The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (Washington, D.C., USA) announced that the agency is replacing traditional hard hats used by its employees with more modern safety helmets to protect them better when they are on inspection sites.
In 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that head injuries accounted for nearly 6% of non-fatal occupational injuries involving days away from work. Almost half of those injuries occurred when workers came in contact with an object or equipment, while about 20% were caused by slips, trips, and falls.
Dating back to the 1960s, traditional hard hats protect the top of a worker’s head but lack side impact protection or chin straps. Without the straps, these hard hats can fall off a worker’s head if they slip or trip, leaving them unprotected. In addition, they lack vents and, as a result, trap heat inside the hat.
On November 22, 2023, OSHA published a Safety and Health Information Bulletin detailing key differences between traditional hard hats and more modern safety helmets, which offer advancements in design, materials, and other features that better protect a worker’s entire head. Modern safety helmets may also offer face shield or goggles to protect against projectiles, dust, and chemical splashes. Others offer built-in hearing protection and/or communication systems to better enable clear communication in noisy environments.
The agency recommends safety helmets be used by people working in the following settings: at a construction or oil and gas industry jobsite; 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.
Source: OSHA, www.osha.gov.