Hard hats are a common PPE that construction workers have been wearing for years. Anyone entering a job site must wear one as a safety measure, but the past couple of years have introduced an upgraded version. Safety helmets are a hard hat 2.0 because they offer increased protection. The question becomes: will safety helmets take over completely, or will both PPE items coexist?

Safety helmets typically attach more closely to the head with built-in chin straps and have little to no brim around the edge. Featuring safety elements, safety helmets are preferred by athletes in dangerous sports and rescue workers in hazardous situations. Inside the helmet, there is protective padding and chin straps that keep the helmet securely on the head.

For construction workers, safety helmets not only shield against falling objects, but certain models can offer increased protection from impacts to the side and back of the head. One example of that is a Type II safety helmet. Type II helmets and hard hats are designed to minimize lateral impacts to the head, either from off-center, from the side or to the top of the head. In addition, its chinstraps can provide increased safety during falls, trips and slips by keeping helmets or hard hats in place. Other attributes that make safety helmets an ideal option for safety include attachable visors, ear protection and come equipped with or constructed from Hi-Viz materials.

OSHA regulations require the use of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) compliant head protection (ANSI Z89.1-2014). According to OSHA rule 29 C.F.R. 1926.100, employers must provide head protection equipment that meets or exceeds the industry consensus standard ANSI Z89.1. All head protection is assigned a “Type” and a “Class.” The type is the level of protection from impact, and the class refers to the different levels of protection from electricity.

ANSI Type I Helmets are created to reduce force as a result of impact to the top of the head. ANSI Type II Helmets are acknowledged to reduce force as a result of impact to the sides or top of the head. The three classes of head protection include:

• Class E (electrical) provides protection to withstand 20,000 volts
• Class G (general) provides protection to withstand 2,200 volts
• Class C (conductive) does not provide protection from electricity

One common challenge in implementing safety helmets on job sites is worker preference. Hard hats are a longstanding symbol of protection in the construction industry. Not only does the safety helmet have a different look than the traditional hard hat, but it also has a different feel. Some workers may feel uncomfortable wearing the sleeker design of the safety helmet. Some workers may switch to safety helmets while others continue to wear hard hats depending upon the type of work they are doing. Safety helmets could be required when working at heights or in situations where there is a higher risk of falling, while hard hats could be worn by workers at ground level, such as concrete finishers, flaggers, electricians, drivers, etc.

The implementation of safety helmets leads to additional benefits for employees, construction companies and insurance carriers. Increased use of safety helmets leads to companies’ decreased risk of workers out of the job due to injury, fewer workers’ compensation payouts and fewer claims. Construction companies may have to spend a little more money initially, but the return on investment means better worker safety, which is invaluable. It may take some time to adjust, but the safety and long-term cost benefits will likely make helmets the best choice in the future.

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