Hard Hat Usage on Scaffolds

Wearing a hard hat when working on a scaffold is a good idea to avoid serious or even fatal injury. In fact, proper wear will help ensure a safer work environment for all on the job. But it's even more than just a good idea; in the United States, it's the law, and in the United Kingdom, head protection is required on any worksite.

OSHA Guidelines

• Taking precautions and being aware at all times are good ways to avoid injury on the job, especially on scaffolding. According to guidelines set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, hardhats are required to protect employees "when material is being handled at head level, when the employee is bending or leaning between scaffold members, to protect against injury or slips and falls, or during travel around the construction site where any number of potentially hazardous situations exist."

On and around Scaffolding

• Any time a worker must climb to work at any height above the ground -- especially on scaffolding, which can be quite high and may be unstable -- the risk of being injured increases. Hard hats should also be worn when working below scaffolding or whenever there is a possibility of being struck.

Sources of Injury

• Although not all injuries can be anticipated and avoided, precautions help. One common type of head injury on scaffolding occurs when the hard hat adds unaccustomed height to the wearer. Sources of head injuries include low overhead clearance and falling debris, tools or construction materials. Other possibilities include a worker falling onto another worker or a worker falling off of scaffolding.

Additional Repurcussions

• In addition to the danger of injury or death is the threat of job loss or even a job shutdown. OSHA can impose heavy fines when employees or employers violate rules if those violations increase the risk of serious injury or death. Individual fines may be levied against each worker found to be in violation of the hard hat guidelines on a work site.