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.
What a Hard Hat Does
• Protects you from falling objects.
• Protects your head in case of a fall or bump’s into machinery, ductwork and the like.
• Protects you from electrical shocks and burns if it’s a non-conductive hat.
Proper Care
In order for your hard hat to take care of you, you need to care for your hat.
• Always keep your hard hat properly adjusted.
• Do not cut, bend or heat the hard hat.
• When you see deep gouges or cracks in the shell, or the hat color turns dull, its time for a
new one.
Proper Wear
• Do not wear it backwards.
• Don’t put anything inside your hard hat except your head.
• 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.
• It is not a stool or a step; doing so weakens the shell of the hard hat.
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.
All content from Tool Box Completed Talks