Hard hats are a staple in the construction industry—there’s no doubt about it. They’ve helped protect workers from hazards like debris, tools, falling objects, etc., for over 100 years. This wearable protection not only keeps workers safe from hazards but also symbolizes awareness, mindfulness, and adherence to a culture of safety.
As a safety leader, you are responsible for making decisions that directly affect your crew members’ safety, performance, and overall well-being. One such responsibility is choosing the proper headwear for everyone to wear.
In this article, we share a few top factors to consider when buying new helmets and explain how to choose the best ones for your workers’ needs.
Construction Safety Helmets vs. Hard Hats
When choosing head protection for your team, you have two main options: helmets and hard hats. While these two terms are often used synonymously, they are different.
Hard hats are made to be worn over a worker’s head. They’re usually made of hard plastic and are used solely to protect the worker from falling objects and overhead debris. Since they don’t usually come with a chin strap, they’re more likely to fall off if a worker bends over, trips, or encounters heavy wind gusts.
Managers and supervisors are often seen in hard hats on a construction site. On the other hand, most field employees don helmets. The traditional hard hat is the most common head protection on job sites today.
Although cheaper and readily available, the hard hat has undergone changes and advancements since its design in the 1960s. But in a constantly evolving world, a new category has emerged as the next generation of workplace head protection: the “Safety Helmet.”
Safety helmets use various materials, including lightweight composites, fiberglass, and advanced thermoplastics. These materials help reduce the impact of resistance and the overall weight of the helmet, reducing neck strain and improving comfort during long periods.
This style of headwear covers more than the top of the person’s head. It also includes side protection, as well as an adjustable chin strap. This way, the worker can wear it all day long without worrying about it falling off or becoming loose.
Can’t decide between helmets and hard hats for your crew? Here are recommended uses for safety helmets:
Construction Sites:
- Safety helmets offer better protection than traditional hard hats for construction sites, especially those with high risks of falling objects and debris, equipment impacts, or slips, trips, and falls. They also have improved impact resistance and additional features.
Oil and Gas Industry:
- In these sectors, where workers face multiple hazards, including potential exposure to chemicals and severe impacts, safety helmets with additional features that allow workers to attach face shields can provide comprehensive protection.
Working from Heights:
- For tasks or jobs that involve working from heights, safety helmets offer protection of the entire head and include features that prevent the safety helmet from falling off.
Electrical Work:
- For specific electrical work or proximity to electrical hazards, safety helmets with non-conductive materials (Class G and Class E) provide protection to prevent electrical shocks. However, some traditional hard hats also offer electrical protection. This is something to remember when browsing for a safety helmet.
High-Temperature Environments:
- In high temperatures or where there is exposure to molten materials, safety helmets with advanced heat-resistant properties can provide additional protection to workers. They help keep the workers cool and prevent heat stress.
Specialized Work Environments:
- Jobs that require integrated face shields, hearing protection or communication devices benefit from safety helmets designed with these features or the ability to add them on.
Specific Regulatory Requirements:
- Where regulations or industry standards mandate safety helmets, employers must comply with these requirements to ensure worker safety compliance.
Low-Risk Environments:
- Even in work sites with no overhead hazards, safety helmets will provide an added layer of protection, especially if the risks become more severe.
It’s best to err on the side of caution and choose a helmet if you know your team members will be exposed to any kind of dangerous environment while on the job.
Wearer Comfort
Comfort and ease of wearability are important when protecting your head. If you ask your crews to wear helmets that don’t adjust or fit, they’re likely to take them off to vent their frustration before the workday is over.
The only issue is that while your workers might come in different shapes and sizes, most construction helmets are one-size-fits-all. The workaround ensures the suspension and chin strap are fully adjustable so everyone feels confident their gear fits and does the job right.
The suspension is located on the interior of the helmet. You can make it tighter or looser to fit the wearer’s head circumference. The chin strap is located on the outside of the helmet, right below the ears.
Remember to give your crew members ample time to adjust their helmets before beginning work. The helmet shouldn’t be so tight that it’s uncomfortable, but it should be snug enough that it doesn’t move around when the worker bends or moves.
If they need to wear any other construction safety gear, such as face masks or goggles, put those accessories on before the helmet to ensure everything stays in place.
Cooling Elements
Will your workers be exposed to extreme heat while on the job? What about poorly ventilated rooms and environments? If either scenario applies, you’ll need helmets that offer a degree of built-in cooling and ventilation.
While headwear of any kind can restrict airflow, some models incorporate vented openings that allow air to pass through or around the helmet. These vents are usually located on the top of the helmet or on either side. This way, as the worker sweats, the perspiration doesn’t build up around their head.
Even if your helmets don’t come with vents, you can purchase additional cooling pads to attach to the inside. These removable pads add more airflow to the helmet without compromising its safety.
Exposure Protection
In addition to poor airflow, it’s important to consider any other environmental elements that might affect your workers’ safety and performance. This includes unpredictable weather. Over-preparing for these conditions does no harm.
If your teams routinely work outside in the glaring sun, heavy wind, or beating rain, they’ll need as much head protection as possible. In this case, invest in helmets that come with a full brim, so no part of their face will be exposed to the elements.
The same applies to workers who will be around a significant amount of falling debris. When these risks are present, wide-brimmed or full-brimmed helmets are best.
Industry Regulations
Some industries have specific guidelines and regulations that workers should follow when purchasing and using safety gear. These include rules set forth by associations such as OSHA and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Most general contractors are now mandating climbing-style helmets on all their new job sites starting in 2023. Several large corporations are also starting to require the same level of protection by mandating ANSI Type II helmets, which offer enhanced side impact protection.
These helmets can be divided into two categories: Type I and Type II. The traditional hard hat, known as “Type I,” is made of a hard outer shell with an adjustable inner suspension system. Type I hard hats are typically offered in three configurations: Class G (General Use), Class E (Electrical), and Class C (Conductive), with each model OSHA-approved and meeting ANSI Z89.1 standards for top-of-head protection.
Type II hard hats, or “Safety Helmets” as the category has become known, represent the next evolution in job site head protection. Type II helmets include advanced features like increased impact protection thanks to an integrated four-point suspension system. A secure chin strap with an easy-release magnetic lock ensures these helmets fit snugly and stay on the head in the event of top, side, front, or rear impacts.
Other features, such as anti-microbial liner materials and built-in attachment points compatible with a wide range of accessories, are how Type II helmets take job site safety to a new level.
Both Types I and II hard hats provide approved job site head protection. However, the advanced technology, safety, and comfort features of Type II Safety Helmets have made them the new benchmark for workplace head protection (think bicycle or snowboard-style helmets). As the industry transitions to these more advanced models, look for even more advanced technology to come to the forefront.
Safety standards are usually printed on the inside tag of each helmet. These details include:
- Manufacturer’s name
- ANSI standard
- ANSI class
- ANSI type
- Manufacturing date
- Size
- Special markings (low temperature, high visibility, etc.)
Reflectivity and Visibility
Construction workers need to stay highly visible while on the job. This is why many safety helmets come in bright colors, such as yellow and orange.
Look for one that’s bold enough to stand out so crew members and passersby will know when someone is working. If you want to catch even more light, look for helmets with reflective tape on the front, top, or sides. These helmets are especially helpful when working at nighttime or in dimly lit conditions!
Simplify and Streamline Your Safety Approach
Now that you know how to shop for the best construction safety helmets, you’re one step closer to outfitting your crew members with the gear they need to stay safe on-site.
At Safety Mojo, we’re here to help you fine-tune the rest of your safety approach. Our platform allows you to digitize and automate every aspect of your program so you can engage your frontline workers, monitor performance, and mitigate incidents before they occur. Log in today to begin using our features or request a demo to see our tools in action!
