Hundred Years Of The Hard Hat

Rumor has it that the first hardhat, or safety helmet, designed for use outside the military was designed in 1912 by the German novelist, Franz Kafka (1883-1924) when he was employed by an insurance institute in Bavaria. The helmet is used to protect construction workers and others from head injury. The first safety helmet to have a patent was constructed of steamed canvas, black paint and glue.

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

ED Bullard designed the earliest safety helmets. His first efforts were made of leather in 1898. Aluminum was the material of choice by the late 1930s,apart from electrical use. By the 1940s, fiberglass was mostly used. From the 1950s, thermoplastics came to dominate because they could be molded cheaply and easily by the use of applied heat. Modern safety helmets are constructed of either high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or advanced engineering resins, including polyetherimide (PEI).

Design

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.

Protection

Different styles of hat provide different types of comfort and protection. And, with so many different colors to choose from, the safety helmet doubles as a fashion statement. The smooth dome slotted cap, for example, protects the wearer from small falling objects like bits of plaster from a ceiling. It is also suitable for working around electricity because of its dielectric properties.

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 civilian hardhat has seen a century of use. It has protected the heads of builders, miners and fireman and will continue to do so for many years to come. The safety gear have a variety of styles and colors from which to choose.