Hard hats are a form of personal protective equipment (PPE). Today’s hardhats are not only designed to meet safety regulations, but they are also designed for comfort and style. When employees are provided with hard hats that are comfortable and stylish, enforcing safety policies can be less difficult to enforce. Employees are less fatigued throughout the day if they are comfortable and their hard hat fit properly. Employees who are less fatigued tend to be more productive and alert than an exhausted employee.
Varieties
Hard hats feature many different styles and colors. This is because a hard hat can distinguish a workers position on a job site. Engineers and supervisors would wear a different color making it easier to find them on site. There are no standard color assignments for workers, but it tends to be a site to site situation. So in this case the hard hat offers protection for the worker, but also easy detection for others trying to locate their supervisor or the acting engineer.
Classes
As well as different styles and varieties there are also different classes of hard hates. There are A, B, and C classes and something called bump caps as well. Class A hats are protect workers from falling objects and potential small electrical shocks. The Class B hats are similar in protecting against large objects and electrical shocks. Class C hats are only to protect a workers head, but do not offer protection from shocks. The bump caps are just that, they only protect the worker from minor bumps, similar to bumping a head on a low pipe or ceiling and are not the same as hard hates.
Company Logos
Many companies order hard hats with their company logo printed on the hard hat. When a construction site has many different contractors on it, these logos help to identify the different companies. Many companies like to purchase the personalized hard hats for visitors or just to boost employee moral. Of course there are the individuals who like represent their favorite sports team by having a sports logo on their hard hat.
OSHA Compliance
OSHA, which stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is the agency that regulates and enforces the health policies and safety policies within a workplace. OSHA guidelines require that safety clothing and equipment be worn on construction sites as well as other manufacturing sites. The hard hats prevent injury from falling objects and head bumps, Class A and Class B also prevent against electrical shocks. Those companies that do not comply with the standards defined by OSHA can be subjected to fines and their insurance premiums may rise.