At home I saw that he had replied back through email. This is his response:

Jason, your request for headphones is certainly not the first I have been asked to approve over the years. The request can not be approved however, and I'll try to be brief as to why. The main reason is the fact that with 1750 employees to consider, if we allowed headphone use for one, we would have to allow it for all in one form or another. Then evolution would take over and next it would be individual radios, boom boxes and eventually complete sound systems. Believe me, it would happen - it did happen. It was the main reason we put in place the policy in the first place and decided it would be best to play music over the PA system instead. It was years before that was even allowed. I understand the PA system is marginal, and it doesn't satisfy the music preferences for all, but at least it beats not having any.

As for the other work stations playing coach radios, that technically isn't allowed either except for testing purposes in PDI. I try to discourage this, but I must admit I haven't put my foot down as perhaps I should.

Additionally, you mention that Eli Finn stated that the headphones pose no threat to safety. I disagree in some cases, and feel it would pose a safety threat. I asked about this and Eli said he remembers the conversation well. He said that he told you that there was no listing for this in the Employee Safety Handbook, but that it was listed in the Employee Handbook - which is true. He also said that at no point did he say it was OK to use them. The OSHA approved earplugs are supposed to block out noise, that is their purpose. Stereo headphones are not intended to do the same; they simply broadcast music in most cases.

Your overall good mood and positive attitude are important to me, and I hope you continue to have both. I will ask you however to see this request from my perspective and if you do you will take the big picture into account and realize that I have to consider all employees when a request such as this is asked.
Thank you, Ed Read

That's reasonable. I emailed him back with this:

Thank you for your prompt response. It is much appreciated. I'll abide by your answer, though in the interest of discussion, I'd like to share my opinions on some of the things you said.

I realize that what goes for me must go for everyone else out of fairness. I can see your point of view clearly and agree that it most likely would get out of hand with speakers and whatnot. In fact, the stereos in the coaches weren't the only ones I was talking about. I have seen at least 2 boom boxes in different stations playing all day since at least last week. On Friday there are always several more. I would like to partake in this privately, but with the knowledge that what I'm doing is okay.

Writing down and enforcing a rule that prohibits the use of personal listening devices is no easier than writing down and enforcing a rule that prohibits the music to be played out of something other than headphones. The radios can be allowed but limited to just headphones just as parking spaces are allowed but limited to one per person, beverages in the workplace are allowed but are limited to just water, and talking is allowed but is limited to unoffensive speech. Naturally, those who abuse the freedom can no longer enjoy it.

The PA system is indeed better than nothing and now that more modern songs are played, I enjoy it more. However, most of the time I cannot hear it because of air tools and because we are too far from the nearest speaker.

Please also note that in no way did I try to twist what Eli told me (I'm not saying you think I did). He did discourage me from using headphones. The thing is, I only spoke to him for one reason and so I only stated his response that pertained to that reason.

As I said, I'll obey the rule and this response is not an attempt to argue but to merely express an alternate solution that might not have been thoroughly explored.

Thank you again for responding and I'll see you around the plant. I'll probably be laying out a coach.

-Jason Reed

I haven't heard anything from this but, then again, I wasn't asking for a response. If nothing else, the fools from the previous station won't have any music to listen to in the coach. They shouldn't have changed my music.