Hard Hat Safety Requirements

Wearing a hard hat on a worksite can prevent a variety of injuries on the job. They can keep workers from hitting their heads on hard objects, protect the head from blows by falling objects, absorb shock from impact and in some cases protect the eyes, face and ears from damage. The Occupational Health and Safety Act lists several requirements concerning the use of hard hats in the American workforce.

Hazard Assessment

• The person in charge of a worksite should complete a hazard assessment to determine when and where employees should wear hard hats.

  According to the All About Head Protection website, employers must require hard hats to be worn if there is a possibility that a person may be hit on the head by an object falling on the worksite. If there are fixed objects on which a person may hit his head while working, the hard hat is also a requirement. Electrical hazards require hard hats because the material the hats are made from will help reduce the chances of electrocution.

  Generally any construction worker performing a job in which there is a risk of head injury is required to wear a hard hat. Even if there is not a significant risk, the employer may still require it. All demolition work requires hard hats as well.

Acceptable Hard Hats

• Not any old hard hat will do when it comes to regulations set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Hard hats purchased prior to July 5, 1994 do not comply with the acceptable standards of today's hard hats. The newer and acceptable versions according to the American National Standards Institute are the only ones considered appropriate by OSHA.

  These hard hats are classified into three categories, Class A, B and C. Class A helmets decrease impact risk and protect from low-voltage risks of around 2,200 volts. Class B helmets are similar, but have high-voltage resistance up to 20,000 volts. Class C helmets only protect against impact from falling objects but do not protect against electrical shock.

OSHA Occupational Examples

• OSHA standards do not cite specific occupations where hard hats are mandatory, but it does list examples of jobs where hard hats are routinely worn.

  Among the occupational examples listed by OSHA are carpenters, electricians, mechanics, plumbers, pipe fitters, packers, wrappers, freight handlers, laborers, timber cutters, loggers and warehouse workers.

Forward Only

• Hard hat requirements only allow the protective helmets to be worn with the bill forward. Wearing the helmet backwards with the bill toward the rear is unacceptable because the hats were not designed to be worn that way. In addition, the bill serves as eye protection and is rendered inefficient when a hard hat is worn backwards.