19 Jan Head Protection

Head Protection

There are some practical reasons for wearing a hard hat. They help keep your head cooler in summer; dry during rain; and helps shield your ears from noise. But the main reason to wear a hard hat is that it protects the control center part of your body—your head.

Guide for Discussion

What a Hard Hat Does

1. Protects you from falling objects.
2. Protects your head in case of a fall or a bump into an object.
3. Protects you from electrical shocks and burns if it’s a non-conductive hat.
4. It is a neat place to put stickers and decals, such as first aid trained or safety committee member.

Proper Care. In order for your hard hat to take care of you, you need to care for your hat.

1. Always keep your hard hat properly adjusted.
2. Do not cut, bend or heat the hard hat.
3. When you see deep gouges or cracks in the shell, or the hat color turns dull, its time for a new one.

Proper Wear.

1. Do not wear it backwards.
2. Don’t put anything inside your hard hat except your head.
3. Don’t try to substitute it for a “bump cap.” The bump cap will not provide adequate protection from falling objects; just isn’t strong enough.
4. It is not a stool or a step; doing so weakens the shell of the hard hat.

Additional Discussion Notes:

What is company policy on wearing hard hats? INSERT POLICY
When working on scaffolding and exposed to falling objects, a hard hat must be worn.

Remember: The average hard hat weighs about 14 ounces. The average head weighs about 14 pounds. That’s about one ounce of protection for each pound of head. A small price to pay to protect the control center of your body.