HEAD PROTECTION

What is Head Protection?

Head Protection or Head Protectors Are Head protection gear comprises helmets, hard hats, bump caps, guards, and accessories. Head Protection or Head Protectors help prevent any damage to the head in the workplace environment due to a falling or swinging object. They also protect the user from knocking off the head against stationary objects. Head Protection or Head Protectors  Caps and hairnets function to protect against scalping on machinery and entanglement as well.

Head protection

Head protection Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is essential to protecting workers in hazardous work environments. It includes a wide range of products, from hard hats and face shields to welding helmets and respirators, designed to reduce the risk of injury from head trauma, excessive noise, exposure to dangerous fumes and chemicals, and other hazards. Here is an overview of the different types of head protection PPE available:

Hard Hats: Hard hats are the most recognizable type of head protection PPE and are designed to protect against blows to the head from falling objects, bumps, and other impacts. They are made of a hard plastic shell with inner padding for cushioning and come in various colors for easy identification by employers.

There are primarily two situations when employees must wear protective helmets.

1. Falling Objects

When there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects in the workplace, the employer must ensure that each affected employee wears a protective helmet.

Some examples of work that might require helmets to protect from falling objects include:

• Working below other workers who are using tools and materials which could fall;
• Working around or under conveyor belts that are carrying parts or materials; and
• Working below machinery or processes might cause materials or objects to fall.

Some examples of occupations for which head protection should be routinely considered are:

• Carpenters
• Electricians
• Linemen
• Mechanics and repairers
• Plumbers and pipe fitters
• Assemblers
• Packers
• Wrappers
• Sawyers
• Welders
• Laborers
• Freight handlers
• Timber cutting and logging
• Stock handlers
• Warehouse laborers

2. Electrical Hazards

The second situation requiring a helmet is to protect the worker from electrical hazards. Whenever an employee works near exposed electrical conductors that could contact the head, the employer must ensure that the employee wears a protective helmet to reduce electrical shock hazards.

The employer should also furnish and ensure all employees and contractors engaged in construction and other miscellaneous work use proper head protection. Engineers, inspectors, and visitors at construction sites must wear protective helmets when hazards from falling, fixed objects, or electrical shock are present.

Criteria For Protective Helmets

Protective helmets with OSHA 1910.135, Head Protection states that helmets purchased after July 5, 1994, must comply with ANSI Z89.1 or must be demonstrated by the employer to be equally effective. Purchasing helmets that meet these standards ensures that appropriate testing has been conducted and that the quality of the materials (webbing and shell) is adequate.

Selection Guidelines For Head Protection

Knowledge of the potential for falling objects and electrical hazards is essential when selecting head protection. When it’s determined that these hazards exist, choose the most appropriate helmet from the categories listed below.

Impact Type Helmets

• Type I: A helmet of Type I is designed to provide protection only to the top of the head. It is not intended to provide impact from side impacts. (This is by far the most commonly used type of hard hat.)
• Type II: A Type II helmet is designed to protect against top and side impacts.

Electrical Classes

• Class G (General):Class G helmets are intended to reduce the danger of contact exposure to low-voltage conductors. Test samples are proof-tested at 2200 volts (phase to ground). However, this voltage does not indicate the voltage at which the helmet protects the wearer.
• Class E (Electrical):Class E helmets are intended to reduce the danger of exposure to high-voltage conductors. Test samples are proof-tested at 20,000 volts (phase to ground). However, this voltage does not indicate the voltage at which the helmet protects the wearer.
• Class C (Conductive):Class C helmets are not intended to provide protection against contact with electrical conductors.

Bump caps or skull guards should be issued and worn for protection against scalp lacerations from contact with sharp objects. However, it’s essential to understand that they must not be worn as substitutes for safety caps/hats because they do not provide protection from impact forces or penetration by falling objects.