We're now using STIHL ProCOM headsets

Anyone who has worked on a grounds maintenance or groundworks site knows the routine. A machine is running, someone needs to say something, and the only options are to shout over the noise or lift an ear defender to listen. Neither is good. One of them means you can't be heard properly; the other means you've taken your hearing protection off at exactly the moment you need it.

We've started rolling out STIHL ADVANCE ProCOM headsets across our teams to deal with that.

What they do

The ProCOM is a hearing protector with two-way communication built in. Operators keep their ear defenders on and still talk to each other hands-free, without breaking off what they're doing. It also pairs to a phone, so a foreman can take a call from the office without walking back to the van.

Why it matters

The obvious win is safety. Hearing protection only works when it's worn, and anything that gives someone a reason to lift it off is a problem. Being able to talk normally while machinery is running removes that reason entirely.

Beyond that, it's simply quicker. Instructions land first time. A change of plan gets passed on straight away instead of at the next break. On sites where operatives are spread out — across a large landscaped area, or working either side of a building — that adds up over a day.

Where we use them

We're using them in suitable environments only. On sites where the principal contractor operates its own communication system, or where site rules set out a specific arrangement, we work to those. The headsets supplement good practice; they don't replace a site induction, a safe system of work or a proper briefing.

It's a small change, but it's one of those pieces of kit that quietly makes a working day run better — and keeps hearing protection where it should be.