Everybody knows and uses them, yet few people like them, even though safety helmets - commonly known as hard hats - are perhaps the most important personal protective equipment and must be worn during all work where the head may be exposed to injury.
Function and structure
The single, but crucial, function of safety helmets is to protection of the worker's head. Protection mainly against falling objects, blows and other physical impacts that can cause serious and sometimes fatal head or brain injuries.
Also the occupational safety and health helmets provide protection against electric shock and high temperatures during arc pulling, as well as possible burns in metalworking.
The helmets consist of two structural units. Damaging forces on the head are absorbed and cushioned by the outer shell of the headgear, and then distributed as evenly as possible by the helmet insert, the headband, to ensure the least possible force is applied to the head.
A similar principle is used to protect the head in motorcycle and bicycle helmets.
Because of their importance for occupational safety, helmets must meet strict standards.
The most general requirements for safety helmets EN 397, which contains the basic and additional requirements for industrial protective helmets, their marking and the information that must be included in the leaflet.
According to the standard, the requirements for helmets basic requirements are:
- protection against the risk of head impact;
- protection against the impact of falling objects up to 5 KN;
- protection against penetration, puncture.
Rules for wearing safety helmets
The Standards compliance and proper use of all protective equipment, including helmets, is of paramount importance.
- Where safety helmets are required, they must be worn by must be worn at all times while working. It may be uncomfortable at times, but it should not be too high a price to pay for the safety of your head.
- In all cases, safety helmets must be must be worn properly adjusted and perfectly fitted to the head, in order to maximise their protective effect. A well-fitted helmet does not slip, but it does not squeeze the wearer's head.
- A damaged helmets must always be replaced, as they no longer provide adequate protection once damaged. Worn, outdated helmets should also be replaced. A helmets usually have a life cycle of 3-5 years, the production date is always marked on the inside of the helmets to ensure compliance.
Modern solutions
Fortunately, the uniform, often uncomfortable and poorly ventilated safety helmets of yesteryear are starting to be replaced lighter, ergonomically designed and more comfortable cobs made from modern materials, which, while aesthetics are not the primary design consideration, are often now being given a unique design by manufacturers.
These helmets are a far cry from the older, uncomfortable helmets of yore, so there are fewer and fewer objections to wearing them.
