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To take preventive measures against head injuries is a key factor in all safety programs. Certain occupations are susceptible to a more risky environment as compared to others. Being employed in a construction industry is one such job where the employees are compelled to take safety precautions. Even a single bruise sometimes handicapped the person for good or it can be lethal too.

Safety Hard Hats protects a person from diverse menaces. It is a kind of helmet used at the construction sites to protect the head mainly. Organizations which issue Hard Hats generally include their companies’ logos on the front portion of the hat.

Reasons of Using Hard Hat at the Construction Site

The rigid cover of the Hard Hat resists the blows. The system of suspension placed inside the hats work as a shock absorbent. Some of the hats are designed to function as an insulator against the electric shocks. It shields the face, scalp and neck of the employee spills, drips and splashes. Like welding helmets, Hard Hats are equipped with visors to protect the eyes. Mirrors are also fitted with the hats to increase the rear view of the field. A chinstrap is attached with the helmet to keep it from falling off when the wearer bends over. These hats also have a flashlight or headlamp to free the hands of the workers from holding a torch while at work. Most of the employees prefer the hats composed of brown glass as it has more balance, less weight and highly immune to stains and scrapes. The brown glass hard hats also do not let the rainwater to set drops on the hat’s edge. The small space between the head and the shell lessens the blow by at least 3 cms with the help of safety distance cushion when an object is falling vertically.

Service life span of Hard Hats

The most common misconception regarding Hard Hat is that it has a predetermined service period-but this is not true. According to the ANSI standards, all the ingredients of the Hat should be inspected daily to check the signs of cracks, dents, damages or any kind of penetration due to the everyday wear and tear. Hard Hats of MSA brand publish their own ‘Useful Service Life Guidelines’. These guidelines state the replacement of the Hard Hat after every 5 years and the suspension should be changed after 1year. The Hats which fail in the ocular inspection should be use only after rectifying the problem.

Plastic Hard Hats are sensitive to UV rays and hence can cause a problem. Problems caused by UV rays are easy to detect, as it will start to lose its glossy look. Further degradation causes the shell to flake away. Therefore, as soon as the UV damages are detected, the Hard Hat’s shell should be replaced.

Protection is the first concern of every person. So, don’t forget to put on a Hard Hat while working at the construction site.