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Several US Construction Companies Are Ditching Hard Hats for Safety Helmets

KASK Zenith Safety HelmetKASK Zenith Safety Helmet

KASK Zenith Safety Helmet

For decades, hard hats have been synonymous with construction job site safety.  Their one major flaw, however, is that if workers fall, the hard hat rarely stays on their head, exposing them to possible head injuries resulting from the fall. According to Bloomberg News, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) launched research campaign to determine their effectiveness in protecting against head and neck injuries.  Their findings have not yet been released, but companies have begun to seek out new products, in hopes of reducing injuries.

Improving upon head protection is a benefit to many different parties surrounding the industry.  The worker benefits from less chance of injury, the company benefits from less lost time and worker’s compensation payouts, and insurance companies benefit from lower risk and less claims.  So far, attention has turned to safety helmets, like the ones search and rescue teams and mountaineers wear with chin straps, as the best current alternatives to hard hats. Contractors across the pond have also recently begun testing safety helmets on their job sites, with generally positive feedback.

In the US, large contractors like Skanska, Clark Construction, and Balfour Beatty have launched test programs involving safety helmets on job sites.  According to Bloomberg, the KASK Zenith safety helmet ($140 on Amazon) is being tested by at least a couple of the companies.

In addition to being strapped to a worker’s head, safety helmets boast some other major benefits, chief of which is the ability to functionally accessorize. For example, many of the helmets are Hi-Viz, are shaped to allow for over the ear hearing protection, and have multiple options for safety visors of various sizes.  Their major drawback, especially for smaller contractors, is their initial price. A standard hard hat typically runs $15 to $20, but a safety helmet can fetch anywhere from $100-$150.  Additional accessories only add to a higher cost. The KASK helmets do have a shelf life of 10 years, whereas standard hard hats typically have a 5 year shelf life.

If your company is considering switching to these helmets, it’s important to remember that protective head gear must meet ANSI Z89.1 standards.  Only certain safety helmet manufacturers meet these standards.

Full story: Safety Helmets Are Replacing Hard Hats on Construction Sites | Bloomberg BNA

For decades, hard hats have been synonymous with construction job site safety.  Their one major flaw, however, is that if workers fall, the hard hat rarely stays on their head, exposing them to possible head injuries resulting from the fall. According to Bloomberg News, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) launched research campaign to determine their effectiveness in protecting against head and neck injuries.  Their findings have not yet been released, but companies have begun to seek out new products, in hopes of reducing injuries.

OSHA currently controls over 20 laws that protect workers who file safety complaints against their employer or other employees. In general, whistleblowers are protected against retaliation from their employer. 

In January of 2017, OSHA released a final rule which greatly reduced the allowable exposure to beryllium, a mineral that can cause deadly lung disease.  While not as commonly encountered in the construction industry as other substances that cause terrible lung diseases, like crystalline silica and asbestos, beryllium is linked to a disease called chronic beryllium disease, which kills around 100 people each year. It’s commonly found in coal slag, which is used for sandblasting.  According to the New York Times, OSHA estimates that 11,500 construction workers would be affected by OSHA’s reduced exposure limit.

[VIDEO] Roofer Amazingly Escapes Burning 6 Story Building By Hanging On to Crane Hook

As recently highlighted by several multi-story building fires, contractors should always be prepared in the event a fire starts on a job site.  There have been dozens multi-story building fires in the past few years and many were started when the building was topped out.  In most cases, the project was completely destroyed, leaving developers and owners to deal with years of delays from insurance claims.  A massive five-alarm fire at an Oakland construction site is one of the more recent examples.

In a year that OSHA can’t seem to enforce any new rules, it appears to have found a way to remove a rule from its books. As announced last week, OSHA has removed monorail hoists from Subpart CC – Cranes and Derricks in Construction.  Employers are still required to follow other OSHA regulations regarding the hoists, but this rule should help clear up some inconsistencies.

For many construction superintendents and project managers across the world, tablets are becoming one of the most important tools on the job site.  They’re great for looking at plans, taking pictures, making notes, and running your favorite construction apps. Carrying a tablet does take up at least one of your hands, however, so it can be a hindrance if you need to help a co-worker lift material or climb a ladder.

High demand battery packs have allowed many construction workers ditch the cords on jobsites throughout the country, by providing more power and longer runtime. As with any battery packs, it’s important to follow safety warnings, but with a higher capacity can sometimes mean greater consequences when those warnings are not followed.