[labnetwork] [BULK] [EXTERNAL] earbud/earphone use in facility/cleanroom

Alpha (CNF) alpha at cnf.cornell.edu
Thu Jul 9 10:33:22 EDT 2026 

I see headphones/ear buds with noise cancelling as a huge problem in a 
hazardous environment.


I have had to yell at a user to get their attention during a TGMS 
alarm/lab evacuation (it was a false that occurred during new sensor 
installation and calibration) - it really freaked me out that this 
person was so involved in whatever zoom mtg they were in - that they did 
not notice everyone leaving, the strobes, the whooping sirens...


Of course most of us have kids with nice Bose headphones and getting 
their attention without waving hands in their faces sometimes is par for 
the course...so we shouldn't be surprised.


Best to All,

C



On 7/8/26 19:13, Carsen Kline wrote:
> We allow both headphones and earbuds for the purpose of noise 
> cancellation. We have strong advocates for hearing protection in our 
> group, and OSHA-accepted levels are one thing, but they don't address 
> fatigue from the constant 70-75 dB hum of the lab.
>
> Straight from our Lab Manual:
>
> The background noise levels in labs are well within OSHA limits for 8 
> hours of continuous exposure.  However, many staff and labmembers find 
> it more comfortable to work using noise cancelling headphones or ear 
> buds. Disposable foam ear plugs are provided for lab use.  While 
> hearing protection is highly encouraged, please make sure you are 
> still able to hear alarms and other people in the lab (do not use 
> headphones for entertainment.)
>
> ...
>
> Carsen
>
>
> Carsen Kline
> Lab Operations Manager
> Stanford Nanofabrication Facility
> (650)724-8214
> https://snf.stanford.edu <http://snf.stanford.edu/>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> on behalf of 
> Michael Helmbrecht <mhelmbrecht at berkeley.edu>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 8, 2026 8:44 AM
> *To:* Jacob T. Trevino <jt2900 at columbia.edu>
> *Cc:* Network Fab <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [labnetwork] [BULK] [EXTERNAL] earbud/earphone use in 
> facility/cleanroom
> Hi all, No headphones, earbuds allowed in our lab. We have also had a 
> recent experience where a lab member did not hear a toxic gas alarm. 
> We are also concerned by distractions and general lack of awareness. 
> We do not allow phone use or conference
> Hi all,
>
> No headphones, earbuds allowed in our lab. We have also had a recent 
> experience where a lab member did not hear a toxic gas alarm.
>
> We are also concerned by distractions and general lack of awareness. 
> We do not allow phone use or conference calls around the equipment. 
> (Exceptions for a conference call to repair a piece of equipment or 
> for remote teamwork related to the tool.)
> One ear bud or bone-conduction seams like a decent compromise.
>
> Best,
> Michael
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Michael Helmbrecht, Ph.D.
> Executive Director
> Berkeley Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory
> 520 Sutardja Dai Hall
> Berkeley, CA 94720
> (510) 809-8620
> https://nanolab.berkeley.edu/ 
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nanolab.berkeley.edu/__;!!G92We9drHetJ8EofZw!YDh4qQfbklF7PJQYDzU7gQITEUvVE-cZFgEnuRYWwyH950LBIfleQG4dtSJgBel56y2e_u4siFBONO0mSIhMCw0G6rA$>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 7:58 AM Jacob T. Trevino <jt2900 at columbia.edu 
> <mailto:jt2900 at columbia.edu>> wrote:
>
>     Hi All,
>
>     We allow in-ear headphones (no over-ear headphones), but ask them
>     to only wear one so that they can still hear the
>     environment around them.
>
>     Best,
>     Jacob
>
>     -------------------------------------
>     *Jacob Trevino, PhD*
>     Senior Director, Columbia Nano Initiative Labs
>     Columbia University
>     530 W120th Street, Room 1015/MC 8903
>     New York, NY 10027
>     Email: jt2900 at columbia.edu <mailto:jt2900 at columbia.edu>
>     Cell: 734-787-2171
>     Desk: 212-854-9927
>     https://cni.columbia.edu/
>     <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://cni.columbia.edu/__;!!G92We9drHetJ8EofZw!YDh4qQfbklF7PJQYDzU7gQITEUvVE-cZFgEnuRYWwyH950LBIfleQG4dtSJgBel56y2e_u4siFBONO0mSIhMibV5sTQ$>
>     https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-t-trevino/
>     <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-t-trevino/__;!!G92We9drHetJ8EofZw!YDh4qQfbklF7PJQYDzU7gQITEUvVE-cZFgEnuRYWwyH950LBIfleQG4dtSJgBel56y2e_u4siFBONO0mSIhMIZ3jLdI$>
>
>
>     On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 7:52 AM Ahad Syed <ahad.syed at kaust.edu.sa
>     <mailto:ahad.syed at kaust.edu.sa>> wrote:
>
>         Hello Fubo, About 18 months ago, we had an incident where a
>         user didn't hear the fire alarm because they were wearing
>         noise-cancelling earbuds. They were so focused on their work
>         (and music) that they didn't notice either the audible alarm or
>         Hello Fubo,
>         About 18 months ago, we had an incident where a user didn't
>         hear the fire alarm because they were wearing noise-cancelling
>         earbuds. They were so focused on their work (and music) that
>         they didn't notice either the audible alarm or the flashing
>         lights.
>         Following that incident, we decided to ban all types of
>         headphones and earbuds in the Cleanroom.
>         All the best,
>         Ahad
>
>         -- 
>         Nanofabrication Core Lab
>         4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
>         0253 Building 3, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
>         Tel:+966 12 808 2348
>         Visit The Core Labs
>         <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://corelabs.kaust.edu.sa/visitor-information__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!XcspatWnmlX5QlURslhz7XM6boLnvoa_UREt7RAFO0rbS7bHHTW9zNgFjx6SJV1F8agHGNcK2I09BcXUCctQELy3KvC2$>
>         ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>         *From:* labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu
>         <mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu>> on behalf of Fubo Rao
>         <furao at ucsd.edu <mailto:furao at ucsd.edu>>
>         *Sent:* Tuesday, July 7, 2026 9:12 PM
>         *To:* Network Fab <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu
>         <mailto:labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>>
>         *Subject:* [BULK] [EXTERNAL] [labnetwork] earbud/earphone use
>         in facility/cleanroom
>
>         	
>         You don't often get email from furao at ucsd.edu
>         <mailto:furao at ucsd.edu>. Learn why this is important
>         <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!XcspatWnmlX5QlURslhz7XM6boLnvoa_UREt7RAFO0rbS7bHHTW9zNgFjx6SJV1F8agHGNcK2I09BcXUCctQEIHkCj6J$>
>         	
>
>         Dear Colleagues,
>
>         Do you ban, regulate, or allow your users to wear earbuds or
>         earphones in your facility, especially in the Cleanroom?
>
>         Thanks,
>
>         Fubo Rao, Ph.D.,
>         Nano3 Technical Director,
>         Qualcomm Institute/Atkinson Hall,
>         UC San Diego
>         9500 Gilman Drive #0436
>         La Jolla, CA 92093-0436
>         Tel. (858)534-4518
>         Cell: (858)375-9190
>         E-mail: furao at ucsd.edu <mailto:furao at ucsd.edu>
>         https://nanofab.ucsd.edu/
>         <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nanofab.ucsd.edu/__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!XcspatWnmlX5QlURslhz7XM6boLnvoa_UREt7RAFO0rbS7bHHTW9zNgFjx6SJV1F8agHGNcK2I09BcXUCctQELu-P4-L$>
>         About Nano3
>         <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nanofab.ucsd.edu/about/__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!XcspatWnmlX5QlURslhz7XM6boLnvoa_UREt7RAFO0rbS7bHHTW9zNgFjx6SJV1F8agHGNcK2I09BcXUCctQEDNtwpAA$>
>         https://www.linkedin.com/company/ucsd-nano3-shared-research-facility/
>         <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/company/ucsd-nano3-shared-research-facility/__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!XcspatWnmlX5QlURslhz7XM6boLnvoa_UREt7RAFO0rbS7bHHTW9zNgFjx6SJV1F8agHGNcK2I09BcXUCctQEDm1upmh$>
>         _______________________________________________
>         labnetwork mailing list
>         labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu <mailto:labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
>         https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mtl.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/labnetwork__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!XcspatWnmlX5QlURslhz7XM6boLnvoa_UREt7RAFO0rbS7bHHTW9zNgFjx6SJV1F8agHGNcK2I09BcXUCctQECA6OTfS$
>         <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mtl.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/labnetwork__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!XcspatWnmlX5QlURslhz7XM6boLnvoa_UREt7RAFO0rbS7bHHTW9zNgFjx6SJV1F8agHGNcK2I09BcXUCctQECA6OTfS$>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     labnetwork mailing list
>     labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu <mailto:labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
>     https://mtl.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/labnetwork
>     <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mtl.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/labnetwork__;!!G92We9drHetJ8EofZw!YDh4qQfbklF7PJQYDzU7gQITEUvVE-cZFgEnuRYWwyH950LBIfleQG4dtSJgBel56y2e_u4siFBONO0mSIhMqy_Yum0$>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> labnetwork mailing list
> labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu
> https://mtl.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/labnetwork

-- 
Christopher Alpha
User Program Manager
Cornell Nanoscale Facility
Cornell University
250 Duffield Hall
343 Campus Rd
Ithaca, NY 14853
tel (607)254-4913
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mtl.mit.edu/pipermail/labnetwork/attachments/20260709/aa1ba657/attachment.html>

More information about the labnetwork mailing list