Hard hats are essential PPE in anywhere employees may be hit in the head or risk head contact with electrical hazards. The brightly colored construction helmet has saved thousands of workers from traumatic brain injuries over the years. In construction sites, oil and gas facilities, mining, firefighting, and similar work environments, custom hard hats save lives: 84 percent of workplace head injuries occur when workers do not wear head protection.
When Does OSHA Require Head Protection?
Under regulations set out in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.135, hard hats must be worn under the following conditions:
- Workplaces where objects may fall from above and impact the employee’s head
- Workplaces where employees may strike their heads against fixed objects, such as overhead beams and pipes
- Workplaces in which employees risk head contact with electrical hazards
How Are Hard Hats Categorized?
Personalized hard hats, like all head protection, are categorized using ANSI industry-standard Z89.1. Each hat has its ANSI type and class listed by a permanent label or marking, so employees can quickly check the suitability of head protection for their work environment.
ANSI divides hard hats into two distinct types:
- Type 1 head protection is designed to reduce the force of impacts to the top of the head, protecting against impact and penetration.
- Type 2 hard hats provide all the protection of Type 1 head protection while also shielding the sides of the head from impacts and penetration.
ANSI further categorizes hard hats into three classes, based on their ability to protect against electrical hazards:
- Class C hard hats provide no protection against electrical hazards.
- Class G head protection reduces damage caused by contact with low-voltage conductors. Class G hard hats are made of non-conducting materials and have passed a dielectric strength test of 2,200 volts for sixty seconds (dielectric strength refers to how long material can resist the passage of an electric current).
- Class E hard hats are designed to protect against high-voltage electrical hazards. Like Class G, Class E head protection is made of non-conductive materials but must pass a dielectric strength test of 20,000 volts for three minutes.
Note: Hard hats should never be worn after any impact or electrical contact. Even if head protection seems undamaged, the hat is considered unsafe for use and must be replaced immediately.
Custom Construction Hard Hats
Hard hats present unique marketing and branding opportunities. As your employees are required to wear head protection on the job, custom construction helmets can produce impressions throughout the workday.
A set of custom hard hats brings a sense of uniformity to your work crew, even if they’re not wearing work uniforms. This fosters teamwork among your employees and demonstrates your employees’ ability to work together as a cohesive unit.
How Can You Customize a Construction Helmet?
Hard hats have restrictions on how they can be customized. Screen printing or non-metallic stickers with self-adhesive backing are permitted for most head protection types, as long as the customization does not hide hard hat damage. All printings or stickers must also be at least a half-inch away from the construction helmet’s edge. Overall, screen printing offers the most effective and affordable means of creating custom hard hats.
Examples of Custom Hard Hats
Head protection comes in many forms. Whether you need a Type 1, Class E construction helmet or head protection for fighting wildfires, Triple Crown Products has you covered with personalized hards hats such as:
- The Full Brim Vented Hard Hat with Ratchet Adjustment with air circulating vents for cool comfort. Designed to meet ANSI/ISEA Z89. 1, Type 1, Class C requirements, this solid hard hat features a 4-point woven nylon ratchet suspension.
- Occunomix’s Regular Brim Hard Hat (Ratchet Suspension) meets ANSI Z89. 1 Type 1, Class E and G requirements. Made in the USA, this quality head protection boasts a 6-point deluxe nylon ratchet suspension, front cotton terry sweatband, and rain trough.
- The Wildlands FireFighters Hard Hat with Slide Lock Adjustment Meets the NFPA 1977 standard on protective clothing and equipment for wildland firefighting and ANSI Type 1, Class C, E and G hard hat requirements.
- The Heat Resistant Hard Hat with Ratchet Adjustment is ideal for workers requiring crown impact protection in environments where elevated temperatures or radiant heat are concerns. Suitable for utilities, foundries, steel mills, and welding, the hard hat comes with a removable moisture-wicking brow pad.
- ERB Industries’ Americana® Cap with Accessory Slots and 4-Point Mega Ratchet® Suspension is molded from by ERB high-density polyethylene and features a short peak and trim profile. Meets ANSI Z89. 1 Type 1, Class C, E and G requirements.
To find your own custom construction hard hats, browse the Triple Crown Products head protection catalog, or contact us directly and we’ll help you select the custom hard hats best suited for your brand, your workplace, and your employees’ safety.