Understanding Hard Hats

[cadpoint]

This thread was just closed: Hard Hat Height

I finally looked into exactly what was being said, by the Comments on the thread line and the exact facts.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for head protection are referenced in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.135 and 1926.100.

This is the OSHA regulation 1910.135

This next page has a readers digest type coverage of PPE that highlights in respects to a true
time line of ANSI requirements of which OSHA choose to adopt!

Occupational Head Protection
ANSI Z89.1-1986
ANSI Z89.1-1997
ANSI Z89.1-2003
OSHA Proposed Revisions
Service Life

If anything read the "service life" of this article that describes and agrees with alot of the closing remarks made in the closed thread all about HARD HATS.

 

[iwire]

The closing posts in that thread have to do with music, poor driving habits and Ipods. :roll:

 

[K8MHZ]

Q. Can I wear my hard hat backward?

A. Not usually. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a standard interpretation and compliance letter dated July 22, 1992 that states:

?Because ANSI only tests and certifies hard hats to be worn with the bill foreword, hard hats worn with the bill to the rear would not be considered reliable protection and would not meet the requirement of 29 CFR 1926.100 (a) and (b) unless the hard hat manufacturer certifies that this practice meets the ANSI requirements.?

If your hard hat is to be worn backward, get written verification and instructions from the hard hat manufacturer on whether your hard hat model has been tested and found to be compliant when worn backward.

I wonder if you have to carry the verification with you at work, like a note from your mom.

 

[iwire]

I removed some posts, forget about the other thread and stay on Cadpoints topic.

 

[DanZ]

I wonder if you have to carry the verification with you at work, like a note from your mom.

I believe most of them should have it screen printed, stamped into, etched in, or attached to the helmet by some other means. I know my caving / rappelling helmet has large screen printed letters on the light straps (that are permanently mounted to the helmet) the says it's UIAA approved. Check yours out, if it is approved or listed, just like UL, it should be on there somewhere, some how.

 

[DanZ]

If you have trouble keeping it on your head, use a chin strap! But check with OSHA or the safety guy first, I don't know if their requirements will allow or disallow one.

 

[zog]

I wonder if you have to carry the verification with you at work, like a note from your mom.

Hard hats or only designed to protect froma top impact with the suspension system on the right way, you can remove the shell and turn it around, if the shell can be put back on the suspension system backwards then it can be worn that way.

Try this at home, put on your hard hat the right way, make a fist, mash you fist straight down on the top of your hard hat when on your head. Now turn it around backwards and do the same thing......hurts dont it?

 

[zog]

I believe most of them should have it screen printed, stamped into, etched in, or attached to the helmet by some other means. I know my caving / rappelling helmet has large screen printed letters on the light straps (that are permanently mounted to the helmet) the says it's UIAA approved. Check yours out, if it is approved or listed, just like UL, it should be on there somewhere, some how.

Your hard hat shoud have an ANSI Z89 stamp o it somewhere, usually under the brim. For electrical workers it is required to also say class E.