by Paul V. Arnold

Satterthwaite Fixtures didn’t realize high noise levels on its factory floor would present some job-related challenges for Mary Gibbons, the first deaf worker on the Atlanta manufacturing company’s packaging line.

Gibbons quickly discovered she had to turn off her hearing aids — they only amplified the loud sounds and didn’t help her distinguish other sounds in the environment. But with her aids off, she can’t hear job-related alert sounds, such as the bell that signals the start of the conveyor belt. Supervisor Tom Baker can’t communicate with her easily when she’s on the line, and she also can’t hear announcements on the intercom.

To find solutions, Gibbons and Baker spoke with a vocational rehabilitation counselor from Cornell University. The counselor made several recommendations that were implemented on the shop floor.

To resolve the conveyor belt issue, the factory installed a light that flashes at the same time the conveyor belt bell rings. The cost was $100, including installation. To address the intercom problem, Gibbons now wears a personal pager ($80) that vibrates when the supervisor presses a transmitter from 100 feet away. This signals Gibbons to come to his office, where they can talk in a soundproof room.

Also, company announcements are now typed at the start of the day and delivered to Gibbons’ mailbox.

This article appeared in the June/July 2001 issue of MRO Today magazine. Copyright, 2001.

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