More than just a hard hat

There are a lot of hard hat variances and configurations, and selecting the appropriate helmet is just the beginning when it comes to head protection. There are a wide range of accessories and branding options available, which allows a hard hat to be adapted to enhance functionality for a range of different scenarios.

In this article, MSA Safety suggests a three-step process in selecting, accessorising, and branding an appropriate hard hat for specific requirements.

Step 1: Choosing the appropriate helmet

Firstly, consider whether it is important that the safety helmet is CE marked, and meets the standards required for the specific working environments.

Primarily, there are two key industry standards to be aware of:

#1 – EN 397: industrial safety helmets

EN 397 is concerned with ensuring protection against falling objects and the consequences thereof, such as brain damage and skull fracture. To achieve this certification, key performance requirements include adequate shock absorption, penetration resistance, flame resistance and chin strap anchorage (whereby the chin strap will release at a minimum of 150N and maximum of 250N).

#2 – EN 50365: electrically insulated helmets

EN 50365 is concerned with ensuring protection against electric shocks and dangerous electric currents passing through the head. This is typically an additional standard required for safety helmets when working on low voltage live electrical installations up to 1000 V A.C. Therefore, helmets in this bracket need to comply with both EN 397 and EN 50365.

Step 2: Appropriate accessories to consider

Once the working environment has been considered, and acquired a helmet that will best meet those regulatory requirements, operators can begin to optimise their PPE by applying accessories they deem appropriate.

Hard hats should not hinder, but help, workers by empowering them at work and allowing them to focus on the job at hand. To achieve this, MSA Safety aims to deliver hard hats that are comfortable to wear and complementary to specific jobs, whilst enhancing safety performance.

Accessories can help to achieve this, and here are just a few that are worth considering:

• Sweatbands: Offering an additional layer of comfort. Consider options that have a large width to allow for better comfortability and sweat-absorption using soft, moisture-absorbing, and respiring materials that can be washed, reused, and eventually replaced.
• Winter liners: Winter liners can help protect workers from the cold, contributing to improved comfort. Consider checking whether the liner has been tested and certified for use with the helmet.
• Eye and face protectors: Many environments call for helmet accessories to protect an operative’s face and eyes. When selecting a visor, consider whether it has anti-fog and anti-scratch coatings and whether it is suitable for use with or without spectacles.
• Lamp brackets: Lamp brackets can be attached to your helmet’s shell, enabling you to attach convenient hands-free lamps that can be ideal for working in dark and confined spaces.
• Chinstraps: Consider whether using chinstraps can help enhance worker safety and the overall fit and comfort of a helmet.
• Ear defenders: Noise cancelling ear protection can be added to a helmet to protect against loud obtrusive noises, whilst still enabling face-to-face communication.

Step 3: Customising helmets with branding

While adding accessories can enhance functionality and safety on an individual level, other changes can also be made to enhance company-wide performance. Hard hats are often required in industrial settings where hundreds of workers may be operating.

In such scenarios, multiple sub-contractors are likely to be working in tandem, with each requiring specific hard hats with the right accessories. Electricians may need helmets compliant with EN 50365, while scaffolders may need EN 12492 certified models with four-point chinstraps for an improved fit.

To improve differentiation, hard hats can be customised with different colours and logos, making it easy for workers to immediately identify those models tailored to their specific working needs when they arrive on site. Additionally, further customisation can be added to enhance visibility or promote safety practices on site.

Company branding can be added to helmets, which enhances professionalism and can provide subtle branding and marketing opportunities. This can also serve to unify workforces and foster a greater sense of pride and belonging.

With all of this in mind, it is easy to see the importance of selecting the appropriate hard hat for not only the job, but the environment being work in. A hard hat which can then be upgraded with appropriate accessories and customisation can boost worker comfort and productivity.

Once a decision has been made, one will not want to be held up by the customisation process. MSA Safety’s Logo Express service means that operators can have branded hard hats manufactured within as little as five days.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/special-reports/14032024/more-than-just-a-hard-hat/