Construction Hard Hats

Construction Hard Hat Accessories

2009-03-10T04:22:00.000-07:00

One type of construction hard hat that proves extremely adaptable is the slotted hard hat equipped with slots in the hat’s shell that allows the workman to attach one of a number of accessories. These accessories may either be crucial to ensure safety standards are met or to simply assist in performing the job. Hard hat accessories such as a hard hat visor, protective ear muffs or a flashlight holder can be attached to the hard hat while a hard hat liner can be worn underneath the workman’s hard hat.

Hard Hat Adapters : There are a number of nylon hard hat adapters that attach different brands of face shields to the hard hat. You may have to buy a different type of an adapter depending on the style of hard hat you wear. It’s possible to buy a hard hat adapter that can be fitted to a cap style hard hat and a different one that will work for most full-brim hard hat models.

Hard hat adapters don’t only come as nylon accessories you can also buy adapters that are made out of aluminum too.

Hard hat adapters come with a spring that clinches to the back dome of the hard hat for those workmen who wear hard hats without the universal slot on the sides.

Visor or Face Shield: To provide occasional eye protection from sparks or flaying debris visor may be attached to the hard hat and lowered or raised depending on the work being performed. Particularly in need of visors are workmen performing welding jobs. They should be made of lightweight durable materials such as nylon, can pivot up to the top of the head and out of the way when not in use. Some hard hat visors come with an adjustment knob that enables you to fit it to the size of your head.

If you don't have a slotted hard hat available and you use a protective face shield or a visor you will need to use an adapter as described above.

When talking about a hard hat visor we are usually referring to the face shield that protects the eyes whilst working. But there is a second type of hard hat visor that protects the worker from the sun’s rays. This visor is also known as a sunshield and it can be attached to the brim of the hard hat all the way around the hat so that the ears, neck and face are all protected. The sunshield is usually made from polyurethane with an opaque section at the front for overhead visibility.

Hard hat visors perform multiple pieces of valuable protection to the hard work done on hot days.

Hard Hat Liner : In cold weather and on windy days the hard hat provides no protection from the cold and the wind. In this case you may choose to wear a hard hat line under the hard hat. The additional head covering can come down to cover the ears but it should not be tight fitting. You can get hard hat liners that are fleece lined with an adjustable design that can either be worn open faced or can be closed over the nose and mouth to protect from harsh wind conditions. Many hard hat liners are flame resistant, at least until they have been washed. Hard hat liners give your head added protection, this time against the weather elements.

A couple of key safety features with regard to hard hat liners should be adhered to. The hard hat liner must be fashioned to avoid blocking visibility, eyesight must be unhampered, and it must also be fashioned to avoid blocking the hearing of warning sounds.

Helmet Light Mounts : As the name suggests, the helmet light mount is used by construction workers to attach a light to their helmet so that they can work in dark spaces on the site. The light holder allows the hands to remain free to perform the tasks required of them.

Hard Hat Mounted Ear Protectors : For noisy worksites that always require ear protection the option to wear a slotted hard hat with cap mounted ear muffs is the obvious choice. Purpose fitted ear muffs that are attached to the hard hat will ensure that they fit correctly every time you put them on, they won’t interfere with the function of the hard hat itself and they won’t get misplaced when they are not in use. Hard hat mounted ear muffs can be swiveled up and out of the way when not needed.

Chin Straps : To ensure that the hard hat does not become dislodged and fall from high construction sites, there is an optional chin strap that can be attached and worn. The chin strap will ensure that the hard hat is kept in place when undertaking active tasks. All hard hat chin straps can be adjusted to suit any head size, they are usually made of elastic to ensure a maximum of comfort is available.

Reflective Strips : In a bid to increase the visibility of workmen on the construction site, there are available, high-visibility reflective strips that can be attached to the hard hat. The reflective strips can be added to the front, back or sides of the hard hat and is excellent for night duty workers and they are available in a range of lighter and fluorescent colors

Mesh Hard Hat Covers : Another innovative, yet simple idea is a line of high visibility mesh hard hat covers that can be fitted over the top of the hard hat. The idea is to make the hard hat stand out even more than it may already do, but it doesn’t potential degrade the surface of the shell with adhesives, paints or stickers. Hard hat covers fit straight over the top of the hard hat shell and are kept in place by elastic edges. They can contain any kind of fluoro tape that is attached to the cover itself rather than the shell of the hard hat. This is a simple solution to ensure that the workmen are even more visible.

There's more to consider about construction hard hats than simply the hats themselves. These handy accessories ensure that the safety and the comfort of the workman is benig catered for.

Construction Hard Hats for Protection

2009-02-27T05:28:00.000-08:00

Since the early 20th century – from around the 1930s - construction hard hats have been worn on construction sites, first in the United States and then around the world. The construction hard hat is a simple concept, it's a safety device worn on the head to protect it from falling objects, from bumps from stationery objects and from electrical hazards.

Construction hard hats were originally made from layered phenalic resin before being replaced by aluminum, then fiberglass, thermoplastics in the 1950s. Today hard hats are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or other advanced engineering resins such as Ultem.

Construction hard hats protect the head from injury by falling objects but can also provide protection from bumps, the weather (rain or sun), and electric shock. Hard hats are typically worn on worksites where heavy labor is being performed.

Generally speaking construction hard hats, or protective helmets, should:

Resist penetration by objects.
Absorb the shock of a blow.
Be water-resistant and slow burning.
Have instructions provided with them that explains the correct procedures for adjustment and replacement of parts such as the suspension and headband.

Construction hard hats can be classified into impact classes. These impact classes describe the severity of the impact that the hard hat has been designed to withstand and protect the wearer from.

Type I Hard Hats – are intended to reduce the force of a blow to the top of the head. All hard hats are covered as Type I hard hats with the exception of bump caps. A Type I hard hat has a full brim that is not less than 1 ¼ inches wide.
Type II Hard Hats – are intended to reduce the force of impact from a blow that is received off center or to the top of the head. A Type II hard hat is brimless with a peak extending forward

Hard hats can also be broken down into 3 electrical classes for workers who may be doing electrical work:

Class G Hard Hats – this is a general class and the hard hats in this class are made to reduce the danger of contact exposure to low voltage conductors. Class G hard hats may also be known as Class A hard hats and are specified as General Service protection.

Class E Hard Hats – the E stands for Electrical and these hard hats are made to reduce the exposure to high voltage conductors. Class E hard hats may also be known as Class B hard hats and are specified as Utility Service hard hats.

Class C Hard Hats – the C stands for Conductive and these hard hats are not intended to provide protection against contact with electrical conductors. These types of hard hats may also be referred to as Special Service hard hats.

Construction Hard Hat Styles

Standard Hard Hats - are the most popular and widely used on the market. It is the standard hard hat that most people think of when they talk about a construction hard hat. They feature a basic baseball cap brim or visor at the front and may come in a slotted or non-slotted design.

A slotted hard hat is referring to slots located above the ears that allow the wearer to attach accessories such as ear protectors, flashlight holders and fold-down face shields.

Vented Hard Hats – this is a style of construction hard hat that takes the standard hard hat and includes air vents along the top. The vents provide more comfort for the wearers who may be working in hot conditions.

Full Brim Hard Hats – these are hard hats with a brim that extends completely around them rather than simply the front brim. This type of hard hat provides extra sun protection by shielding the neck and ears. Because of this type of design, the brim prevents the accessory slot option to be used.

Bump Caps – these are not hard hats per se and are not certified to meet any of the impact protection requirements that hard hats do. They are specifically designed to provide protection to workers who may be working in an area where head bumps and lacerations are common. Bump caps may be commonly seen in automotive repair facilities, warehouses and food processing plants.

Hard Hat Safety Rules

Here are some general safety rules regarding construction hard hats.

A construction hard hat must always be worn in an area that has been designated as a “hard hat area”. Signs will alert you to this fact.
Use hard hats that are certified as meeting the specifications in American National Standards Institute Z89.1.
Never wear a hard hat over another hat.
You must be sure that the hard hat fits properly. This means that the lining is adjusted so that the hat sits squarely upon the head.
When operating machinery that presents potential eye or face damage, proper eye and face protection should be attached to the hard hat.
Ear protection should be properly attached to the hard hat and used where it is not possible to reduce noise levels by other means.

Hard Hat Training - Importance of Caring For the Hard Hat

Because construction hard hats are a vital part of a construction worker’s safety equipment it is important that all workers understand how their hard hat should be worn and cared for. The following topics should be known and understood by all employees:

Why head protection is necessary.
How the hard hat will do its job in protecting the head.
What the limitations in protection are.
When the hard hat must be worn
How to adjust the various pieces of equipment on the hard hat such as the straps to ensure a comfortable fit.
How to identify signs of wear such as cracks or perforations in the shell, torn or frayed suspension systems, flaking or chalking of the outer shell which may indicate a deterioration in the material.
How to properly clean and disinfect the hard hats.

Working around chemicals and solvents can also mean that the shell of the hard hat can become weakened or it can eliminate electrical resistance. It may be very important to understand exactly how certain cleaning products can affect the hard hat and it may be necessary to contact the manufacturer for advice. Even ultraviolet light from the sun can have an affect the consistency of the hard hat shell so storage of the hard hat on the back shelf under the rear window of the car when it’s not in use is not recommended.

There are many safety aspects surrounding construction hard hats that must be considered by both employers and employees. Employers have a duty of care to ensure that their employees wear and care for their hard hats. Employees on the other hand must follow rules and regulations that are put in place to ensure their safety.

Privacy Policy

2009-02-17T05:20:00.000-08:00

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Construction Hard Hats Privacy Policy

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