The hard facts about Hard Hats

Another user friendly guide relating to another piece of essential personal protective equipment (PPE), all served with a good helping of common sense... a practical guide aimed at the construction, demolition & similar sectors relevant to the hardworking tradesmen or women out there.

Firstly, protective headwear should not be an inconvenience, nor is it a fashion statement; it is a crucial piece of PPE designed to save lives and to prevent injury. Follow our simple guidance and you won't go too far wrong.

The speeds and forces involved with falling objects can be staggering, with the humble one penny coin having a terminal velocity of over 60 feet per second! Or to put that into perspective, if a falling object hits you, it will hurt, lots! Falling objects are only one consideration - potentially serious head injuries can arise from seemingly innocuous bumps.

It is often a mandatory requirement to wear a safety helmet, with many people required to wear one on a daily basis; selecting the right one for you is essential.

Selection

As with most Health and Safety matters, and in particular the selection of PPE & RPE, we are firm believers in worker involvement. Find out the likes and dislikes from previous protective headgear, involve your local supplier to explore the ranges available, then put your hands on some samples to trial, demonstrate and assess.

Consider what other PPE is required, such as hearing protection or eye / face protection; can it be combined into one unit for additional protection, increased comfort and better "wear-ability"?

It can quite literally be a fatal mistake to select inferior or incorrectly specified head protection. Yet again we would recommend selecting a reputable supplier authorised to distribute a recognised brand; there are many examples of counterfeit PPE being distributed and worn throughout the UK construction industry.

As with any equipment, a CE mark is a necessity as is conforming to the relevant European Standard; in the context of this article we shall consider (BS) EN 397:2012 - the required standard for Industrial Safety Helmets. From this specification you can expect the hat to perform in temperatures from -20^o C to +150^oC if desired, electrically insulated up to 440v, will resist lateral deformation, and should you ever need it, resist splashes from molten metal (fingers crossed you won't!).

Other features to consider would include the need for a chin strap, ventilation, colour (why not select high viz?), a ratchet tightening mechanism and overall adjustability, nylon webbing straps, comfort padding, integral visor, position and availability of absorbent sweat bands; all of this can be expected from a unit costing well under £10.

Wearing

Quite obviously, a hard hat will only protect you if it's being worn... and worn correctly!

It should be adjusted to fit the wearer, worn securely and level so that it cannot become dislodged. Wearing a hard hat backwards will reduce its performance considerably, the beck is designed to deflect objects away from the face and torso. "Woolly" hats should not be worn underneath a hard hat as it will compromise the performance and could cause it to fall off... onto someone working below!

Something that is often overlooked is the sizing; you wouldn't wear any other ill fitting garment, would you? Measure your head and select a helmet befitting of the circumference of your priceless cranium.

Wear a chin strap if you are required to work overhead, regularly bend over or work in windy conditions; you want your hat to be in position when you need it in order to prevent or to lessen the effects of an impact.

Whilst the wearing of hardhats is often mandatory and enforced on site, less attention is given to the wearing of a hard hat CORRECTLY; it is up to you to ensure that this is the case.

Storage, maintenance and Inspection

A hard hat will only offer maximum protection if it is in good condition.

We'll get the contentious subject of the "expiry date" out of the way first. A hard hat is typically marked with the year and month of manufacture embossed internally on the body of the hat. Many people state that you must replace a hard hat after 3 or 5 years after the date of manufacture - not true.

We would suggest a more common sense approach. There are many factors that affect its performance, such as its exposure to direct sunlight, chemicals, moisture, other contaminants and its lifestyle in general. It is worth adhering to the manufacturers recommendations when it comes to the "in life" use but remember that a new hat may have been stored for a couple of years before it begins its working life.

A hat should be disposed of in the following circumstances:- if; it has been subject to a significant impact, deep scratches, say any more than 20% of the overall thickness, the webbing / harness is damaged or frayed, the body is distorted, dented or cracked.

It almost goes without saying that you should never modify, drill, paint, spray or adapt a hard hat. Any such modification could compromise the strength of the unit.

Look after your hat in general, keep it clean with warm soapy water only and don't leave it rattling around where it can get damaged, lost or stolen; inspect it on a regular basis for visual signs of damage or general wear and tear.

If this is a piece of equipment that you wear on a daily basis in a relatively harsh environment then maybe you should consider changing it every 18-24 months, if you're an infrequent site visitor then it should last you a very long time with a bit of TLC.

With all of the above in mind and the crucial role that a hard hat plays, is it unreasonable to suggest that they should be replaced more regularly when the unit cost is so low?

In summary; wear your safety helmet when required to do so and look after it, it will then look after you when you most need it to do so!

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