MP3 Player Safety Tips: Listen Safely While Using Your Portable
It might seem obvious that listening to your portable's digital music
(via earbuds) while crossing a busy street is dangerous. However, there
are also other situations you may not have considered which can be
equally detrimental to your health -- such as eye strain, permanent
damage to your hearing, or even electric shock! To see some of the major
safety angles you should keep in mind while enjoying your digital music
library on your portable, read this article for more information.
Safety Tips When Using Earbuds / Headphones
As mentioned above,
crossing the street without being able to hear dangers around you (like
approaching traffic) is obviously dangerous. However, there are also a
lot of other potentially hazardous situations you should avoid too.
Music can be quite a distraction (especially if it is loud) and so you
should avoid listening to it when concentration is important. Examples
include: operating any type of machinery, cycling, jogging, and other
activities in a public place where hearing is a crucial sense.
Listening in the Car
it may seem safe to listen in your car
using earbuds or headphones, but you will significantly increase the
chances of an accident if you do. As well as using your eyes, you need
to listen out for dangers while driving too. Examples of when your
hearing becomes a crucial sense in order to drive cautiously or take
immediate action include: sirens used by emergency services, car horns
warning you of traffic dangers, and other street noises (like kids
playing) -- all these events give you audio feedback on your
surroundings.
If you want to listen to your digital music library in the car, then there are various car stereo accessories
for the iPod, iPhone, MP3 Player, etc. Many cars these days have
facilities to integrate MP3 players into their stereo systems by using
wireless methods (like Bluetooth) or by physical connections (FM transmitters, USB ports for flash drives,
etc). Additionally, if your car has controls on its steering wheel such
as skip track, volume up/down, etc., then try to use this method rather
than using one hand to drive while operating your portable player.
Protect Your Hearing
Prolonged exposure to loud music can
permanently damage your hearing. According to research, the recommended
maximum loudness level you should never go over is 85 dB. Children
(particularly teens) are at the most risk of damaging their hearing by
listening to loud music via earbuds / headphones. However, there are
safeguards you can employ to prevent hearing loss. Volume-limiting headphones
for instance restrict how loud the volume can go regardless of how much
volume an MP3 player outputs. This is a great solution if you are
worried about your kids hearing and want to protect their ears at all
times.
Some portables have the facility to limit sound output. Even if
your's doesn't, keep in mind that you should still be able to hear
outside noises while listening to music -- if you can't, then turn it
down a little. There are also apps available to download for various
mobile operating systems (iOS, Android, etc.) that can be used to set
volume limits on your device.
Limiting eye strain
Many MP3 players / media playing devices
come with screens these days. If you need to use your portable's screen
for an extended period of time (like watching music videos or using
music apps), then consider turning the brightness down on your screen
and taking regular breaks to rest your eyes.
Avoid electric shock
It may sound impossible but you can get an
electric shock if you don't use your portable correctly and in an
appropriate place. It's important to keep your portable away from
sources of moisture that can cause an electric shock. This includes:
heavy rain, drinks, showers, bath tubs, sinks, etc. It's also important
to use your portable in a safe way and not to expose its internals or
damage the battery which can cause a short-circuit, fire, etc.