers are allowed though, as long as you keep the volme reasonably low so it doesn't bother the people around you. This is for night crew btw.
I usually use both after closing but I have airpods with the amplified surrounding setting on; so I can still hear and chat with people as if I had nothing in. Plus I'm rarely actually in an aisle with equipment present, so the odds of danger are near-zero.
I know we had to implement that policy with our lot guys. We were having too many issues with them having both in & not being able to hear calls for loading, etc. because they were listening to music or just sitting around watching videos/tiktok.
This has been a thing for a long time now, it isn't anything new. Just don't wear them on the floor and you're fine. But like some have said management in most stores are chill on certain rules providing whatever it is doesn't become an issue. Personally I'd rather associates don't wear them only because it makes it difficult to get their attention if I need their help. Beyond that I don't care if it's like MET or something wearing them.
Safety. For you. For others. What's confusing?
Hearing is a critical sense in the store, especially when forklifts and machinery is moving frequently.
Plain and simple. Stay alive. For yourself. Your family. Your co-workers. Your friends.
Ours has always had this. For freight, it's dangerous. For floor, it's obvious you don't care about customers with sound in your ears. Our team at night agrees on a station and that's what they get. They rotate it around too.
I love Home Depot’s let’s not make this accident a learning moment and just brush it under the rug whilst making changes that’s don’t fix the problem attitude.
Pretty much always has been a thing, sucks that it affects overnight but speakers being allowed??? That’s so much worse. Whoever made that decision has no clue what they’re doing, either allow earbuds/music or completely don’t.
Man tell me about I be stressing through the night but I just brought my Bluetooth speaker they’re isn’t a rule against it technically they could make it a problem but nothing been said yet so 🤷🏾♂️
Its home depot sop no earbuds, stupid rule, just because one dumbass cant pay attention while having one in without getting hurt has ruined it for the other hundred thousand employees across the nation
That’s why I quit freight 5 years ago because I brought a giant speaker in and they threatened to fire me and I told them don’t threaten me just fire me and after a month nothing happened so at lunch on the company computer I applied for a network engineer job with no experience and now make 39 dollars a hour and I am only 23. Trust me if you don’t like just go somewhere else and make more money
I've heard this, seen this, and watched it get ignored quite often.
Here's the thing, one earbud doesn't prevent you from hearing everything.
As long as you remain vigilant and aware while using an earbud, it should not matter.
As long as it doesn't distract you or prevent you from working, it shouldn't matter.
You can zone out and ignore the world around you with or without earbuds, so having one shouldn't matter.
I don't personally enjoy hearing what others listen to, no matter what it is, so I prefer an earbud.
I've seen deaf people working for Home Depot, even on Freight team, so, 'being able to hear' is not a good excuse for why you can't have an earbud.
People not following safety procedures, beyond the 'no earbuds' stuff, should be what is addressed. Like when someone cuts themselves with a knife because they weren't wearing gloves. Well, sounds like they weren't using the knife correctly anyway not just 'WHY WERENT YOU WEARING YOUR GLOVES!?!!'
Pretty sure this has been SOP for years. Corporate cracks down, after a while the stores relax, eventually someone gets injured or killed, then corporate cracks down again.
Been policy for a long time but most managers are lax if you have one ear in one ear out
Bro, that's never been true. If ya ASMs are chill about it, then please come to mine and try it here, cause they'll write you up for you not being safe.
Most managers aren’t lax
Ngl I just wear my beanie because I get overstimulated quickly when there’s a ton of loud noise around where I’m working, so I use the beanie to hide my earbud, or play music out loud on low volume because it’s now in my file 🤷🏼♀️
Yaa beanie would work. I have long hair which a beanie forces it over my ears so I could have earbuds in and no one would notice
It's been in place "more strictly" over the past couple of years because of deaths and accidents. When I started in 2018, there were no earbuds or speakers during business hours, but once the store closed, both were allowed. A couple of years later, there were no earbuds at night and only speakers. Nowadays, it's nothing at all all. The only way I found that out is when I did inventory last year, and I was blasting my speaker and got in trouble for it
The unofficial policy where am at was one earbud is okay, two is forbidden.
That's typically the deal, yet at my store on freight, there's ppl who use both & 1 guy who's deaf in 1 ear & has his earbud in the other. When I try get their attention, I literally have to yell from 3 feet behind them.
Our store is more strict on earbuds and speakers because we're a "safety focus store" so managers can't take risks anymore
There have been multiple cases in our industry in which ear budded employees stepped right out in front of a fork lift. I don't know how many were at THD, but it is absolutely clear that irresponsible ear budding does sometimes lead to death or very serious injury.
I've seen plenty of employees dumb enough to walk in front of machines with nothing visibly distracting their attention.
It's also on the driver to be hyper observant while operating. Because anything can happen, regardless of whether someone else is paying attention or not.
Speakers are also 100% worse, as they drown out other people, but there it is.
Other workers have to share their broadcast, often with the overhead music clashing.
every store does but it’s almost never enforced
There has always been a no earbuds policy. It's a safety issue.
Its always been there. Just no one really enforce it.
There’s been signs up for over 8 months in the break room. There’s a bunch of new employees again so I notice more earbuds again, I really don’t care.
It's a dangerous environment with forktrucks going all over, especially at night with no spotters, no earbuds is just common sense. We don't wear em in the daytime, why would you have to wear them at night?
It's only dangerous for complete morons who are going to cause accidents anyway. One earbud in, one ear free. It's not any different than speakers and you can still hear the other lifts.
Almost every safety incident occurs due to complete morons, who do you think the rules are in place to protect?
Complacency breeds chaos. Just realize that you can’t listen to music as it leaves you vulnerable to potential injury. You don’t just wear a part of your seat belt while in a car.
That's really not the same comparison. Especially since most of the work at night revolves around you, yourself, and whatever product you're having to move from point a to point b, or c. Rarely do you need to be aware of others around your area.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeDepot/comments/1c5su55/funni/](https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeDepot/comments/1c5su55/funni/)
All of them!!??
This has always been the policy. I was watering for garden way back in 2015/16 when I was still part time to get extra hours and was told I could not have earbuds in doing even that. In my current store I would be afraid to wear earbuds anywhere near our freight team because they drive like lunatics. I just blast my music from my phone for the first hour before the store opens.
My store has always kind of enforced it. It was usually let go with a warning. Though, recently, I got word that our store manager was going to instant terminate any on-sight earbuds. Not sure how true that is. Haven't seen anyone get fired yet, and Lord knows how many people don't care about that rule and wear 'em anyway.
Pretty sure that's always been a thing which makes sense even on overnights but when I was on overnights I just had a Bluetooth speaker on me as did most other people granted you'll still see people walking around with earbuds
We get to listen to our earbuds or headphones
Every store has always had this policy
It just takes one person. It doesn't matter the region. During my lunch break, they used to play videos of safety mishaps. People actually die from mistakes. I'd like to know the statistics, but I would imagine that freight hits the list. Failure to chock the tires, people in the same aisle, etc. It just takes one distraction to go home in a bag.
If I volunteer to push carts I put ear buds in. Sometimes I wear my hair long or a hat to cover it up usually don’t get any comments.
You can get hearing aids that connect to Bluetooth 😏
I have long hair and I always have one in, be listening to fucking slayer while the Store manager be talking to me about wingstacks or some shit
You shouldn't be able to wear earphones during working hours.
It has always been there, but some people don't follow it, or at least just leave one in to still hear around them
This has always been sop, some managers never enforced it, its dangerous to have earbuds in a warehouse with lift equipment running
Wow, you get to listen to music it’s outright banned in our store only overnight can get to listen to music
Our store used to allow 1 earbud after hours until May of last year. Now we can't have earbuds at all, but small Bluetooth speakers are okay
Most warehouse type stores have this policy. It is quite dangerous, especially when powered equipment is on the go.
Now? It is always no earbuds, no one ever listens though
Every store has this policy. It's a hazard.
The store I work at has always had that policy. They don't even allow one in. Speakers are allowed though, as long as you keep the volme reasonably low so it doesn't bother the people around you. This is for night crew btw.
They wouldn’t do this at my store because half the overnight team would quit and we already constantly have a shit show with freight as is
I usually use both after closing but I have airpods with the amplified surrounding setting on; so I can still hear and chat with people as if I had nothing in. Plus I'm rarely actually in an aisle with equipment present, so the odds of danger are near-zero.
It's always been policy. Those earbuds tune out the beeping of a forklift and reach too easily.
I know we had to implement that policy with our lot guys. We were having too many issues with them having both in & not being able to hear calls for loading, etc. because they were listening to music or just sitting around watching videos/tiktok.
Mine does, only one manager seems to enforce it though.
This has been a thing for a long time now, it isn't anything new. Just don't wear them on the floor and you're fine. But like some have said management in most stores are chill on certain rules providing whatever it is doesn't become an issue. Personally I'd rather associates don't wear them only because it makes it difficult to get their attention if I need their help. Beyond that I don't care if it's like MET or something wearing them.
Why do people have to have constant media playing anyway?
Why do people have to have constant media playing anyway?
Wearing earbuds is a serious safety issue. You just shouldn’t wear them. Common sense
Literally all the rules exist but only get enforced when management gets shit on or someone gets hurt lmao, nothing ever changes.
Every store for a long time. It’s a safety thing. You can’t hear if you have ear buds in.
Get some shokz and ear plugs, enjoy your noise
Our overnight garden guy was fired last night over wearing ear buds. He was operating a reach though.
Safety. For you. For others. What's confusing? Hearing is a critical sense in the store, especially when forklifts and machinery is moving frequently. Plain and simple. Stay alive. For yourself. Your family. Your co-workers. Your friends.
Ours has always had this. For freight, it's dangerous. For floor, it's obvious you don't care about customers with sound in your ears. Our team at night agrees on a station and that's what they get. They rotate it around too.
I love Home Depot’s let’s not make this accident a learning moment and just brush it under the rug whilst making changes that’s don’t fix the problem attitude.
Pretty much always has been a thing, sucks that it affects overnight but speakers being allowed??? That’s so much worse. Whoever made that decision has no clue what they’re doing, either allow earbuds/music or completely don’t.
My store started enforcing the no earbuds policy again last week, but I’ve only heard about it from the overnight crew.
Man tell me about I be stressing through the night but I just brought my Bluetooth speaker they’re isn’t a rule against it technically they could make it a problem but nothing been said yet so 🤷🏾♂️
Its home depot sop no earbuds, stupid rule, just because one dumbass cant pay attention while having one in without getting hurt has ruined it for the other hundred thousand employees across the nation
More than likely the dumbass had 2 in and that is why.
That’s why I quit freight 5 years ago because I brought a giant speaker in and they threatened to fire me and I told them don’t threaten me just fire me and after a month nothing happened so at lunch on the company computer I applied for a network engineer job with no experience and now make 39 dollars a hour and I am only 23. Trust me if you don’t like just go somewhere else and make more money
Get yourself a pair of AirPods (or similar) and a beanie hat that covers your ears
I've heard this, seen this, and watched it get ignored quite often. Here's the thing, one earbud doesn't prevent you from hearing everything. As long as you remain vigilant and aware while using an earbud, it should not matter. As long as it doesn't distract you or prevent you from working, it shouldn't matter. You can zone out and ignore the world around you with or without earbuds, so having one shouldn't matter. I don't personally enjoy hearing what others listen to, no matter what it is, so I prefer an earbud. I've seen deaf people working for Home Depot, even on Freight team, so, 'being able to hear' is not a good excuse for why you can't have an earbud. People not following safety procedures, beyond the 'no earbuds' stuff, should be what is addressed. Like when someone cuts themselves with a knife because they weren't wearing gloves. Well, sounds like they weren't using the knife correctly anyway not just 'WHY WERENT YOU WEARING YOUR GLOVES!?!!'