One of the things that drillers appreciate is consistency, we want our crew personnel to be predictable, reliable, and attentive. We want our site engineers to be even tempered, and flexible enough to work with us when job site conditions present challenges. So, once we have a hard hat broken in, we do not like to have to replace it, besides the stickers, marks and that fading shows our experience. 

The new hard hat guy is not the image that many drillers want to project to clients, or the rest of the crew. OSHA’s head protection requirements, 1926.100 are relatively simple.

Employees working in areas where there is a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects, or from electrical shock and burns, shall be protected by protective helmets.

The employer must provide each employee with head protection that meets the specifications contained in American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z89.1, "American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection”.

The employer must ensure that the head protection provided for each employee exposed to high-voltage electric shock and burns as defined by (ANSI/ISEA Z89.1)

OSHA will deem any head protection device that the employer demonstrates is at least as effective as a head protection device constructed in accordance with one of the consensus standards identified in ANSI Z89.1 -2014 , 2009, 2003 or 1994 to be in compliance with the requirements of this section.

OSHA does not have a hard hat expiration date, but manufacturers have set specific dates for expiration of the hats they produce, however hard hats should be inspected daily, and replacement must be considered when a hat develops dents, cracks, penetration, or even wear from rough care and treatment. Most manufacturers recommend replacing their hard hats every five years and replacing the support system annually or biannually.

ANSI classifies hard hats as:

• Type I hard hats protect from blows and penetrations to the top of the head.
• Type II safeguards the top of the head but also protects against front, back, and side.
• ANSI Electrical protection classifications are:
• Class C (Conductive; no protection)
• Class G (General; up to 2,200 volts)
• Class E (Electrical; up to 20,000 volts)

I am partial to the MSA Skullgard® Full Brim hard hat; this is a Type I class G (up to 2200V) hardhat commonly worn by ironworkers in my area. 

The manufacturers’ guidelines are:

• Helmets must be cleaned in order to be adequately inspected.
• Inspect daily
• Clean helmet assembly using mild soap (no detergents) and warm water.
• Do not throw, drop, or use a helmet as support.
• Store the helmet in a clean, dry environment, not over 49° C (120°F).
• Replace suspension after no more than 12 months.
• Replace the outer shell after no more than five years.

In fact, writing this article reminds me I have to replace the suspension in my hard hat as it has been over a year since I installed the current one.

If you need to replace your whole hard hat, consider a new safety helmet designed to increase head protection. Drilling sites have hazards possible from several different directions, such as hoisting rods and casing from sleds or trailers flying debris or stray tools falling from above and using safety helmets may better protect the back and sides of the head. Safety helmets look more like those worn for mountain climbing, biking or fire and rescue. They fit closely to the head and have a small brim, protective padding, and a chin strap. And many larger companies have mandated that all people working on their job sites wear a safety helmet instead of a hard hat. Improving upon head protection is a benefit to many in the drilling industry. The workers benefit from less chance of injury. The contractor benefits from less lost time and workers’ compensation payouts. Insurance companies benefit from less claims. Safety helmets often also come with many more options available to customize the helmet for the task at hand. Visors, sunshades, earmuffs, and neck shields are readily available.

Safety helmets may not look the way that you envision a driller to look in your mind’s eye, but the increased comfort and safety of worrying about a safety helmet compared to a hard hat should get the industry to take a serious look at making the change.

Until next time stay safe, where is your head protection, and keep turning to the right.

For more Safety 365 columns, visit thedriller.com/safety365.