Never Wear a Hoodie under your Hard Hat

When the weather gets colder, or the rain comes along, outdoor workers need to keep warm. It is almost always a requirement to wear a hard hat when working on a construction site, however a lot of workers think it is okay to wear a hoodie or beanie underneath their hard hat.

The fact is, this is not only dangerous to the worker, but also the people below if the hat had to fall off from a high place and hit them.

What are some of the dangers of wearing a hoodie under your hard hat?

- The hard hat doesn’t fit properly, so it easily falls off your head.

- Workers may drop what they’re doing and attempt to catch the hard hat.

- The falling hat can endanger anyone below.

- Wearing a hoodie narrows your field of vision, therefore increasing the chances of injury.

- If the hard hat falls off it exposes your head to dangers.

- Helmets are damaged when they fall off and cannot be used again.

Hard hats are specially designed to take a large amount of impact, but if the hat falls from a height and shows any sign of damage it should be replaced immediately!

A workers safety is the most important thing, so a hoodie or beanie should NEVER be worn underneath a hard hat.

To keep warm, consider getting a manufacturer approved head warmer that is designed to fit under the hard hat. Contact L&A Safety, or pop into one of the branches for a wide range of PPE equipment, such as hard hats, safety goggles, eye protection and so much more!

“My hard hat saved my life”

A hard hat has saved the life of a Queensland worker who fell five metres from a ladder, fracturing three vertebrae, but narrowly escaping spinal cord injury.

Forty four year-old plant operator, Peter Haines was working on his own at a remote Queensland site, installing the last of 12 light poles when the ladder he was working on slipped.

“I was up tying off the ladder when it slipped and I’ve fallen approximately five metres and landed hard on my left buttock and then my head struck the ground with force,” he said, adding that his employer was not found at fault and it was deemed an accident.

Haines’ hard hat remained on during his fall and according to paramedics, probably saved his life.

“They think that was what saved me from sustaining head or neck injuries. The impact was so hard it cracked the hard hat,” he said.

After falling, Haines managed to phone his boss, however a co-worker had seen the incident and called the ambulance.

“I was just lying there thinking ‘I hope I am alright.’ I was trying to wiggle my toes the whole time I was lying down.

“The ambulance arrived around 25 minutes later and stabilised me, transported me to hospital and then I was airlifted to the hospital.”

“They treated me as a full spinal injury but they couldn’t work out why I didn’t have any head or neck injuries, which they later put down to the hard hat,” he said.

Now on the mend and receiving intensive physiotherapy, Haines is likely to recover from his injuries although he is unsure if he will be able to return to his old job.

“I have to wait to get clearance with the specialist,” he said, adding that the waiting had given him a lot of time to think and he now wishes to educate others to prevent similar incidents.

“While it was just an accident, there could have been a better procedure. We could have had an EWP (elevated work platform), maybe a dozen things that could have been different.”

Haines said his employer immediately changed procedures after the accident

“They are a good company, they got straight onto it. Now there are no ladders, they use machines now.”

However he added that it is important that people don’t wait for an accident and should think long and hard about the risks and potential consequences.

“You can feel confident about doing a job – which I did – but you have to take the time to sit there and think, ‘no I don’t want to do it like that’, and speak up.”

“And the name of the game is that you must have your PPE. One cheap piece of plastic kept me alive. It might not save you every time, but it worked this time!”

Get reliable, affordable safety equipment and a wide range of PPE, simply contact L&A Safety or pop in at one of our branches in Cape Town, Vredenberg or Robertson.

Will we see different hard hats in the near future?

As more and more devices become “wired,” it seems that every profession is set to accommodate more data access. Google Glass was one example of a data interface with possible worksite applications, and recently people have commented that another way that this could come to the construction industry is “smart” hard hats. This would involve putting sensors inside a worker’s helmet to address potential safety concerns.

One way this could work is by transmitting health information live from a worker to others, encouraging proper treatment and response when something bad threatens a worker. Eventually, this information could help predictive analytics foresee possible trends and work around them as well.

In an article ways were examined that “disruptive technology” has already entered into construction. These include digital modelling tools that can help construction efforts avoid problems and ensure a safer work site.

It is noted that implementing more technology in this sector will require workers with the skills to use it, which will be especially important in attracting future employees. In this way, the issue of using tech to encourage safety touches on other important trends impacting construction.

For more about hard hats and other necessary construction safety gear, contact L&A Safety or visit one of the branches in Milnerton, Robertson or Vredenburg. We have supplies for many different work situations and weather conditions.

Hard Hats – Why it is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment

Millions of hard hats are worn every day. In fact the hard hat is one of the most recognizable pieces of safety equipment in the industrial workplace. It is also one of the most important pieces of safety equipment.

Why is it so important? Well, it protects the brain!

Hard hats are commonly used in many types of workplaces to protect employees from head trauma caused by falling objects, electrical hazards or accidentally falling and striking their head against an object.

There are different types of hard hats; however all of them reduce the force of impact resulting from a blow to the head. Visit L&A Safety's website or pop into one of the stores to browse through the wide range of safety equipment, including high-quality hard hats.

The outer portion of the hard hat is the shell, which often has a peak that extends forward or a brim that extends outward around the entire lower shell. The second component is the harness, which attaches to the shell to maintain the hard hat on the wearers head. When a force strikes a properly fitted hard hat, the force is distributed throughout the entire hat. This prevents the force from concentrating all at one point.

Always inspect a hard hat when it is new and first put into use, prior to each days use and after an incident has happened. When inspecting a new hard hat, ensure that it is the proper hat for the job and make sure all parts are included.

When expecting your hard hat before you use it, look for gouges; cracks; deterioration; chalking or discolouration; flaking; suspension properly attached to the shell; all straps in good condition; cleanliness; suspension and the shell. If your hard hat is damaged, the entire hat needs to be replaced!

The hard hat is so important because it is specifically designed to individually protect an employee’s when all other methods of protection cannot.

How to check your hard hat

With work, weather, and everyday use, a hard hat can get old before its time. Even if you bought your hard hat from a reliable store, it’s always important to know when it’s time to get a new hard hat. Here’s how to tell…

- Cracks appear in the shell
- Shiny surface appears dull or chalky
- The shell becomes brittle

While you are busy checking if your hard hat needs to be replaced, you should also check the suspension. You’ll know when you need a fresh one if…

- The suspensions become brittle
- One of more of the mounts breaks off
- The suspension will no longer hold securely to the head
- The cradling straps break or become worn

It is generally a good idea to inspect your hard hat before and after each time you use it. Although there is no set service life for hard hats, manufacturers recommend that you replace it after no more than five years.

Are you looking for a one-stop safety wear and equipment store for all your needs? Visit L&A Safety at their shops in Milnerton and Vredenburg or take a look at their website today!