The Hardhats Honors The Centennial

A hard hat is a type of safety helmet that is worn to protect the head from injury when the wearer is in a hazardous environment, such as a construction site. There is anecdotal evidence that the first non-military hard hat was designed in 1912 by the German writer, Franz Kafka (1883-1924) when he worked for the Bavarian Worker's Accident Insurance Institute. The first patented safety helmet was steamed canvas and glue and was painted black.

Safety Helmets Emerge

The first two construction sites where workers had to wear safety helmets were the Hoover Dam project in 1931 and the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in Northern California in 1933. Today, all construction workers and site visitors are required to wear protection.

Leather Helmets

Early safety helmets were constructed of leather. These were designed by ED Bullard around 1898, prior to his development of the canvas helmet. In the late 1930s, aluminum was the standard, except for electrical work. In the 1940s, fiberglass was the fashion. By the 1950s, thermoplastics were used because they could easily and cheaply be molded using heat. Today, most safety helmets are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or engineering resins such as polyetherimide (PEI).

Physics of Hard Hats

Safety helmets usually have an inner suspension system designed to both distribute the weight of the hat equally over the head and to cushion the head from impact by adding at least an inch or more of hair over the top of the head underneath the upper surface. Some helmets incorporate a rim to channel rainwater towards the front and down the peak of the cap rather than dripping down the back of the user's neck.

Style

Safety helmets are available in a wide variety of styles to suit different environments and a range of colors to suit every taste. The dielectric properties of the smooth dome slotted version are suitable for working with electricity and the shape is designed to protect the wearer in comfort.

Options

One of the most popular styles has v-shaped ridges at the top. They come with three or four different suspension systems and an array of colors. This model comes in children's and women's sizes, although there are fewer colors from which to choose. As well as the cap-style, there are models whose rim wraps around the entire circumference of the hat. This rim catches falling objects as well as snow and it keeps the sunlight out of the wearer's eyes. A glow-in-the-dark model is useful for working in conditions of darkness. There are even hard cowboy hats, for the wrangler who wants to protect his head while he is riding the wild prairie.

Additional Safety

Safety helmets may be fitted with safety visors for use when welding or to protect the worker's eyes from sunlight. Face shields may also be added to protect the user's face from impact. Earmuffs may also be attached for use where it is very noisy. They may also be fitted with communication devices such as radios, pagers or even cameras.

The ubiquitous hard hat has been around for a century. They protect the heads of fire fighters, builders and cowpokes. The safety clothing are available in a wide range of styles and colors.