HEAD SAFETY

INTRODUCTIONHead injuries causes include– Impact

• Falling or flying objects• falling or walking into hard objects• injuries include neck sprains concussions and skull• injuries include neck sprains, concussions, and skull

fractures– Electric Shock

i d l i i• Live exposed electric wires• Injuries include electrical shocks and burns

– Dripsp• Toxic liquids such as acids, caustics, and molten metals can

irritate and burn the head/scalpHard hats:Hard hats:– resist penetration– absorb the shock of a blowabsorb the shock of a blow– lessen injury

HEAD PROTECTION

Wh i H d P t ti I t t?Why is Head Protection Important?• In and around your head are:

– Your eyes, with which you see – Your ears, with which you hear – Your nose, with which you smell – Your mouth, with which you eat and speak – Your brain, with which you think

• Injuries to the head are very serious. For j ythis reason, head protection and safety are very important .y p

TYPES Hard hats fall into two types and three classes

T i l d• Types include:– Type 1 - full brim– Type 2 - no brim, peak extending forward

Classes include:Cl A l i li it d lt– Class A - general service - limited voltage protection

– Class B - utility service – high voltage protection– Class C - special service - no voltage protectionp g p

HARD HAT CLASSES• Class A. These helmets are for general service.

Th id d i t t ti b t li it dThey provide good impact protection but limited voltage protection. They are used mainly in mining, b ildi t ti hi b ildi l b i dbuilding construction, shipbuilding, lumbering, and manufacturing.

• Class B. Choose Class B helmets if your employees are engaged in electrical work. They protect against falling objects and high-voltage shock and burns.

• Class C. Designed for comfort, these light-weight g , g ghelmets offer limited protection. They protect workers from bumping against fixed objects but do not protect p g g j pagainst falling objects or electric shock.

PROTECTION

• Suspension system inside acts as a shock• Suspension system inside acts as a shock absorber

• Some hats serve as an insulator against electrical shocksg

• Shields your scalp, face, neck, and shoulders against splashes spills and dripsshoulders against splashes, spills, and drips

• Some can be modified so you can add face shields, goggles, hoods or hearing protection

MAINTENANCE

• Best to wear ANSI approved hard hatpp• Hats consist of two components: shell and suspension• Components work together as a system and must beComponents work together as a system and must be

inspected on a regular basis• Shells should be inspected for dents, cracks, gouges & any p , , g g y

damage from impact, penetration, abrasions, rough treatment or wear.

• Degradation of thermoplastic material may be apparent when the shell becomes stiff, brittle, faded, dull in color or chalky in appearancechalky in appearance.

• Replace at the first sign of any of these conditions

LIFE OF A HARD HAT

• General guideline, replace every five years regardless of outward appearance

• Exposure to high temperatures, sunlight or chemicals? Replace every two years

• Inspect suspension as well as shell• Worksite review is critical to degradation of

PPE

CONCLUSIONS

HARD HATSHARD HATS• Protects from impacts from above.• Never modify the shell or suspension.• Avoid contact with electrical devices.Avoid contact with electrical devices.• Replace if struck by a falling object.

Do not store in direct s nlight• Do not store in direct sunlight.• Do not sit on.• Do not paint.• Do not use solvents or cleaners.Do not use solvents or cleaners.