Posted On: January 16,
T-Safety Product Page
On a construction site, wearing hard hats is a good way to protect employees and yourself from life-altering injuries and even death. As you work to ensure safety on your site, remember that workers should be trained to recognize and understand the different types of OSHA-compliant hard hats. Further, they should be taught how to care for their hard hats.
OSHA hard hat regulations are in place to initiate the inclusion of the necessary head protection in work environments. Along with these specific regulations, there are also ANSI (American National Standards Institute) components.
How does it all work? OSHA presents the requirements you must follow, and ANSI delivers the means by which you follow these requirements.
A hard hat is a helmet worn to prevent workplace injuries to the head. Such head injuries might result from falling objects, debris, weather-related elements, etc. It&#;s not uncommon for workers to bump into fixed objects on a site or to encounter electrical hazards. Hard hat requirements protect workers from splashes and even exposure to ultraviolet light.
A hard hat must correspond with the following:
When hard hat safety in construction is not required on-site, a bump cap may be worn instead. Employees can avoid minor bumps that could lead to potential bruises, cuts, or abrasions if they wear bump caps.
We&#;ll answer this question while answering the following: Are bump hats ANSI-compliant? Bump caps are not ANSI compliant; therefore, they are not OSHA-compliant. In addition, bump caps do not protect against falling objects. Consequently, they are never appropriate for workplaces that require hard hat protection.
You might be asking, &#;are my hard hats meeting requirements?&#; This is how you&#;ll know. You should see the following information printed inside your hard hat. Check the following:
For some types and classes, you will also see guiding arrows, &#;LT&#; (low temperature) marks, and &#;HV&#; (high visibility) descriptions.
OSHA-compliant hard hats are required if the following hazardous conditions are present in the work environment:
Below, you will find a simplified list of ANSI and OSHA hard hat rules, but please review in-depth materials to ensure all safety measures have been taken. Better yet, contact Safety by Design and let us help you today. We specialize in workplace organization, employee safety, and fall protection training in Houston.
So, how can you meet OSHA&#;s hard hat rules? Follow these steps to avoid OSHA violations.
Read more about OSHA&#;s hard hat requirements here.
Now, when does a hard hat meet ANSI&#;s requirements? There are two types of hard hats, and there are three classes. The classes are based on the varying levels of electrical hazard protection offered.
Read more about ANSI hard hat requirements here.
It&#;s best to use third-party safety companies like Safety By Design to ensure you&#;re OSHA and ANSI-compliant regarding your employees&#; hard hats. We make it our business to know the ins and outs of these rules and regulations. We&#;ll give you peace of mind as our OSHA risk assessment consultants help ensure ultimate safety for all in your workplace.
OSHA hard hat replacement requirements must be considered when hats develop dents, cracks, penetration, or even wear from rough care and treatment. An OSHA hard hat expiration date does not exist, but manufacturers may set a specific date for expiration.
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Most replace their hard hats every five years. In addition, they replace the support strap annually.
Every time hard hats are used, they must be inspected for any damage that may render them ineffective and non-compliant. Beyond a visual safety inspection, hard hats should be squeezed with two hands, applying force. If squeaking or unusual sounds are detected, it is time for a replacement.
Use the safety compliance management services of Safety By Design today! Safety is our mission. We know what it takes and are experts in practical, fully-compliant safety program development for Texas businesses. Protect your workers and contact our team today to learn more about OSHA training in Houston!
Thank you for visiting our website! We appreciate your interest in workplace safety. Please note that Safety by Design is not affiliated with OSHA. However, we can assist you with the following OSHA-related services:To better protect its workers from head injuries, the U.S. Department of Labor&#;s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced in a late-November press release that the agency is replacing traditional hard hats with more-modern safety helmets for agency employees.
&#;OSHA cares about worker health and safety, embraces the evolution of head protection, and will lead by example,&#; said an OSHA spokesperson. &#;We recommend employers adopt the use of more-modern safety helmets to better protect their workforce when the potential for head injuries exists.&#;
Traditional hard hat design, which dates back to the s, shields the top of the worker&#;s head but offers little protection from side impacts.
&#;As scientific understanding of head injuries has advanced, new technologies have been integrated into modern safety helmets. Helmets provide superior protection to side impacts,&#; the OSHA spokesperson said.
According to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, in head injuries accounted for 5.8 percent of nonfatal occupational injuries involving days away from work. Of those head injuries, 46.9 percent were due to contact with an object or equipment, and 20.5 percent were due to slips, trips and falls. Hard hats lack chin straps, which means that if an employee trips or falls, the hat may come off, exposing the worker&#;s head and increasing the risk of injury.
&#;The addition of integrated chin straps will keep the helmet in place when workers aren&#;t upright, move quickly or experience a fall,&#; said the OSHA spokesperson.
Conventional hard hats also lack vents, trapping heat inside.
OSHA published a Safety and Health Information Bulletin titled &#;Head Protection: Safety Helmets in the Workplace&#; on its website. This Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB) describes the differences between contemporary safety helmets and conventional hard hats. It also explains improvements in design, materials and protective features that contribute to the worker&#;s total head protection:
In its press release, OSHA encourages the use of safety helmets by everyone &#;working at construction industry sites and oil and gas industry sites; in high-temperature, specialized work and low-risk environments; performing tasks involving electrical work and working from heights; and when required by regulations or industry standards.&#;
The National Safety Council&#;s data indicates that head injuries have some of the highest medical costs. The average settlement for these injuries is $93,942, which includes an estimated $60,000 in medical expenses and $30,000 in other financial losses.
&#;The direct and indirect costs of head injuries on the job can be devastating to the individual injured but also to the employer and the company,&#; said the OSHA spokesperson. &#;The cost of outfitting an entire organization is minimal to the cost and pain of one head injury.&#;
Hard hats and safety helmets must meet specific standards set by the American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection. Two OSHA standards detail protective headwear&#;s specifications.
A conventional hard hat or modern safety helmet is only effective when it is in good working order and replaced as needed.
&#;Each manufacturer provides good information for their specific product. You should refer to their literature for specific guidance,&#; the OSHA spokesperson said. &#;In general, whenever the integrity of the helmet becomes compromised, it should be replaced. Visual cracks, deterioration or if the helmet was involved in a significant impact are clear indicators.&#;
The SHIB also provides instructions for properly inspecting and storing head protection, whether a safety helmet or a traditional hard hat.
Katie Navarra is a freelance writer based in upstate New York.
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