Hard Hat Safety

Depending upon the job and type of work, we recommend employees for restoration contractors have hard hats. You never know when a piece of concrete, small rock, tool, or something else may strike you in the head.
HARD HATS SERVE SEVERAL PURPOSES
Hard hats not only reduce the chances of serious injury resulting from failing objects, but protect you when you bump your head on things- like machinery, ductwork, ceiling tie wires and forms. Non-conductive hard hats protect you from electrical shock and burns. Never wear metal hard hats around electrical work.
HOW TO CARE FOR HARD HATS
Here are some suggestions for taking proper care of your hard hat:
Properly adjust suspension systems to maintain clearance between your head and the shell of the hat.
Don’t cut holes for ventilation. Don’t heat and bend.
Don’t substitute a “bump cap.” They aren’t strong enough.
Don’t paint your hard hat.
Don’t put anything under it except your head; this includes cigarettes, notebooks, and such.
Don’t wear it backwards.
SOME COMMON COMPLAINTS AND THE REAL TRUTH
We sometimes hear the following complaints about hard hats. But is there any real basis for them?
– “It’s too heavy.” (Hard hats are only a few ounces heavier than a cloth cap, but the extra protection you get is worth the extra weight.)
– “It’s too hot.” (Measurements taken in hot weather show that the temperature under a hard hat often is cooler than it is outside.)
– “It gives me a headache.” (A thump on the head from something which has fallen two floors will give you a worse one. There is, however, no medical reason why a properly adjusted hard hat should cause a headache. Don’t alter the suspension system or the hard hat, because you won’t get the designed protection.)
– “It won’t stay on.” (You’re right; it won’t in a high wind. A chin strap will solve this problem. Otherwise, you will find that a hard hat stays put no matter how much stooping or bending you have to do – if it’s fitted properly.)
NO HELP UNLESS YOU WEAR IT
The hard hat is a useful piece of safety equipment. But like any other protective device, it must be properly adjusted and worn and kept in good condition to give you maximum protection.