When your job requires intense physical labor, you often agree to wear adequate personal protective equipment. Without the proper protection, your risk of injury climbs exponentially higher.
Understanding the purpose and benefit of wearing a hard hat may encourage you to readily follow industry protocols. Even if you do experience a job site accident, wearing a hard hat could save your life.
Hard hat history
If you hear the term, “personal protective equipment,” and instantly think of a hard hat, you are probably not alone. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Protection, the use of hard hats dates back to the early 1920s. Designed to protect against overhead hazards such as falling debris, their use has become a fixture in many industrial industries across the nation. Two goals of hard hat manufacturers include reducing the intensity of a blow to your head, as well as better distribution of an impact if you get hit.
Hard hats appear differently depending on the manufacturer. Some products have unique designs to account for specific risks you may face in your industry. Laborers in construction, electrical professions, timber cutters, warehouse workers and even mechanics can benefit from wearing a hard hat.
Hard hat importance
Choosing not to wear your hard hat may jeopardize your safety and your job security. Your employer may issue a citation if you fail to comply with safety guidelines. In some cases, if you do receive a work-related injury and were not wearing your hard hat, your employer may deny your workers’ compensation claim.
Your effort to comply with safety regulations can help you stay safer at work. Knowing you have adequate protection may enable you to work more effectively and efficiently.
