Safety Starts with the Head – Good Head Protection is Vital

The traditional hard hat worn for decades on most construction sites and many factory floors protects the wearer’s top of the head from falling objects but offers little protection if a worker falls or is hit by projectiles that strikes the face or side of the head.

Because of such occurrences, the construction industry is rethinking protective headwear, and switching from the traditional hard hat to a hat that offers chin straps as well as technologies that reduce the impact on the brain when an object hits the helmet.

The new type of helmets – ANSI certified Type II safety helmets – offer 360-degree protection for the wearer. In addition, they have better shock absorbing technology no matter if the object hits the helmet from the front, side, back, or top.

Some of these helmets feature a type of technology composed of polymer tubes that crumble when struck, absorbing the force of the impact, and protecting the brain. Another type of technology includes embedded microchips that can identify the wearer and provide emergency information if the wearer is rendered unconscious.

These helmets can also be fitted with brims that protect against the rain or other elements yet can be removed for the wearer’s comfort. Such customizations can increase the likelihood that the wearer will indeed wear their head protection.

While these new helmets are more costly than the traditional style, by keeping the workers safer, and by providing more comfort, they are more likely to be worn and decrease time lost to injuries.