Hard Hat: The Protection That Employees Need

Construction has globally risen all over the world. A lot of counties are continuously hiring a large number of workers to build a particular establishment. It also increases the number of people who are prone to danger because of working in a construction site. We all know that this place is hazardous because of the hard equipment, the large vehicles that are used for construction and also the accidents that anyone can face. It is why people must have a specific object to protect them from all these things. Headlamp for your hard hat are the most suggested choice for this type of working environment.

This hat is created to protect the head of every person working on a construction site. It can prevent specific impacts from falling objects like rocks, metal, and even wooden blocks.

History of the Hard Hat Light

In the year 1919, a man named Edward D. Bullard from San Francisco, California developed a hard hat. He based on a Doughboy helmet which he wore in World War I as a soldier. Glue, black paint, and canvas made up the hat. The cap was later called “Hard Boiled” because of the steam manufacturing process it went through. They tested the strength of the helmet. They experimented on how hard the hat is. First, they dropped a 20-pound weight from a two feet fall; it did not break the cap. Next, they did the same thing; a bolt that weighed one pound with a height of forty feet. Amazingly, it did not even dent the helmet. Tested enough that it could carry a bracket of a lamp and it could sell in any size. Edward continued to improve his invention, create several types of it in 1928. He even made an adjustable lining on the interior part of the hat with an insulated lamp bracket.

In the year 1914, the MSA or the Mine Safety Appliances Company was founded to solve the problem with the dangerous approach of mines. They first worked with a man named Thomas Edison to develop a battery-powered lamp to avoid the mines from igniting. MSA proceeded to produce many safety devices. Some of these devices are gas masks, ventilation fans, helmets, and breathing equipment.

In 1930, MSA manufactured a safety helmet that was trademarked by Skullgard Bakelite helmet which was designed by Jack Lewis. In the year 1935, MSA registered their trademark for the Comfo-Cap and continued to create the Skullgard and Como-Cap into the 21st century. Both helmets are used and introduced in the mining collection of equipment in the Division of Work and Industry

Miners continued to use carbide lamps with hard protective cap. The only bad thing with this type of hat is it utilizes electric lights which are connected to a cord holder to keep the cord out of the miner’s way. This type of helmet is still being used by miners today. Continuous improvement of this helmet and an electric lamp combination type of its area of battery life, weight, and segmented cords to allow a miner to inhibited by the battery pack and improved LED bulbs.

Steps on How to Take Care of Your Hard Hat

  • Always check your hard hat before using it. Be sure to inspect your helmet for cracks, dents, gouges, or any damages caused by impact, abrasions, and penetration. For the plastic-made shell hats, check its brittleness, stiffness, dullness of color, chalky appearance and fading presentation. If any of these conditions are present in your helmet or if it is severely damaged, make sure to replace it immediately. Do not attempt to use it again in a dangerous area. It cannot protect your head just like when it was brand new or still damage free. Always think about your safety first. One cause of damage on helmets is the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Most construction workers work under the extreme hotness of the sun. It can deteriorate the shell of your hat over time. It is advisable to change your hard hat every two years if you are mostly working in an open area. It is also applicable if you are working around extreme temperature chemicals. They can also affect the durability of your helmet. Most of the hard hats have codes that indicate the date when you should replace them. It is placed at the underside of the shell most of the time. Be sure always to check your hat’s age before its too late.

  • Avoid using too many stickers on your hat. We know that labels are just for design. It doesn’t interfere with the hats performance, but you should limit the use of it. Too much use of this can affect the inspection of your helmet. You might miss a crack or a dent on the cap because it is under the sticker.
  • Remember to replace your hard hat if it has bad impacts. Any mighty blow on your hard hat can affect its effectiveness and durability. It doesn’t matter if it is still new or not. It is also advisable to replace it if it already experiences a more than a 40 feet drop.
  • Never customize the shell. The shell of the helmet is the most critical part of it. It is initially made to be durable and reliable to protect your head from hard blows. Avoid changing or customizing it. Do not drill ventilation holes on the shell of the hat. Also, don’t let your hat make contact with electrical wires. Remember to even never wear anything inside of your hard hat. It may invalidate the protection that it offers.
  • Do not wear your hard hat backward. There are times that you will need to wear your hat in the opposite direction; never do this unless the manufacturer of the helmet told you so. Before you wear your hat, look for written verification from the manufacturer with confirmation of its durability. It must be compliant with the requirements of the American National Standards Institute when worn backward. The manufacturer should specify the suspension, but we turned to the rear or reversed in the helmet. The brow pad should be against the forehead of the person, and the extended nape strap is on the base of the skull. By doing this, it leaves the shell of the helmet positioned backward of the head.

In conclusion, hard hats retain their effectiveness and durability if taken cared. Always remember that it is a kind of safety equipment, don’t let it become unusable and useless. Our safety is paramount so let’s take advantage of these things. Don’t forget that once you take care of something, it will last longer.

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