No noggin knockin'
New hard hat standards were introduced in 1997 to 
increase worker protection from lateral impacts.  
But your faithful old hard hat will still do the job.

by William Goodwin

If an object falls on your head while you are at work — say a bucket of nails from an overhead scaffold or a wrench from 10 stories up — your safety helmet will probably save your life.  Or, if you are not wearing it, you might join the 400 or so people who will die this year as the result of being struck by falling objects at work, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As important as safety helmets are, experts say they are the last line of defense for protecting your head.  “Determine where possibilities for falling objects exist and eliminate the potential hazards.  That’s the most important way to protect your head,” advises Jud Crosby, technical director at ERB Industries.  
“If nothing is falling on you, you don’t have to worry about the adequacy of your safety helmet.”

Even when a safety helmet satisfies the latest standards and is in excellent condition, it may still provide inadequate protection from unpredictable occurrences or dangerous plant practices.  For example, when an explosion in an underground tunnel shot a cast iron manhole cover 50 feet into the sky and it fell on a worker, his hard hat was not nearly enough to save him. 

“There is not a helmet made that would protect a person from a plummeting manhole cover or other unforeseen large falling objects,” says Lincoln Kennedy of American Allsafe.

Life savers
A helmet can save a life, even in extreme cases.  “A huge tree limb recently hit a worker on the front of his helmet,” reports Kennedy, “Although the impact was far greater than any helmet can withstand, the badly-injured man survived thanks to his safety helmet.”

The advent of the modern safety helmet is generally attributed to the Kentucky-based E. D. Bullard Company.  Early this century Bullard created the “hard- boiled” hat for miners which was soon modified for use by the builders of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Since then, many companies have entered the field and contributed to improving the designs of safety helmets to meet the varied demands of industry.  The performance criteria of today’s head protection equipment is standardized by ANSI (Z89.1) and enforced by OSHA (29 CFR 1910).

What’s available in head protection today
All OSHA-approved safety helmets are based on ANSI Z89.1-1969/1986 standards and designations.  A new standard (1997) has been issued and is in the process of implementation, but existing safety helmets will continue to satisfy OSHA regulations.

The protective outer shell provides the primary protection against impact and penetration from falling objects.  Most shells are molded high-density polyethylene, but polycarbonate (which can be severely damaged by gasoline and other chemicals), aluminum and fiberglass are also available.

The helmet’s suspension system provides a vital link in the head protection chain.  It establishes a space between shell and head for ventilation and impact dissipation. These suspensions come in a variety of configurations, most having four-, six- or eight-point suspension systems.

Is more better?
“More is not necessarily better,” says Crosby of the four-, six- and eight-point suspension systems.  “Some people prefer the plastic web type while others like a specific nylon strap arrangement.  The primary selection criterion is personal preference; what feels right on your head.”

A recent addition to the OSHA/ANSI-approved family of safety helmets is the cowboy-style hard hat.  Looking like a Stetson, these full-featured safety helmets have taken the construction and outdoors trades by storm, says DeWayne Clough of Western Hardhat Inc.  “These hats have only been out for a year, and we’ve sold more than 100,000 in the last seven months.”

Bump caps fill another need in head protection.  Although these lightweight plastic hats do not meet ANSI standards, they can be used where a worker’s head might be exposed to scratches, minor bumps and dirt in many environments, ranging from meat packing plants to automotive service shops.

The new standard for protection against swinging hazards
In September, 1997, ANSI introduced a new standard that changes the designations of existing safety helmets and provides for a hat with improved protection from impacts coming from the side (ANSI Z89.1-1997).  Maintenance workers who wear safety helmets should note that even when OSHA eventually places the force of law behind this new standard, current safety helmet models will still do the job.  The 1986-type helmets will not become obsolete as a result of the 1997 standard.

Under the new standard, the former A, B and C electrical protection categories will remain, but the letters have been changed to be more logically representative of the category’s characteristics.  Class A (general electrical protection to 2,200 volts) will become Class G.  Class B (high electrical protection to 20,000 volts) will become Class E.  And, Class C (may conduct electricity) will remain Class C.  The present designations of Type I (full brim) and II (peak or bill) helmets will all be included in the new Type I category.  The new Type II helmets are designated for use where lateral impacts are a possibility.

Lateral impact protectors
Of the several changes introduced by the 1997 standard, the one of most interest to workers is the new category spelling out performance requirements for hats that protect from side and rear impacts, commonly referred to as lateral impacts.  To deal with lateral impacts such as those caused by swinging hazards (such as hanging chains and certain kinds of lifting equipment typically found around shipyards or oil rigs), the major difference in new Type II helmets will be additional impact absorbing or dissipating material around the inside of the helmet.

ERB’s Crosby, who was a member of the committee that created the new ANSI standard, says the new Type II safety helmets are a bit heavier — 16 ounces or more — and hotter to wear.  “In some cases the helmets may be a little larger to accommodate the additional padding.  And, they will also be more expensive.”

It’s still the employer’s responsibility to assess the types of hazards in the work environment and to determine the level of head protection required.

The new Type II safety helmets are now in the design stage at most helmet manufacturers.  Some companies are adapting existing helmets while others are working on entirely new designs.

This article appeared in the April/May 1998 issue of MRO Today magazine.  Copyright, 1998.

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