subject: Understanding Hard Hat Safety Importance [print this page] Understanding Hard Hat Safety Importance Understanding Hard Hat Safety Importance
News around the world is reported of accidents happening in areas where intense work is ongoing. Many workplaces require precaution for their employees or workers involved depending on the nature of work. Accidents may happen through impact with objects, hurting from falling objects, fragment blowing into the worker, shock from electricity, abnormal weather and so on. Hard hat safety implementation comes in handy to protect workers, employees or even road users from losing their lives from accidents that could be prevented.
According to Wikipedia, in 1898, a mining equipment company headed by Edward Dickson Bullard started producing helmets, which were leather made. The idea was further developed to cater for more safety, when his son came home from world war one with a helmet strengthened with steel. This time he made the helmet with steamed canvas; paste and black coat, which saw him, get a contract with US navy to make bonnets for the army. Since then, hard hat safety use became a norm to many people looking for security in work places. Further developments are still ongoing with the inside of the cap made in such a way that more protection is enhanced.
Today the helmets are made of bulk polythene (polyetherimide), which is less expensive. However, it has less collision strength but is a minus in resisting heat. Ultem, a class of polyetherimide is used to make the caps too. They are very strong and are capable of resisting temperatures, electric shocks and fire. It also produces less smoke during production process. The ultem materials are used in making chemical and medical instruments due to its firm characteristics.
Most helmets consist of a stiff coating capable of protecting the head from hard impacts. Inside of the cap is a deferment structure that absorbs any kinds of blows. Some of the hats will also give protection when it comes to electric shocks. Some caps are made with a gutter like fold at the bottom in such a way that when it rains, the water does not fall on to the worker's body but is collected and poured from the front. To improve on the standards of hard hat safety, the American National Standards Institute made way for the making of perforated helmets to ensure good circulation of air and cool feeling. More improvements are made to allow for further capability of the caps like face guard, sunlight blockers, ear protectors, and cloth lining that helps in dissolving of sweat.
hard hat safety should be considered a must-have precaution in work places. Most construction companies be it roads or buildings make great use of the many colors available in caps to differentiate roles. Caps come in various colors including white, red, yellow, green, orange which all tend to mean different when worn. It is important to make sure helmets are replaced when worn out. Long exposure to sunlight degrades the helmets, and will weaken them leading to lack of enough protection. Inspections should be necessary to replace any flaking, cracking and sun-exposed helmets to ensure maximum security.
