Plan B Forum

Just some thoughts about Hard Hats;





Even if you've never been on a construction site, nor been in a situation that required you to wear one; you're probably all familiar with the concept shown above: If you are in danger of being hit by falling objects, you should wear a Hard Hat. They say.
Seems like a good idea on the surface ( and I may piss a few people off by saying this, but...) What's the point of that?

I'm not saying, folks shouldn't protect their noggins, but other than just another form of sun shade; what protection does a Hard Hat really offer?
It's plastic people.
I've seen it done; throw a Hard Hat down on the ground and stomp on it; and it. will. break. What does that say about the effectiveness of its use against serious blunt trauma? Anything?

Granted, I've never been hit by falling objects on the cranium; I've been blessed by having outstanding reflexes, and the instinctive reaction of a Latino to avoid danger and/or lock-up. However, it seems to me that small flotsam could be blocked by a simple ballcap (which I wear) and large jetsam is going to ring your bell, whether you are wearing protective headgear, or not. The best a Hard Hat seems to offer is: it will increase the surface area of your bruising, while giving your Safety Officer a hard-on that you got hit, but it's okay because you were wearing a helmet; no harm/no foul ...for he and the insurance co. Regardless of the fact, that you still have a concussion.

Mankind has literally built a civilization without the use of Hard Hats.

Look at Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs- do you see any personal equipment that isn't strictly ornamental, or just a sun visor?

Fast-forward a few millennium to the Wild, Wild, West and the HEYDAY of the American Rail Road; where my Grandfather never wore a helmet in his life!
Contrary to popular belief, he didn't wear a sombrero either, but most pictures of him show him in his trademark Panama Hat; again, just to keep the sun off, not to stop any possible projectiles. Ay-Yi-Yi!
Who knows, maybe he was as fast of a desert-runner as I am (meep-meep) but there are also no head injuries in his history, that I know of. For all intents and purposes, his skull remains intact and free from traumatic injury.

Back in those days the companies didn't care; there was no way you could sue. That's significant. You'd be swinging hammers and large iron rails from dawn til dusk PLUS you could drink on the job. ...gawd, you gotta love it! ...thus so, it was your Mexicano-Spider-Sense ability to dodge disaster that got you through the day, not some cheap, made-in-china, thin plastic shell.

Now-a-days, they can say it's YOUR fault that you got hit by ten tons of rebar, falling off a truck, because YOU were not wearing PPE [Personal Protective Equipment] that doesn't make a damn bit of difference anywayZ ...in order to avoid lawsuit.

That seems to be the main motive behind Hard Hats, make the Insurance moguls happy.






~meh.

Do you not have safety standards for protective equipment? We do, and codes as well.

If your hard hats are breaking when you drop them, I think they have passed their use by date and require replacement.

All throughout history, people have been killed doing menial work. Do you really want to continue that?

I don't. Proper protective equipment saves lives.

The Hen wrote:Do you not have safety standards for protective equipment?

Yes, you can't sell a Hard Hard in the US that doesn't meet OSHA standards; as I know from Home Depot and construction trades.

Interestingly, I also know from being a welder that you aren't required to wear a Hard Hat indoors ...why not? Because it's useless? You can get hit on the head as easily in welding large frames, as you can from working on the Rail Road.

A fellow welder of mine was forced (he didn't want nor needed to go) to go the hospital, because he fell outta his chair and bumped his head. Should he now be required to wear a Hard Hat because chairs are a hazard?


I sense some dichotomy here...

Hen, of course we have all sorts of protective requirements at the federal level (OSHA), and depending on the state, additional requirements. Don't pay attention to someone who went into convulsions to justify not wearing a cycling helmet.

Guinevere, you wound me; convulsions? Really?

I have a choice not to, in my state, yet you hate me for my freedoms? Shame.

First of all, I don't hate you Loca. Secondly, every piece of data that exists demonstrates that it is significantly safer to wear a helmet when riding, so I do think your choice is not an intelligent one. Third, get to know some of the people who have been irrevocably harmed by not wearing a helmet, or learn to miss the ones that aren't here, and tell me again about your "freedoms.". But that's just my opinion. Forgive me for giving a damn.

No, I don't think you 'hate' but convulsions are a condescending description of my opinions.

I do know a fine young man I've monicked 'Monster', who had [the finest made military] helmet on when he was hit by an IED, and now suffers a serious handicap; while Alpha Dog prefers just body armor sans helmet for his regular rocket attacks and still walks around a whole person.

I understand its place, I just disagree with you're assessment that it's not open to discussion and should not be paid attention to.

You know what though; that's an interesting question, worthy of research.

I'm going to ask Alpha Dog why he wears a plastic helmet during construction, and no headgear when he's driving a truck; getting shot at and bombed. I promise not to edit his reply, pls stand by.

LO head injuries cause the convulsion.

It was not a remark on yer character.

Plastic are rated buy the voltages they are insulated against beside protecting from falling objects, linemen wear this style.

To find the rating for falling object protection as well as voltage look inside and compare it to the specific ANSI test requirements.

This summer at the construction site at work, the drilling rig decided to topple the drill from the table. the operator jumped out, hard hat on head and was squished into red paste.

however, nails, small sharp things, even hammers will be detered enuf to not poke a hole in the top of your head.

remember how and why they outlawed 'Jarts'?

I suspect the hard hat is DESIGNED to break. Like a bike helmet, it is designed to come apart so the skull doesn't. I've worn them...they have a webbing that holds it away from the head so it can absorb impacts.

Well, as promised here's Alpha's reply (and much faster than I thought it would get here too);

I wear my "Brain Bucket" when I drive the truck outside. When I drive inside, I don't have to wear one:)

Maybe, I'm not working hard enough to be issued a good quality helmet?
What I was getting at is: It seems like even a skateboarder's helmet is better, as it's designed to protect a kid who'll deliberately fling himself at concrete, that's like being hit with a cinder block isn't it?
The electrical insulation is a good point I hadn't considered, since even though I weld, stray power lines are not usually a hazard. I honestly just don't feel any safer, with only 1/16 of plastic between me and pointy objects.
For example; I have in life, stepped on nail sticking out of a board. It went right through my, much thicker, and I'll speculate, much stronger boot sole with very little effort. OTOH no, I've never been hit with a whole bucket of nails in order to compare experiences. However, bone penetration doesn't seem to be the objective of earth-bound fasteners.
The biggest problem I see with a whole bucket of nails, is the weight raining down on you ...which Hard Hats don't really seem to be adequate defense against. You're gonna get knocked in the head, anywayZ, right?

Ah Jarlaxle posted, I'll have to ponder on his points...

Well I've never seen a priest wearing a hard hat...

...to shield against Manna dropping from Heaven, or what?