Current Hard Hat Improvements

Many of us have already had occasion to don one, because hard hats are a common sight in many occupations. Worn by everyone from supervising architects to coal miners, hard hats are so common they might be taken for granted despite their importance. The next time you see one, here are a few fact to think about.

In any jobs where falling objects could strike someones head, they are mandated by OSHA. Although the administration doesn’t specify exactly what occupations this applies to, most potentially hazardous workplaces require them. Because head injury can be so serious, workers would probably want to be wearing one anyway.

Many people do not realize how they actually protect your head. Simply putting a hard shell between your skull and a falling object will not prevent a concussion. A hard, dense material will still transfer most of the force directly to your head and still result in a serious injury. The hard shell is important, but it only works because of the clever design that attaches it to your head.

The space between your head and the exterior provides a little space for shock absorption to happen. A brick that struck something resting directly against your head would hurt a lot, but the safety webbing holds the helmet centimeters from the wearer’s scalp. The force of a blow is distributed across the whole webbing instead of focused on one point of the skull.

This impact webbing is one thing that separates true hard hats from what is called a bump cap. Some applications call only for simpler head protection that lacks this ability to dissipate impact force. If the only risk is a light bump, by walking into a low beam for instance, then this is fine but it is important that you consciously choose the right hat for the situation.

Picking the right one is important. If you are working with electricity, you might need a class G or E hard hat. Class C is conductive, so you’d hate to choose one of those accidentally. Also, although hard hats are mostly associated with protection against things falling straight down, some workplaces also present the risk of a lateral blow for which you would want a Type 2.

Of course, worse than the wrong type would be none at all. Hard hats are widely used, and for good reason. Not only are they required in many jobs, but if you work anywhere that presents a danger of head injury, you’ll want quality head protection.

Check out our sites devoted to all types of hard hats including the construction hard hat and learn about construction safety.